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Kentucky opens SEC play with 12-6 loss to No. 4 Georgia

IMG_8756by:Daniel Hager•about 8 hours•

DanielHagerKSR

Kentucky-opens-SEC-play-with-loss-Georgia
Kentucky's Patrick Herrera (Photo by UK Athletics)

No. 4 Georgia’s winning streak improved to 17 games Friday night as the Bulldogs downed Kentucky 12-6 to open conference play at Foley Field.

The ‘Cats took a 6-2 lead in the top of the third inning, but were outscored 10-0 over the final six innings in the loss. Three of Kentucky’s five hits were totaled in the first three innings.

Senior right-hander Nic McCay made his fifth start of the season for Kentucky and it was likely his worst. McCay lasted just 2 1/3 innings, marking his shortest start of the season. He allowed just one hit, but walked five batters and allowed a season-high three earned runs.

The Kentucky pitching staff in general was all over the place Friday night, as it issued 15 free passes (11 walks, four HBP) to Georgia batters.

Nick Mingione’s team will look to bounce back on Saturday to avoid opening SEC play with a series loss.

‘Cats and Bulldogs trade runs in long, eventful opening frame

Friday’s series opener started at 6:02 p.m. EST, but the first inning didn’t end until 6:43 p.m. EST. This was due to seven walks/HBP and five total runs being scored in the inning.

Shaun Montoya and Luke Lawrence drew back-to-back walks to open the SEC opener, bringing up Cole Hage. Hage entered the game with a .458 batting average, which ranked second best in the entire conference. The Ivy League transfer continued his great start to the season with a three-run home run, giving the ‘Cats a quick three runs before recording a single out.

Hage’s longball traveled 366 feet and was his team-leading fifth of the season.

Georgia however bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, courtesy of the former Wildcat Nolan McCarthy.

McCarthy, who transferred to Georgia this offseason for his final season of college baseball, ripped a bases loaded two-run single to right field, bringing home two runs for the Bulldogs. After a long and eventful opening frame, Kentucky led 3-2.

Kentucky tacks on three more runs in third inning

After a quick second inning that ended in just eight minutes, the ‘Cats bounced back in the top of the third inning with three more runs.

Following a Hage strikeout to open the frame, Tyler Bell walked and Dylan Koontz was plunked to put runners on first and second with one out for Devin Burkes. Kentucky’s captain continued to look like his old self, as he laced an RBI-double to the left field fence to score Bell from second base. It was Burkes’ fifth double and 10th RBI of the season.

Patrick Herrera kept the momentum going for the Kentucky lineup, as he hit a two-run single through the right side to score both Koontz and Burkes. Herrera’s 13 RBI are third most among Wildcat batters.

Georgia had a grand opportunity to tie or take the lead in the latter half of the third inning, as it loaded the bases with just one out. Left-hander Evan Byers however took over for McCay and got the ‘Cats out of the jam, allowing just one run on a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs once again loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning, and were once again held to just one run. Left-hander Jackson Nove took over for Byers and allowed one run on a questionable balk, making it a 6-4 lead.

Over the span of those two innings, the Bulldogs stranded six runners due to stellar outings from Byers and Nove. According to 64Analytics.com, Nove had been the second best relief pitcher in all of the SEC this season.

Georgia rides long balls to lead

Nove had been nearly perfect through his first 10 1/3 innings of the season. That was until he ran into Georgia’s Ryland Zaborowski in the bottom of the fifth inning.

After allowing a one-out walk to left fielder Devin Obee, Zaborowski jumped on the first pitch of the at-bat for a game-tying two-run home run, making it a 6-6 game.

Zaborowski belted his SEC-leading 11th home run, which leads all batters by four.

Nove returned to the mound in the bottom of the sixth, where he allowed a leadoff double to third baseman Slate Alford. Alford was driven home by right fielder Robbie Burnett, giving Georgia its first lead of the game at 7-6. Catcher Henry Hunter then put the finishing touches on a big seventh inning with a two-run blast, making it a 9-6 lead for the Bulldogs.

‘Cats drop their SEC opener

Georgia right fielder Robbie Burnett slammed the door shut on Kentucky in the bottom of the seventh, as his three-run home run officially doubled the ‘Cats total of six.

Kentucky was held to just one hit over the final four innings, as it opened SEC play with a loss.

What’s next for Kentucky?

Kentucky will attempt to bounce back in the second game of the series on Saturday, which is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. EST. It will once again stream on SEC Network+.

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2025-03-14