Kentucky strands 12 runners on base in series finale loss to No. 9 Ole Miss

Kentucky and No. 9 Ole Miss split the first two games of their Friday doubleheader at Kentucky Proud Park, setting up an extremely important rubber-match on Saturday.

A win over No. 9 Ole Miss on Saturday, which would have been Kentucky’s first top-10 series victory since it took two of three from the Hagen Smith led No. 2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks last May, would have solidly put the ‘Cats into the NCAA Tournament picture (as of now). Last week, Kentucky was among the “Last Four In” group in D1Baseball’s Midseason Field of 68 Projections.

However, Nick Mingione’s team stranded 12 runners in a 5-4 12-inning loss to the Rebels and Kentucky has now lost three of its four SEC series this season. This lack of execution on the base paths is starting to become this team’s achilles heel.

Kentucky, which was now tied with Ole Miss 2-2, put itself in great position to retake the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning of Saturday’s game. Tyler Bell, who is now 11-26 (.423) with five doubles, a home run and seven RBIs over his last two SEC series, singled and Patrick Herrera reached on a bunt-single to open the frame. They were then moved over with a perfect sac-bunt from Devin Burkes, putting two runners in scoring position with just one out.

However, Mingione’s small-ball tactics came back to bite them here. Griffin Cameron layed down a bunt to Ole Miss first baseman Collin Reuter, which attempted to score Bell from third. The freshman however hesitated and was thrown out, wiping a potential run off the board. Ethan Hindle then struck out to end the inning, stranding two on base in what was the first of a few major missed opportunities for the Wildcat offense.

After failing in their first attempt with runners on second and third with one out in the sixth, the ‘Cats got another chance to do so in the eighth.

Hudson Brown and Tyler Bell quickly reached base on a single and a walk, and were quickly moved over a bag on a Patrick Herrera sac-bunt. It was deja vu for a Kentucky team that had experienced this exact same scenario just two innings prior. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away from home (once again), Devin Burkes struck out and Griffin Cameron grounded out to end the eighth inning.

That’s four runners stranded in scoring position in just two innings.

Although they had scored no runs in both scenarios, the third time was the charm for Kentucky in the bottom of the 11th inning. However, bad base running wasted what was a golden opportunity to earn the series victory.

Patrick Herrera and Devin Burkes both walked and moved to second and third on a Griffin Cameron sac-bunt, putting two more runs in scoring position with one out. This time, the bases were even loaded after Ethan Hindle walked. But then, an interesting decision was made by Nick Mingione.

Instead of letting James McCoy hit, he was pinch-hit for by Raphael Pelletier. Entering Saturday, Pelletier sported a dreary .108 average, which is one of the worst in all of College Baseball among hitters with at least 30 at-bats on the season. In a situation where a sac-fly would score the game-tying run from third, Pelletier popped out to second base and killed that possibility.

Luke Lawrence came through big for the ‘Cats and almost saved them from a miscue-riddled afternoon with an RBI-single, but Devin Burkes (who is not the fastest guy) was sent from third to home as the potential game-winning run and was thrown out by Ole Miss right fielder Mitchell Sanford. Just another disappointing decision that would cost them the game especially with Cole Hage on deck, who would hit a solo home run to open the bottom of the 12th.

Unbelievably enough, Shaun Montoya was plunked and Tyler Bell was walked following the Hage home run. With no outs and the go-ahead run on first base, Kyuss Gargett this time came through with a sac-bunt. With Montoya and Bell on second and third as the game-tying and game-winning runs, Devin Burkes and Griffin Cameron lined out and struck out (respectively) to end the game. Over the final seven innings, Kentucky stranded seven runners in scoring position.

In a league as cutthroat as the Southeastern Conference, stranding 12 runners on base (seven over the last seven innings) is not going to cut it. It did not in this instance, and Kentucky just let a top-10 ranked home series (that it very well could have swept) slip through its fingers. In order to reach the coveted 15 SEC win mark, Mingione’s team will now have to finish with *at least* a 10-8 record over its final 18 conference games.

Following this weekend however, the ‘Cats will go through a gauntlet. After hosting No. 5 Texas at home next weekend, Kentucky travels to No. 1 Tennessee the weekend after. Never a dull moment in the SEC.