PREVIEW: Bat Cats host Lipscomb in first home series of season
Heading into March with a 7-1 record, Kentucky welcomes Lipscomb to Kentucky Proud Park for their first home series of the season this weekend.
With a series sweep of Lipscomb, the Cats would match their second best start to a season under Nick Mingione at 10-1 (2022). Their best start came in 2018, when they started the season 12-1 before a loss to Northern Kentucky.
The Cats and Bisons share a common opponent, as Lipscomb fell to Western Kentucky 8-5 back on Feb. 20. Kentucky hosted WKU last Tuesday, blanking the Hilltoppers 5-0.
Friday’s game was originally scheduled for 4:00 p.m. EST, but was moved up to 1:00 p.m. EST before forecasted ran hits the area.
Lipscomb
Lipscomb has started the season with a 3-5 record, with all five losses coming at home. The Bisons however are coming off a 7-3 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday.
Lipscomb boasts a team .283 BA and 6.88 ERA through its first eight games.
They are led by senior shortstop Jesus Pacheco (.385 BA, 10 hits, four RBI) and grad transfer second baseman Trace Willhoite (.281 BA, nine hits, three home runs), who is a product of Scott County High School and is Lipscomb’s all-time leading home run hitter. Willhoite was also named the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and earned Preseason All-ASUN honors.
Along with Willhoite, senior outfielder Alex Vergara, junior left-handed pitcher Hayden Frank, and senior catcher Austin Kelly were also named Preseason All-ASUN. The Bisons were picked to finish first in the ASUN in the preseason poll.
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Lipscomb notched just their third-ever postseason appearance in team history last season.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s offense has been uncharacteristically quiet through its first eight games, as the Bat Cats are hitting for just a .243 team batting average. That ranks dead last in the SEC and ranks 58/69 among power five schools. They hit for a team .290 BA in 2023.
Émilien Pitre however has started the season hot, hitting .300 through his first 30 at-bats with a home run and six RBI. Nick Lopez (.350 BA, three doubles) and Mitchell Daly (.316 BA, one home run, eight RBI) have been impressive as well, but the offense drops off big time after those three.
RHP Travis Smith will look to bounce back on Friday, as he gave up six hits and three earned runs in Kentucky’s loss to Washington State on Feb. 22. His control problems have seemingly carried over this season, as he’s registered more walks (seven) than strikeouts (six) through his first two outings.
The Cats have started 7-1, but haven’t quite looked eye-popping so far. This weekend presents an opportunity to kick the season into high gear.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Lipscomb leads 3-2
Game 1: Friday, March 1, 2024 (Kentucky Proud Park – 1:00 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: RHP Travis Smith (1-1, 5.00 ERA, 9.0 IP) vs LIP: RHP Alex Brewer (0-1, 10.80 ERA, 5.0 IP)
Game 2: Saturday, March 2, 2024 (Kentucky Proud Park – 1:00 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: LHP Dominic Niman (2-0, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP) vs LIP: RHP Jake Poindexter (0-1, 12.15 ERA, 6.2 IP)
Game 3: Sunday, March 3, 2024 (Kentucky Proud Park – 1:00 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: RHP Mason Moore (1-0, 3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP) vs LIP: LHP Michael Dunkelberger (1-1, 3.37 ERA, 10.2 IP)
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