Theatrics have become somewhat of an expected act for the UK baseball team.

On March 4, it was sophomore second baseman Chris Bisson taking center stage as he blasted a walk-off two-run home run over the right field wall. Only four days later, sophomore shortstop Chris Wade hit a walk-off grand slam to give the Cats a 9-6 victory over Indiana State.

“It gives us confidence,” Wade said. “We have a lot of guys that have batted really well and compete so when we get in close games we’re fine and we’re confident and feel like we’re going to win. It’s a good feeling around the team.”

While many UK students were out building their tan during Spring Break, the Cats used their knack for the dramatics to gain yet another comeback victory. This time it was at New Orleans where the Cats used an 11th inning home run by Wade to cap off a comeback that saw the Cats down a run entering the ninth inning.

Wade is already one home run shy of his total from his freshman year where he knocked five balls out of the park. Of his nine career home runs, three have been grand slams. Wade said he’s not sure what the reason has been for his recent surge, but that he’s just trying to see the balls and hit them hard.

“I’m just trying to help the team out any way I can,” Wade said. “In close games, really whenever we need it, I’m just trying to barrel it up and hit the ball hard. Good things happen in those situations.”

Despite only having four seniors on the team, the Cats are 6-3 on the year in games that are decided by three runs or less. One of those four seniors is left handed pitcher Chris Rusin. Rusin believes the close game victories give them added confidence heading into the meat of the SEC season and makes them stronger as a unit. Rusin said because of the tight games, they know they can compete and never get down.

“We just let the young guys know that when you come out here you got to go to work, compete and leave everything out on the field,” Rusin said. “Don’t, after the game, dwell on it and think ‘should have done this, should have done that,’ you just have to go out and work hard so you won’t have any regrets.”

UK head coach Gary Henderson’s style — one that stresses the mental aspect of the game, Wade said — has helped the Cats remain calm in the late game situations. In addition to the coaching techniques, the young talent producing for the Cats was brought in by Henderson.

The ability to play from behind and win games is a trait of a good team, Henderson said, and one that he has enjoyed seeing with this current squad. Henderson believes the team’s ability to come through in the clutch is a token of their camaraderie as a unit. In order to maintain that camaraderie and keep the team together and on the same page, Henderson said a player’s personality, one of integrity, honesty and character, is a big thing he looks for when he’s out recruiting players.

“When kids like each other, they enjoy being around each other, they identify themselves as competitive people; then you have a chance to do those things,” Henderson said. “They’re a group of people that enjoy playing baseball, enjoy having a good time and are learning how to be aggressive.”