By Derek Terry

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UK’s pitching staff was dominant for 8.2 innings on Tuesday night against Western Kentucky, but the last out proved hard to come by.

WKU center fielder Anderson Miller hit a two-out, two-run home run off of UK closer Spencer Jack in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Fellow outfielder Hunter Scanlon, whose solo home run in the bottom of the third inning off of Andrew Nelson was the lone WKU run until the ninth inning, tripled with two outs in the top of the tenth to score Ryan Church and give the Hilltoppers their first lead of the game at 4-3. Paul Murray then doubled to score Scanlon to make it 5-3, which WKU would hold to secure its 17th win of the season.

“For 8.2 innings, the bullpen was good,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said. “But it’s a nine-inning game and you have to be able to close the door and get all 27 outs. We just weren’t able to tonight.”

Nelson, who started 10 games for the Cats in 2014, allowed three hits and one earned run in three innings of work in his first start of the season.

“Andrew did a good job,” Henderson said. “I’m really pleased with how he worked through the lineup.”

Dylan Dwyer, Zach Strecker and Logan Salow combined to throw 5.1 innings of shutout baseball in relief.

The Cats got things going in the bottom of the first inning when Dorian Hairston drew a bases-loaded walk off of WKU starter Sam Higgs to make it 1-0. Storm Wilson later hit a sacrifice fly to score Evan White to extend the Cats’ lead in the inning.

Higgs pitched four scoreless innings after allowing the early two runs. He ended the day allowing five hits and was given a no-decision.

The Cats didn’t score again until the bottom of the eighth when Ka’ai Tom reached home on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.

UK was able to keep WKU off the bases for much of the first eight innings, but the Hilltoppers threatened in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases with two outs. Strecker was able to work his way out of danger, however, by getting a ground out to end the inning.

The Cats had a chance to add some insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh after Marcus Carson doubled with two outs to put runners on second and third, but WKU’s Kevin Elder struck out White to end the frame.

After the Hilltoppers scored two in the top of the 10th, UK was able to bring the tying run to the plate after Tom walked, but Hilltopper right-hander Tate Glasscock got JaVon Shelby to fly out in foul territory to end the game.

The loss drops UK’s record to 19-16 on the year. The Cats will face Tennessee at home on Thursday for the first of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.