Kentucky Baseball (8-1) defeated the Lipscomb Bison (3-6) by a score of 7-4 on Friday.
Travis Smith started the game for the Wildcats and ran into immediate trouble by surrendering back-to-back singles. The struggles would continue as a sacrifice fly put Smith and Kentucky down 1-0 early.
Despite the poor start, the offense for the Cats did not waste any time getting on the board themselves as, after two quick outs, Patrick Herrera and Nick Lopez singled before Devin Burkes hit a single of his own to bring home Herrera and tie the game at 1-1.
Burkes then stole second before Mitchell Daly laid down a bunt single that allowed Lopez to score to give Kentucky a 2-1 lead after one.
Smith seemingly settled into the game by pitching a scoreless second and third inning as the Kentucky offense scored again in the third from another single by Burkes that brought home Herrera.
Following the single, Daly hit a double down the left field line to advance Burkes to third and eventually scored on a Griffin Cameron sacrifice bunt to bring the score to 4-1 Wildcats.
“There are six components to offense and bunting is one of them,” Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said. “When we are at our best, that is part of our game.”
Smith began the fourth with a walk, which proved costly very fast as the next batter hit an opposite field home run over the left field wall to cut the lead to 4-3.
This homer could have more long term effects for the Wildcats as left fielder Nolan McCarthy tried to make a play on the ball and injured his knee. He was replaced by James McCoy in the top of the fifth.
“He said, ‘My foot got stuck under the wall and when I spun my foot was stuck,’” Mingione said. “It just never rotated on it. It happened on the home run.”
Following the homer, Smith gave up a single and a walk before another hit allowed the Bison to score and tie the game at 4-4.
After getting another strikeout, Smith was taken out of the game and replaced by Cameron O’Brien, who got the final out of the inning.
“Cam O’Brien has done phenomenal,” Mingione said. “The role he’s embraced and he’s got us out of so many jams.”
O’Brien was relieved by Trey Pooser in the top of the fifth and he tossed two scoreless innings of work.
After the third inning, the offense was held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Waldschmidt hit a double into right center field to bring home McCoy and give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead.
“He’s solidified that leadoff spot and when our team is at our best, that guy is going to be standing there in the first inning,” Mingione said about Waldschmidt.
Jackson Nove came on in the seventh and finished out the game on the mound for the Wildcats, pitching three scoreless and securing his first save of the season. The game marked 12 straight scoreless innings from the Kentucky bullpen.
Back on the offensive side, Burkes plated another run for the Cats when he scored on a wild pitch to bring the score to 6-4. He then used his bat in the bottom of the eighth to get his third hit of the game and bring home Ryan Nicholson to extend the lead further.
Burkes finished the day with two singles to right field and a single up the middle.
“I’ve been working on it,” Burkes said. “Working on going back side a lot. Just seeing the ball deeper.”
The Wildcats return to action in game two of the three game series against Lipscomb on Saturday, Mar. 2, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
