Kentucky baseball torched Wofford on Friday afternoon in Kentucky Proud Park, outsourcing the Terriers 12-2 in a seven-inning run-rule victory.
Friday night was just the first game of a three-game series that the Cats and Terriers will duel out this upcoming weekend, sitting as an opportunity to stack wins and prepare for SEC play, which is set to take off on Friday, March 14, when UK heads to Athens for a three-game series with the Georgia Bulldogs.
Wofford was able to grab an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after David Wiley scored on an error that was committed by Kentucky second baseman Luke Lawrence.
After that mishap at second base, the Kentucky offense came out and immediately plastered Wofford’s starting pitcher Branton Little, piling on four runs in the first inning alone, courtesy of RBI from Tyler Bell and Dylan Koontz.
“I thought we could have got out of the first with not even giving up any runs,” Kentucky Head Coach Nick Mingione said. “So the fact that we were able to just come and answer right back, I thought that was big.”
Koontz, a senior transfer from Campbell, had himself a night, finishing the game 2-4 with two hits – including a two-run home run – and four RBI, cementing himself as one of the key pieces to this UK roster that is chasing another trip back to the College World Series.
Koontz’ two-run blast came in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending UK’s lead to 12 before freshman pitcher Leighton Harris closed out the game in the seventh inning.
After his Friday night display, Koontz, in his first season as a Wildcat, is now batting .333 through the teams’ first 12 non-conference games.
“I’m just kind of just slowing the game down,” Koontz said. “I trust my swing, got the reps I needed, been working with the coaches.”
Senior Cole Hage had a strong showing as well, finishing the game 2-2 while hitting a three-run home run, his fourth of the season.
Hage, a transfer from Columbia, is now batting .537 through his first 12 non-conference games as a Kentucky Wildcat.
Kentucky looks to win the series on Saturday, March 8, when it hosts Wofford for game two of the three game series.
First pitch for that contest is set for 1 p.m. ET and can be viewed on the SEC Network.
