Kentucky baseball (14-5, 1-2 SEC) lost to Murray State (13-4) 5-4 in a lackluster performance.
The game got off to a rough start for Kentucky as Nate Harris got the start and pitched two clean innings before working himself into trouble in the third.
Two singles with no outs turned into two runs for the Racers on a single and sacrifice fly.
The offense had a big opportunity in the first as Shaun Montoya singled to lead off the game and Luke Lawrence doubled, but Montoya was thrown out at home trying to score from first.
Nonethless, back-to-back hit batsmen loaded the bases with one out, but a strikeout and groundout ended the inning.
To kick off the fourth, Carson Garner hit a home run over the left field wall to give Murray State a 3-0 lead.
Kentucky got the run back in the bottom half after Patrick Herrera sparked a two-out rally with a single and Hudson Brown doubled to score Herrera.
The two-run deficit turned to three once again after the Racers plated another run in the fifth.
Kentucky finally began to generate some offense in sixth as three walks loaded the bases for Montoya, who hit a ball to center that got past a diving Jonathan Hogart for a bases-clearing triple that tied the score 4-4.
Murray State took a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning after a leadoff single, walk and groundout turned into a sacrifice fly.
It appeared the Wildcats were going to strike right back in the eighth as Herrera doubled and was moved to third with one out.
Kyuss Gargett came was up next in a pinch-hit appearance and hit lofted a flyball to right, which Herrera tried to score on but was thrown out at home.
In the bottom of the ninth, James McCoy walked to lead off the inning. Montoya laid down a sacrifice bunt and McCoy kept running past second and was tagged out for a double play that ultimately ended the game.
On the pitching side, six walks cost the Wildcats. Also, six of the Racers’ eight hits were with two strikes.
Meanwhile at the plate, the Bat Cats struck out looking six times and were thrown out at home twice in the ballgame.
Following the loss, Kentucky will welcome No. 20 Auburn into Lexington for its SEC home opener with first pitch of the three-game set slated for Friday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. ET.
