Kentucky baseball (19-14, 6-9 SEC) dropped the rubber match 5-4 in its three-game series against No. 2 Texas (29-5, 13-2 SEC). 

The Wildcats suffered from poor situational hitting, UK was 1-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position.

“Pitching and defense gave us a chance, we just didn’t get that timely hit,” Kentucky Head Coach Nick Mingione said.

Ben Cleaver walked the first batter of the game before forcing a flyout and an inning-ending double play.

Tyler Bell was the first Wildcat to reach base with a first inning walk. Patrick Herrera advanced Bell to third with a single before being thrown out at second on a failed steal attempt. Bell was stranded at third.

After both teams were held scoreless in the second, Texas’ first batter of the third reached on a hit-by-pitch. The runner advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, then to third on a ground out.

Cleaver intentionally walked the fourth batter of the inning. The next batter hit a line drive into shallow center field for an RBI single.

Texas added on with a two-RBI double into the left-center gap to cap off the three-run frame. 

This was the third time this season that Cleaver had allowed three runs in an inning, but this was the first time in SEC play.

Luke Lawrence hit a two-out single in the bottom of the third, then advanced to third on a successful hit and run by Bell. However, the runners were stranded on the corners.

Kyuss Gargett put the Wildcats on the board with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Cleaver struck out the Longhorns’ first batter of the fifth inning before allowing a single and a double. This put two runners in scoring position with one out.

Devin Burkes made a sliding play to catch a foul ball near the first base dugout; he then threw to Cleaver to tag out the runner attempting to score. The Wildcats turned an unconventional double play to escape the jam.

Cole Hage led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and Ethan Hindle was hit by a pitch to join Hage on base. Lawrence laid down a bunt, but the Longhorns got the force out at third.

Herrera walked to load the bases with two outs; however, all three runners were left on base after an inning-ending pop-out.

The Longhorns led off the sixth inning with an infield single on a swinging bunt. Cleaver got the next batter in an 0-2 count before Texas was unsuccessful in challenging a hit-by-pitch. 

Following the challenge, Kentucky decided to change pitchers as Evan Byers entered to replace Cleaver.

Byers allowed a single to the first batter he faced, then a sacrifice fly that scored the runner from third. He escaped the inning with a pick-off and strikeout.

Tommy Skelding replaced Byers on the mound before the seventh inning and allowed a single, but nothing came of it.

Lawrence and Bell strung together a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the seventh. Both advanced into scoring position on a flyout by Herrera.

Burkes drove in both runs with a two-out double down the right-field line that cut the Longhorns’ lead to 4-3 through seven innings.

James McCoy replaced Skelding on the mound after the Longhorns led off the eighth inning with a double.

Texas hit an RBI-double on the first pitch of McCoy’s outing. McCoy retired the next three batters to escape the inning.

The Wildcats went three-up, three-down in the eighth inning.

McCoy retired the side in order in the ninth inning, leaving Kentucky with a 5-3 deficit heading into the last inning.

Lawrence led off the ninth with a walk, and Bell followed with a single into right that advanced Lawrence to third. Lawrence scored on a sacrifice fly from Herrera.

Texas turned a double play on a groundball by Burkes to end the game.

“One swing away from winning the game,” Mingione said. “I love their fight, just got to execute a tad better.”

The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday, April 13, when they host Miami (OH). The game will be shown live on SEC Network with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.