Kentucky drops third straight in 4-2 loss at Louisville
Kentucky Wildcats infielder Jake Plastiak (26) prepares to take a pitch during the UK vs. Morehead State baseball game on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, Kentucky. UK won 7-5. Photo by Michael Clubb | Staff
April 20, 2022
Kentucky fought until the last pitch in its 4-2 defeat at Louisville on Tuesday night.
The loss brings UK to only five games above .500 sitting at a 21-16 (5-10 SEC) record for the year. No. 13 Louisville improved its record to 25-11 (9-6 ACC).
Seth Logue started the rivalry game for the Wildcats. Logue gave up three early runs before he was pulled after 2.2 innings pitched.
Cam Masterman opened the scoring for the Cardinals with a solo home run to right center field in the first inning.
The Cats had a chance to take the lead in the top of the second, but a fantastic play by Cardinals center fielder Levi Usher kept Kentucky off the board. Ryan Ritter’s long drive with two runners on was robbed over the wall by Usher in dramatic fashion, ending the half inning.
Shortly before Logue was pulled, he gave up a two-run single to Jack Payton. Payton’s shallow knock to left put the Cards up three before Kentucky put anything on the board.
The contest remained scoreless until the Wildcats got one back in the top of the sixth.
Jacob Plastiak’s sacrifice fly scored Daniel Harris IV and Kentucky was back in the ballgame. However, no other damage was done to Louisville after UK stranded two.
Dalton Rushing walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and Louisville went up 4-1.
Kentucky would not be able to cut into Louisville’s until the top of the ninth, but it proved to be too little too late.
A pair of walks by Jase Felker and Nolan McCarthy had the Wildcats threatening with one out in the ninth.
McCarthy was out at second after Hunter Jump got to first on a fielder’s choice. Harris IV’s double scored Felker and suddenly Kentucky was down 4-2 with the tying run on second base.
With the right man up, Chase Estep, Kentucky’s rally would be promptly halted after a fielder’s choice saw Harris IV out at third, ending the game.
The difficult matchups keep on coming for the Wildcats as they look ahead to the weekend series versus Vanderbilt. The first game of the series versus the Commodores will begin on Friday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. EST.
