Salow, late offensive surge power UK to series win over USC

Pitcher Logan Salow of the Kentucky Wildcats delivers a pitch during the game against the Buffalo Bulls at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky. on Sunday, March 6, 2016. Photo by Michael Reaves | Staff.

By Chris Angolia

No. 6 UK baseball continued to roll through its SEC schedule in 2017 after grabbing a series victory over South Carolina on Sunday with a 9-4 win in the rubber game of the series between the two teams.

For the Cats (31-14) (14-7 SEC), it is their first road series victory in Columbia since the 1999 season and marks their sixth conference series win in seven weekends.

After an offensive explosion for UK on Friday in game one and a win by the Gamecocks on Saturday, game three was set to decide the series and behind a stellar relief appearance from Logan Salow and a late offensive surge, the Cats pulled out the win.

An RBI-single by Tyler Marshall in the eighth inning that made it 5-4 UK proved to be the game-winner, but a two-RBI single by Tristan Pompey that same inning and a two-run homer by Riley Mahan in the ninth gave the Cats some insurance. That insurance was seldom needed however because of the dominant performance by Salow.

Starter Justin Lewis was limited to just 4.1 innings after working into a jam in the fifth and allowing four runs prior. Salow was called upon and got out of the jam and then held the Gamecocks scoreless for the rest of the game with a nearly perfect performance.

In 4.2 innings of relief, Salow did not allow a hit and walked just one USC hitter while striking out 10 of the 15 batters that he faced. Salow’s performance on Sunday brought his ERA down to a stellar 0.46 further proving why he has been one of the nation’s best relievers this season.

The Cats are now one game ahead of Florida in the SEC East and are tied atop the overall league standings with three conference series left in the season. With no mid-weeks due to finals, UK will be back in action on Friday at home when it hosts Georgia to open a weekend series.