Anu walk-off double lifts Kentucky past Bellarmine 3-2

Cole Parke

Kentucky baseball (4-0) walked off its home opener against Bellarmine (1-4) ON Wednesday, winning the game 3-2.

The Wildcats secured all three of their runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, having been held to just one hit throughout the first seven innings by Bellarmine starting pitcher Drew Buhr.

Prior to the eighth inning, Kentucky junior infielder Ryan Ritter was the only Wildcat to secure a hit, notching a single in the third.

After the third inning, Buhr retired the next 13 Wildcats in order before being pulled entering the eighth.

Starting on the mound for Kentucky, sophomore Seth Logue pitched five innings, allowing six hits for two runs, though he recorded six strikeouts during his tenure on the mound. 

Coming in to relieve Logue, junior right-handed pitcher Tyler Guilfoil pitched two innings, allowing one hit and recording a balk, though he also notched three strikeouts against nine batters faced.

After Guilfoil was relieved, Kentucky marched out two more relievers, Darren Williams and Austin Strickland, who pitched one inning each.

First, in the eighth inning, Williams allowed one final Bellarmine hit, but recorded all three of his necessary outs via strikeout.

In the top of the ninth inning, Strickland was tasked with handling the Knights who were still on top 2-0. The sophomore was up to the task, notching two strikeouts with no hits allowed, earning the win on the mound for the Cats.

With its back against the wall, Kentucky secured the win in the bottom of the ninth, continuing to thrive in the latter half of games.

Though originally called a double, senior infielder Jacob Plastiak’s hit was determined to be a two-run home run, as the ball bounced off the black railings in center field and not the wall itself.

After the game-tying shot by Plastiak, junior infielder Chase Estep hit a single to right field, putting the winning run on base.

Coming to the plate with victory on his mind, Kentucky grad student Oraj Anu hit a double to center field, driving home Estep to walk off the game for the Cats.

Kentucky celebrated accordingly, rushing Anu at second base and celebrating all the way into shallow center field.

With the win, Kentucky remains undefeated on the season, now 1-0 in Kentucky Proud Park, one day later than originally anticipated with its prior home opener, scheduled for Tuesday against Southeast Missouri State, canceled due to rain.

Now that the Cats have won at home, they’ll look to continue to do so in their first home series of the season against Western Michigan. Game one of the series is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 25, with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. EST.