Kentucky baseball improves to 11-2, defeats Ohio University 9-2
Kentucky Wildcats pitcher Austin Strickland (16) pitches the ball during the Kentucky vs. Indiana State baseball game on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 5-4. Photo by Travis Fannon | Staff
March 10, 2023
Kentucky baseball defeated Ohio University 9-2 at Kentucky Proud Park on Wednesday, earning its 11th season win in the process.
The Wildcats utilized eight different pitchers in the winning effort, with junior Austin Strickland earning the win on the mound for the team.
Starting on the mound for Kentucky was junior Seth Logue, who would retire the side in order in the top of the first.
Senior Jackson Gray recorded a double in the bottom of the first as the leadoff man for Kentucky, but the next three Wildcat batters would go down in order to end the inning.
Logue would find himself in a sticky situation with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the second, forcing Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione to send in Strickland in his relief.
Strickland ultimately managed to get all three outs the Cats needed to escape the inning, but not before Ohio freshman Billy Adams hit a single down the right field line that brought in two Bobcat runners.
Kentucky responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases itself and forcing Ohio head coach Craig Moore to scramble and make a pitching change of his own.
Unfortunately for Moore, fifth year senior Braxton Kelly promptly gave up a double to sophomore Nolan McCarthy that drove home redshirt senior Hunter Gilliam and sophomore Ryan Waldschmidt to tie the game.
Kelly recorded two quick strikeouts after the blunder but, unlike Strickland, couldn’t quite stop the bleeding at just two, allowing senior Jase Felker to single to left field to score two more Kentucky runs.
Strickland took care of business in the third inning, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. Gilliam recorded a double in the bottom half of the inning, but no damage could be done.
Both teams settled in during the fourth and fifth innings, with juniors Magdiel Cotto and Ryan Hagenow combining to keep the Bobcats from cutting into UK’s lead.
Hagenow would remain sturdy in the sixth, adding two strikeouts to retire the side in order, but it was Ohio’s Carter Sabol who ultimately cracked despite recording two quick outs to start the bottom half of the inning.
Kentucky senior Grant Smith kicked things off with a bunt single before advancing to second on a throwing error.
Gray was then walked to put two runners on base before Felker singled to left field to drive home Smith.
Making matters worse for Sabol and the Bobcats, Kentucky catcher Devin Burkes doubled, driving home both Gray and Felker.
While a quick pitching change stopped the bleeding for Ohio, the Bobcats left the sixth inning in a 7-2 hole.
Senior Ryder Giles took over on the mound for Kentucky in the top of the seventh, giving up a single but otherwise taking care of business.
Kentucky added another run in the bottom half of the inning after Waldschmidt singled and junior Kendal Ewell was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. One sacrifice bunt by McCarthy later, Smith hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Waldschmidt.
The eighth inning saw two pitching changes for Kentucky as redshirt freshman Christian Howe walked the first batter he faced and was swiftly pulled in favor of redshirt sophomore Evan Byers, who retired the side.
The Wildcats added one final run in the bottom of the eighth as Waldschmidt grounded out to third base to bring home Burkes, who had reached base with a double prior.
Seth Chavez closed things out for Kentucky, recording three statement strikeouts in the top of the ninth to send the Cats home with the win.
Kentucky baseball is set to return to action on Friday, March 10, when it starts its road series against the Southern Illinois Salukis. The game will air live on ESPN+.
