No. 12 Kentucky baseball falls 7-6 to LSU in game three, suffers series defeat

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Travis Fannon

Kentucky Wildcats infielder Ryder Giles (1) pitches the ball during the No. 13 Kentucky vs. Xavier baseball game on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 13-2. Photo by Travis Fannon | Staff

Colton Johnson, Reporter

No. 12 Kentucky (28-7) suffered a 7-6 game three loss to No. 1 LSU (29-6) on Saturday as the Tigers clinched the series at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The loss brings the Wildcat’s conference record to 10-5, putting Kentucky in fourth place in the SEC East.  

The Wildcats would start out slow with a hitless top of the first with graduate student Tyler Bosma starting on the mound as he held the Tigers scoreless to round out the inning.

After another hitless inning from Kentucky, a solo home run from LSU freshman Jared Jones would give the Tigers the lead in the bottom of the second.

With Kentucky failing to record a hit in the top of the third, a throwing error after a pair of singles from LSU would extend the Tiger lead to two as the third inning came to a close.

The dry spell would end for Kentucky in the top of the fourth with the Wildcats putting one run on the board without a hit after three forced walks were followed by a wild pitch.

Kentucky Wildcats infielder Ryder Giles (1) pitches the ball during the No. 13 Kentucky vs. Xavier baseball game on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 13-2. Photo by Travis Fannon | Staff (Travis Fannon)

Kentucky would make a pitching change in the bottom of the fourth after three walks from Bosma with junior Austin Strickland entering the game to conclude the inning.

Sophomore Nolan McCarthy would force a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth with a wild pitch being followed by a single from senior Grant Smith as the Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs.

Kentucky would draw even shortly after when senior Jackson Gray grounded out to send McCarthy home to end the top of the fifth.

LSU would retake the lead shortly after when a single was followed by a wild pitch and a walk, with a groundout sending a runner home to make the score 3-2.

Kentucky would open the top of the sixth with a pair of singles, with a pair of stolen bases putting runners on second and third.

Another groundout would plate redshirt sophomore Devin Burkes as the Wildcats tied the game back up in to end the top of the sixth.

The Tigers would retake the lead again in the bottom of the sixth after the second solo home run from Jones.

Gray would open the seventh inning with a leadoff single, with sophomore Emilien Pitre forcing a walk to put runners on first and second.

Redshirt senior Hunter Gilliam would give Kentucky the lead shortly after with a double, scoring both Gray and Gilliam.

The Wildcat lead would be extended when a single from senior Jase Felker plated Gilliam as Kentucky ended the top of the seventh with a two-run lead.

Kentucky would make another pitching change in the bottom of the seventh to senior Zack Lee, who would surrender a leadoff single before retiring the next two batters.

LSU would tie the game back up after a double and single sent two runners to the plate as the game drew even at six.

After a hitless top of the eighth from Kentucky, a leadoff single would be followed by two walks as LSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning.

Kentucky would then make another pitching change to redshirt sophomore Evan Byers, who would inherit the loaded bases with two outs.

Tiger sophomore Tommy White would be hit by a pitch shortly after to send a runner home and give LSU a 7-6 lead as the Wildcats made another pitching change to sophomore Colby Frieda.

Frieda would strike out the first batter he faced as the game entered the ninth inning.

Needing one run to force extra innings, the Wildcats would fail to score despite a single from Burkes as LSU took the 7-6 lead to take the series 2-1.

Kentucky will look to get back on track as it takes on Xavier in a midweek game before taking on Texas A&M in a weekend series with game one being scheduled for Friday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. EST.