Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

In the bottom of the ninth, Chad Wright is caught looking at strike three. Andy Burns coaxes a walk, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Chris Bisson loops a single to shallow left, moving Burns to second and bringing the potential winning run to the plate. Gunner Glad grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. FINAL SCORE: Auburn 7, Kentucky 5.

Auburn           212  002  000  — 7    6  1
Kentucky        000  100  310  — 5  11  1
W — Price (4-2); L — Meyer (1-4); Sv — Hubbard (11). HR — AU: Mummey (15), Feltcher 2 (16); UK: Burns (6), Nidiffer (7). Att. — 2,040.

Cats hold Auburn in 9th, try to rally from 2 down

Auburn’s Brian Fletcher leads off the top of the ninth with a walk and moves to second on a grounder. UK Coach Gary Henderson replaces Logan Darnell with right-hander Clint Tilford. Darnell, a lefty, gave up three hits over 5 2/3 innings in relief. Second baseman Chris Bisson knocks down Wes Gilmer’s grounder up the middle and throw him out at first, while Fletcher takes third. Catcher Marcus Nidiffer blocks a Tilford pitch in the dirt, keeping Fletcher at third. Tilford then strikes out Dan Gamache with a B-B over the inside corner. Going to the bottom of the ninth: Auburn 7, Kentucky 5.

Nidiffer homers for UK, cuts Auburn lead to 7-5

Marcus Nidiffer

After the first two Kentucky batters are retired, Marcus Nidiffer sneaks a solo homer just over the center-field wall and the outstretched glove of Trent Mummey. Nidiffer’s seventh homer of the season cuts UK’s deficit to two runs. At the end of eight innings: Auburn 7, Kentucky 5.

Auburn goes down 1-2-3 in eighth

Auburn goes down in order in the eighth inning. Going to the bottom half of the inning: Auburn 7, Kentucky 4.

Kentucky scores 3 in 7th, trails Auburn 7-4

Chad Wright

Gunner Glad

When Braden Kapteyn leads off Kentucky’s half of the seventh with a bloop single to center, Auburn Coach John Pawlowski pulls starting pitcher Dexter Price and brings in another righty, Bradley Hendrix. Hendrix retires one batter, but Cory Farris doubles to right, Kapteyn stopping at third. Chad Wright’s chopper to short scores Kapteyn, but Farris gets hung up between second and third. He stays in a a rundown long enough for Wright to advance to second base. Andy Burns brings Wright home with a single up the middle and advances to second on the throw to the plate. Chris Bisson walks. Gunner Glad singles through the right side of the infield and, when right-fielder Ben Jones bobbles the ball for an error, Burns scores and Bisson takes third. Pawlowski yanks Hendrix and brings in another right-hander, Austin Hubbard. He gets Chris Wade to ground out. Going to the eighth inning: Auburn 7, Kentucky 4.

Unusual double play ends Auburn threat in 7th

In the top of the seventh, Auburn’s Wes Gilmer leads off with a double to the gap in right-center and Dan Gamache follows with a walk. Caleb Bowen puts down a two-strike bunt to move the runners to second and third. Justin Haggerty bounces to shortstop Chris Wade. Gilmer holds at third but Gamache doesn’t hold at second. After Wade throws out Haggerty at first, Gunner Glad whips the ball to second baseman Chris Bisson, who gets the ball to Chris McClendon for the tag. Score the double play 6-3-4-5. Seventh-inning stretch time: Auburn 7, Kentucky 1.

Wildcats add two hits but no runs in 6th

In the bottom of the sixth, Kentucky gets a one-out single, up the middle, from Chris Bisson. One out later, Chris Wade singles, the fifth hit given up by Auburn right-hander Dexter Price. The threat ends as Keenan Wiley lines out to center. Going to the seventh inning: Auburn 7, Kentucky 1.

Fletcher goes deep again to give Auburn 7-1 lead

Brian Fletcher

A hit batsman and Brian Fletcher’s second home run of the game (16th of the season) produce two runs for Auburn in the sixth inning. Three homers have produced six Auburn runs. Trent Mummey, the other long-ball artist, drove in the Tigers’ other run with a bases-loaded walk. Going to UK’s half of the sixth: Auburn 7, Kentucky 1.

Cats leave 2 runners on in 5th, trail Auburn 5-1

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Keenan Wiley and a two-out single from Cory Farris, but can’t score in the fifth. Two runners are stranded as Chad Wright flies to deep center. Going to the sixth inning: Auburn 5, Kentucky 1.

Nidiffer, Darnell quell Auburn threat in fifth

After the first batter grounds out, Auburn loads the bases with a single, walk and fielding error. UK catcher Marcus Nidiffer fires a strike to Andy Burns, successfully picking off Wes Gilmer at third. Logan Darnell then induces Justin Hargett to ground out to second. In the middle of the fifth: Auburn 5, Kentucky 1.

Burns homer puts Kentucky on the board

Andy Burns

Held to a walk through three innings, Kentucky gets a lift from Andy Burns. The third baseman rips the first pitch of the inning for a home run off of the light tower in right-center field. Five of his six homers this season have come on first-pitch offerings. Auburn righty Dexter Price retires the next two batters. Then, Chris Wade just misses a homer — a long foul down the left-field line — and then flies out to right. After four innings: Auburn 5, Kentucky 1.

Darnell strikes out Auburn in order in fourth

UK’s Logan Darnell strikes out the side in the fourth: Hunter Morris, Ben Jones and Brian Fletcher, all swinging. In the middle of the fourth: Auburn 5, Kentucky 0.

Wildcats’ bats remain silent in third inning

Kentucky goes down in order in the third via two fly balls and a called third strike. Through three innings: Auburn 5 runs, 3 hits; Kentucky 0 runs, 0 hits.

Fletcher homer increases Auburn lead to 5-0

Alex Meyer

Auburn’s half of the third inning starts out much like the first inning. Ben Jones draws a leadoff walk and Brian Fletcher follows with a home run, his 15th of the season, over the left-field wall. Then, just as in the first, UK righty Alex Meyer strikes out the next two: Casey McElroy and Wes Gilmer. Unlike the first, though, he doesn’t get a third whiff in a row, as Dan Gamache and Caleb Bowen walk — Meyer’s and seventh free passes of the day. Gary Henderson pulls Meyer and brings in left-hander Logan Darnell. For his third straight at-bat, Justin Hargett works the count full before drawing a walk — this one to load the bases. But Trent Mummey fouls out to third baseman Andy Burns and Auburn leaves the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning. In the middle of the third inning: Auburn 5, Kentucky 0.

Cats get a base-runner but nothing else in 2nd

Auburn right-hander Dexter Price handles Kentucky’s first two batters in the second. The freshman gets Gunner Glad on a fly ball to left and Chris Wade on a pop to short right. Keenan Wiley draws a walk. Right fielder Ben Jones, battling the sun, wind and a long run to Braden Kapteyn’s shallow fly, makes a circus catch. At the end of two innings: Auburn 3, Kentucky 0.

Auburn adds a run in 2nd, leads Kentucky 3-0

Auburn puts runners on first and second with one out, prompting Kentucky Coach Gary Henderson to make a visit to RHP Alex Meyer. The freshman responds, striking out Caleb Bowen but then issues Justin Hargett his second walk of the game. Trent Mummey, who homered in the first inning, pops a foul behind the plate. But catcher Marcus Nidiffer is slow to locate the ball and can’t make the catch. Mummey then walks, forcing in a run. Hunter Morris just misses a grand slam, flying out on a drive to the right-field warning track. In the middle of the second inning: Auburn 3, Kentucky 0.

Wildcats go down in order in first inning

Kentucky goes down in order in the first, with a groundout, lineout and fly out. At the end of one: Auburn 2, Kentucky 0.

Mummey homer gives Auburn early 2-0 lead.

Trent Mummey

In the top of the first, Auburn taketh and Auburn swingeth away. Leadoff man Justin Hargett takes a 3-2 pitch for ball four. Trent Mummey brings him around with a two-run homer to the deck in right-center, his 15th homer of the season. UK freshman right-hander Alex Meyer settles down to strike out the next three batters — Hunter Morris, swinging; Ben Jones, looking; and Brian Fletcher, swinging. After half an inning: Auburn 2, Kentucky 0.

SEC baseball: Auburn at Kentucky, III

Kentucky, which hadn’t won a home baseball series against Auburn since 1989, tries for a three-game sweep Sunday.

We’re about 20 minutes away from the first pitch on a beautiful day at Cliff Hagan Stadium — 64 degrees, mostly sunny and a 7 mph wind blowing out to left field.

Kentucky swept Saturday’s Southeastern Conference doubleheader 6-5 (10 innings) and 6-3.

UK (26-23, 11-15 SEC) still has hopes of qualifying for the eight-team SEC Tournament. The Wildcats start Sunday ninth overall, 1 1/2 games behind Vanderbilt and 2 games back of South Carolina. Vandy goes for a sweep of Georgia on Sunday, with South Carolina taking on Tennessee.

Saturday’s sweep virtually eliminated Auburn (27-24, 8-18) from contention.

 

Sunday’s starting lineups:

AUBURN — Justin Hargett, 2B; Trent Mummey, CF; Hunter Morris, 1B; Ben Jones, RF; Brian Fletcher, LF; Casey McElroy, SS; Wes Gilmer, 3B; Dan Gamache, DH; Caleb Bowen, C. Pitching — RH Dexter Price (3-2, 5.74).

KENTUCKY — Chad Wright, LF; Andy Burns, 3B; Chris Bisson, 2B; Gunner Glad, 1B; Chris Wade, SS; Keenan Wiley, CF; Braden Kapteyn, DH; Marcus Nidiffer, C; Cory Farris, RF. Pitching — RH Alex Meyer (1-3, 4.67).

UMPIRES — Kevin Assman, plate; Nelson Graham, 1B; A.J. Lostaglio, 3B.

Braden Kapteyn

UK’s Andy Burns opens the bottom of the 10th with a full-count walk. Chris Bisson takes a 2-2 pitch to the opposite field, singling through the left side of the infield to put Burns on second. With Auburn expecting a bunt, Gunner Glad instead pokes a run-scoring single on nearly the same path that Bisson just used. Burns scores and Bisson stops at second. Chris Wade bunts the runners to second and third. With one out, Keenan Wiley draws an intentional walk to fill the bases for Braden Kapteyn. Kapteyn takes two balls, then lines a game-winning RBI single down the third-base line. FINAL SCORE: KENTUCKY 6, AUBURN 5.

Auburn grabs 5-4 lead over Kentucky in top of 10th

Justin Hargett

Auburn’s Justin Hargett opens the 10th inning with a bunt single. Trent Mummey, looking to bunt, is nailed in the right leg by a Braden Kapteyn pitch. Brian Fletcher bunts the runners to second and third. Ben Jones’ sacrifice fly sends Chad Wright to the left-field wall. Hargett scores and Mummey advances to third. There’s where it ends, though, as third baseman Andy Burns successfully pulls off the ol’ hidden ball trick and tags out Mummey. Going to the bottom of the 10th: Auburn 5, Kentucky 4.

Kentucky, Auburn tied 4-4 through 9 innings

In the bottom of the ninth, Marcus Nidiffer is called out on strikes. Bryan Rose just misses a homer, backing Trent Mummey to the center-field wall for the second out. Chad Wright grounds out. Heading to extra innings: Kentucky 4, Auburn 4.

Auburn ties Kentucky at 4 with ninth-inning run

Brian Fletcher

In the top of the ninth, Auburn’s Brian Fletcher works a full-count walk. Kentucky Coach Gary Henderson pulls starter James Paxton and brings in lefty Logan Darnell to pitch. Darnell strikes out Ben Jones, but hits Tony Caldwell to put runners on first and second. Casey McElroy goes the other way to drive a single through the left side of the infield, loading the bases. Henderson summons his DH, right-hander Braden Kapteyn, to take over on the mound. Wes Gilmer, who banged a two-run double his previous at-bat, grounds to first baseman Gunner Glad who, inexplicably, opts to take a few steps and touch the bag before throwing home — too late to catch Fletcher. So now the game is tied, runners on second and third, with two outs. Chez McCann, who entered the game in the seventh as a defensive replacement, walks to load the bases. Kapteyn gets ahead of Kevin Patterson 0-2, then gets saved from a run-scoring wild pitch as catcher Marcus Nidiffer jumps up to spear a very, very outside pitch. Next pitch is a called third strike. Going to the bottom the ninth, and with Auburn calling in right-hander Austin Hubbard from the bullpen: Kentucky 4, Auburn 4.

Kentucky tries to protect 4-3 lead in 9th

Kentucky gets a one-out double from Chris Wade but nothing else in the eighth. Going to the ninth inning: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Auburn goes down quietly in 8th inning

UK lefty James Paxton regains his composure to set Auburn down in order in the eighth, striking out two. In the middle of the eighth: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Fluke play gives UK 4-3 lead in 7th

Marcus Nidiffer

Andy Burns

Kentucky takes a 4-3 lead on a weird play. Marcus Nidiffer leads off with a single to left. One out later, Chad Wright walks. Andy Burns takes a 2-2 pitch for a ball, then mistakingly trots towards first base — thinking the pitch was ball four. Nidiffer gets hung up between second and third, with catcher Tony Caldwell firing the ball towards third, but into left field for an error. Nidiffer scores and Wright moves to third. Next pitch, Burns does walk. But he’s doubled off first when Chris Bisson lines out to pitcher Bradley Hendrix. At the end of seven: Kentucky 4, Auburn 3.

Auburn comes back in 7th to tie Kentucky 3-3

Auburn comes battling back in the seventh. Justin Hargett leads off with an infield single. Trent Mummey looks at a called third strike, the eighth whiff of the game by James Paxton, and Brian Fletcher is out on a pop foul. Ben Jones doubles to the gap in left-center, moving Hargett to third. Tony Caldwell draws the first Auburn walk of the day to load the bases. Casey McElroy draws a full-count walk to force in a run. Wes Gilmer drives a two-run, game-tying double off the wall in right-center. Pinch-hitter Bradley Ray takes a called third strike. Seventh-inning stretch time: Kentucky 3, Auburn 3.

UK breaks through in sixth, takes 3-0 lead on Auburn

Bryan Rose leads off the bottom of the sixth with a sharp single to right — just the third hit of the game and the second for Kentucky. Chad Wright executes the

Bryan Rose

Keenan Wiley

sacrifice bunt to push Rose to second. Andy Burns jumps on a 3-1 pitch, lining a run-scoring double down the left-field line. One out later, Gunner Glad draws a walk. After waving at a pair of breaking balls, Chris Wade reaches out to slap a 1-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a run-scoring single. Glad stops at second. Auburn Coach John Pawlowski calls to the bullpen for Bradley Hendrix. Keenan Wiley welcomes the right-hander with a single to left-center to score Glad and move Wade to third. Hendrix retires Braden Kapteyn on a comebacker. After six innings: Kentucky 3, Auburn 0.

Paxton continues mastery; UK-Auburn scoreless

Kentucky’s James Paxton retires his ninth, 10th and 11th batters in a row, getting a fly ball and striking out two. Through the top of the sixth, Paxton has yielded one hit and hit a batter, struck out seven and faced the minimum 18 batters. In the middle of the sixth inning: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Pitching duel continues as Cats get nothing in 5th

Jon Luke Jacobs

Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs continues to have Kentucky’s number. He retires Keenan Wiley on a pop foul, Braden Kapteyn on a grounder and Marcus Nidiffer on a pop to short center. At the end of five innings: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Auburn retired in order in fifth; no score

Auburn goes down in order in the fifth inning. Ben Jones grounds out, Tony Caldwell is strikeout victim No. 5 for James Paxton and Casey McElroy taps out to catcher Marcus Nidiffer. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Kentucky gets first hit, then a double play

Gunner Glad

Kentucky gets its first hit of the game as Gunner Glad lines a one-out single down the third-base line. But Auburn right-hander Jon Luke Jacobs gets Chris Wade to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. At the end of four innings: UK 0 runs, 1 hit; Auburn 0 runs, 1 hit.

Wright survives collision with wall; Auburn down 1-2-3

UK lefty James Paxton again sets Auburn down in order, but Kentucky gets a scare. Trent Mummey’s one-out fly sends left fielder Chad Wright deep. Wright makes the catch but is shaken up as he crashes into the wall. He stays in the game, though, and Paxton fans Brian Fletcher to end the inning. In the middle of the fourth: no score.

Auburn frosh Jacobs completes third no-hit inning

Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs sets down Kentucky 1-2-3 in the third. Through three innings: Kentucky 0 runs, 0 hits; Auburn 0 runs, 1 hit.

Paxton puts away Auburn in third; still no score

Kentucky, Auburn scoreless through two innings

Kentucky goes down in order in the second. Auburn left-fielder Brian Fletcher robs Marcus Nidiffer of a two-out hit, making a diving catch of Nidiffer’s blooper to left-center. At the end of two innings: Kentucky 0, Auburn 0.

Paxton strikes out the side, in order, in 2nd

UK lefty James Paxton retires Auburn in conventional fashion in the second, striking out the side: Ben Jones, Tony Caldwell and Casey McElroy. Going to the bottom of the second: nil-nil.

Wildcats strand a pair of runners in first

Kentucky threatens in the first, thanks to a leadoff walk to Chad Wright and a two-out pass to Gunner Glad. But Auburn freshman Jon Luke Jacobs strikes out Andy Burns, Chris Bisson and Chris Wade, the last two caught looking. At the end of one: 0-0.

Double play ends Auburn’s half of first inning

UK lefty James Paxton, aided by a double play, cuffs Auburn in the top of the first. Trent Mummey bloops a one-out single just over the reach of 2B Chris Bisson. But Brian Fletcher lines out to Bisson, who tosses to Gunner Glad to easily double off Mummey at first. Going to the bottom of the first: no score.

SEC baseball: Auburn at Kentucky, game one

Saturday is looking much better than Friday for baseball at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Kentucky and Auburn are set to make up Friday’s postponement, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Right now, it’s 71 degrees, cloudy, with a rain-clear radar in Central Kentucky. Saturday’s regularly scheduled game, to be televised by the Big Blue Network, is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Both UK and Auburn have hopes of qualifying for the eight-team Southeastern Conference Tournament.

UK (24-23 overall, 9-15 SEC) ranks ninth, Auburn (27-22, 8-16) 10th. No. 8 Vanderbilt (11-13) opened a two-game lead on UK by defeating Georgia on Friday.

Starting lineups for Saturday’s first game

Auburn — Justin Hargett, 2B; Trent Mummey, CF; Brian Fletcher, LF; Ben Jones, RF; Tony Caldwell, C; Casey McElroy, SS; Wes Gilmer, 3B; Dan Gamache, 1B; Kevin Patterson, DH. Pitching — RH Jon Luke Jacobs (3-4, 6.23).

Kentucky — Chad Wright, LF; Andy Burns, 3B; Chris Bisson, 2B; Gunner Glad, 1B; Chris Wade, SS; Keenan Wiley, CF; Braden Kapteyn, DH; Marcus Nidiffer, C; Bryan Rose, RF. Pitching — LH James Paxton (5-2, 5.40).

Umpires — Nelson Graham, plate; A.J. Lostaglio, 1B; Kevin Assman, 3B.

Logan Darnell closes out Kentucky’s 17-11 win over Tennessee. He retires Cody Brown on a comebacker, pinch-hitter Matt Hamaker on a grounder to second and strikes out Tyler Horne. Overall, Darnell retires the last 11 batters in a row. FINAL SCORE: KENTUCKY 17, TENNESSEE 11.

Cats take 17-11 lead over Vols into 9th inning

Tennessee right-hander Matt Ramsey disposes of Kentucky’s first two batters in the eighth, but issues a walk to No. 9 hitter Marcus Nidiffer. No harm, though, as Chad Wright grounds into a fielder’s choice. Going to the ninth inning: Kentucky 17, Tennessee 11.

Darnell is perfect in 8th; UK leads Vols 17-11

Kentucky’s Logan Darnell retires Tennessee in order for the second inning in a row. Overall, Darnell has retired eight batters in a row. In the middle of the eighth inning: Kentucky 17, Tennessee 11.

Glad homers in 7th to give UK 17-11 lead

Gunner Glad

Kentucky gets its offense cranking again in the seventh. Andy Burns leads off, drawing his fourth walk of the game. One out later, Gunner Glad smacks a two-run homer to the deck in right-center. Tennessee’s bullpen gets another call, this time for right-hander Matt Ramsey. He gets a pair of fly balls to end the inning. At the end of seven: Kentucky 17, Tennessee 11.

Darnell sets down Vols in order in 7th

Logan Darnell

Cats lefty Logan Darnell retires Tennessee in order in the seventh, getting a pair of groundouts and catching P.J. Polk looking at a full-count called third strike. At seventh-inning stretch time: Kentucky 15, Tennessee 11.

Cats go down 1-2-3 in 6th, hold 15-11 lead

Kentucky goes down 1-2-3 in the sixth via a pair of strikeouts and an infield fly. Going to the seventh inning: Kentucky 15, Tennessee 11.

Forsythe homer cuts UK lead to 15-11 in 6th

Tennessee cuts into Kentucky’s lead in the sixth as Blake Forsythe sends a one-out solo homer over the left-field wall. In the middle of the sixth inning: Kentucky 15, Tennessee 11.

Kapteyn slam caps 5-run 5th; Cats lead 15-10

Marcus Nidiffer

Braden Kapteyn

The hits (and the runs) just keep on coming. Kentucky’s Marcus Nidiffer leads off the bottom of the fifth with a home run off of the light tower in left-center, snapping a 10-10 tie. Chad Wright singles up the middle, his third hit of the day, and takes second on a wild pitch. Andy Burns walks before Chris Bisson flies to shallow left for the first out. Tennessee Coach Todd Raleigh calls for his fifth pitcher of the game — left-hander Joey Rosas, whose only other appearance of the season came Feb. 21. Gunner Glad walks to load the bases. Braden Kapteyn crushes a 1-1 pitch for a grand-slam homer to right-center. Rosas retires the next two batters. Through five complete innings: Kentucky 15, Tennessee 10.

Tennessee plates 4 in 5th to tie Cats, 10-10

Charley Thurber

Tennessee comes back again in the fifth, roughing up Mike Kaczmarek. Kentrail Davis reaches on an infield single, then scores on Cody Hawn’s double to right-center. Blake Forsythe walks. Cody Brown lays down a sacrifice bunt and is safe at first as Kaczmarek bobbles the ball for a base-loading error. Charley Thurber knocks a two-run single through the right side, moving Brown to second. That finishes Kaczmarek as Coach Gary Henderson summons another lefty, Logan Darnell. Tyler Horne ties the game with a run-scoring single down the third-base line, Thurber stopping at second. Cody Grisham’s bunt is misplayed by first baseman Gunner Glad, loading the bases. Zach Osborne flies to shallow left for the first out. P.J. Polk reaches on a fielder’s choice as third baseman Chris McClendon throws to catcher Marcus Nidiffer for a forceout. Kentrail Davis flies to deep right, leaving the bases juiced. Through 4 1/2 innings: Kentucky 10, Tennessee 10.

Nothing doing for UK in 4th, but Cats lead 10-6

Kentucky goes down in order for the first time today. At the end of four innings, the Wildcats have made a call to the bullpen for left-hander Mike Kaczmarek. The score: Kentucky 10, Tennessee 6.

Leadoff homer cuts UK lead to 10-6 in fourth

Tyler Horne

Tennessee’s Tyler Horne leads off the top of the fourth with a homer to straightaway center field. UK right-hander Clint Tilford retires the next three in order, all on grounders. In the middle of the fourth: Kentucky 10, Tennessee 6.

Cats score twice to build 10-5 lead over Vols

Third-inning homer cuts Cats’ lead to 8-5

Tennessee rallies in the third as Cody Hawn belts a one-out solo homer over the scoreboard in left-center. The Vols put two more runners on before an unusual double play. Charley Thurber’s popup drops between three Cats, just beyond the infield dirt between short and third. The infield fly rule made Thurber an automatic out. When the ball fell, Blake Forsythe ran from second to third, where he was tagged out by pitcher Clint Tilford. In the middle of the third: Kentucky 8, Tennessee 5.

UK explodes for 8 runs, leads Vols 8-4 through 2 innings

Chris Bisson

Keenan Wiley

In the bottom of the second, Kentucky gets a one-out single from Troy Frazier. One out later, Marcus Nidiffer walks. Chad Wright beats out a slow chopper to shortstop, loading the bases. Andy Burns battles back from an 0-2 count by taking a ball and fouling off a pair of pitches. His grounder to shortstop is too hot for Zach Osborne to handle. The error allows Frazier to score and keeps the bases loaded. Chris Bisson drives a full-count pitch to the wall in right-center for a three-run triple, tying the game at 4. Gunner Glad singles through the left side of the infield, driving in Bisson with the go-ahead run. Tennessee Coach Todd Raleigh goes to his bullpen, calling in right-hander Stephen McCray. Braden Kapteyn, UK’s ninth batter of the inning, draws a walk. Keenan Wiley drives the next pitch over the wall in right-center, his fourth homer of the season, to plate three more runs. Troy Frazier fouls out to close the inning. At the end of two innings: Kentucky 8, Tennessee 4.

Tennessee goes down in order in second

Tennessee goes down in order in the second with two groundouts and a fly ball. In the middle of the second: Tennessee 4, Kentucky 0.

Cats leave a pair of runners on in first, trail 4-0

In the bottom of the first, Kentucky gets a one-out walk by Andy Burns and a bloop single by Chris Bisson. But Tennessee lefty Steven Gruver strikes out Gunner Glad and Braden Kapteyn. After one inning: Tennessee 4, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee bolts to 4-0 lead in first inning

Blake Forsythe

Cody Brown

Tennessee strikes quickly in the top of the first. A single, walk and an error load the bases with one out. Blake Forsythe singles to left, driving in Zach Osborne with the game’s first run. Cody Brown rips a three-run double to the left-field corner. Clint Tilford’s errant pickoff throw moves Brown to third. Cody Thurber walks. Tyler Horne grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. After half an inning: Tennessee 4, Kentucky 0.

SEC baseball: Tennessee at Kentucky III

Getting set for the final game in a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Cliff Hagan Stadium matching Kentucky and Tennessee. The teams split the first two games.

Kentucky was scheduled to start freshman right-hander Alex Meyer, but he is a late scratch due to a calf injury. Filling in is righty Clint Tilford.

The lineups:

Tennessee (21-26 overall, 7-16 SEC) – Zach Osborne, ss; P.J. Polk, lf; Kentrail Davis, cf; Cody Hawn, 1b; Blake Forsythe, c; Cody Brown, 3b; Charley Thurber, rf; Tyler Horne, dh; Cody Grisham, 2b. Pitching: LH Steven Gruver (0-1, 6.49).

Kentucky (23-23, 8-15) — Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Keenan Wiley, cf; Troy Frazier, rf; Chris McClendon, 3b; Marcus Nidiffer, c. Pitching: RH Clint Tilford (1-4, 6.04).

Umpires — Owen Butts, plate; Tony Maners, 1b; John Whitaker, 3b.

Weather — Overcast, 57 degrees, wind 10 mph out to right field.

Kentucky pitchers struck out 17 and starter Chris Rusin (14 K’s) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning Saturday.

Yet, Tennessee’s pulled out the 8-2 victory at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

“We struck out, but we did have some good swings in between those,” said Todd Raleigh, coach of the Volunteers. “We hit three homers and almost four … but that kid (Rusin) pitched a heck of a game.”

Kentrail Davis broke up the no-hitter and shutout with a two-run homer that gave Tennessee a 2-1 lead. Tyler Horne led off the seventh with a homer and Cody Brown added a three-run shot in the eighth.

The outcome evens the three-game series at a game apiece. Both sides see Sunday’s finale as a must-win situation. UK (23-23, 9-14 SEC) began the day ninth in the SEC overall standings, the Vols (21-26, 7-16) 11th. Only eight teams will qualify for the SEC Tournament, May 20-24 at Hoover, Ala.

Gary Henderson

“Absolutely,” UK Coach Gary Henderson said of the “must-win” assessment. “We’ve got to win a series, we’re at home and then you’ve got to win another series next weekend. So absolutely.”

Todd Raleigh

“It is,” Raleigh agreed. “It has to be. We figured we had to win two this weekend, we’ve got to win two against South Carolina and two against Vandy to have a chance. So it’s a must win.”

Rusin, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior, said that he struggled with his command early. He issued a pair of first-inning walks, the first first-inning walks he’s surrendered all season. But he also baffled the Vols, striking out 10 over five no-hit innings.

“Really a shame to waste Chris Rusin’s effort,” Henderson said.

UK didn’t do much against Tennessee righty Ty’Relle Harris.

Marcus Nidiffer, who singled, scored on Chris McClendon’s second-inning double for a 1-0 lead.

Bryan Morgado

In the fifth, McClendon lined an infield single off of Harris’ throwing hand. Harris retired the next two batters, then turned things over to lefty Bryan Morgado. (Raleigh said later that Harris “is fine.”)

“I was expecting to go in in the sixth, not in the fifth, so I didn’t have very many (warm-up) pitches to go in there,” Morgado said. “But I knew I had to battle my way through and find a way to keep my team in the game.”

He did, going the last 4 1/3 innings while holding UK to a run, two hits and four walks. Morgado (3-1) struck out five.

Rusin’s sixth-inning trouble began with the fourth of his five walks in the game, this one to leadoff batter Zach Osborne. P.J. Polk bunted Osborne to second.

Kentrail Davis

Davis jumped on an 0-1 pitch, drilling the ball deep into the parking lot beyond right field.

“We didn’t panic at all,” Davis said. “We got some good pitches to hit. He had our number for a minute there. We just settled down, not try to do too much and we started getting some hits.”

As for the big first hit, Davis said, “There was a man on second, so I knew he wasn’t going to give me anything special to hit. He threw me a good breaking ball and I just kept my hands back and I hit it.”

After Horne’s homer made it 3-1, UK got a run in the seventh without benefit of a hit.

A hit batsman, walk and sacrifice put runners on second and third. A Morgado wild pitch scored Nidiffer. Two more walks, sandwiched around a strikeout, loaded the bases, but the inning ended when Andy Burns lined out to right field.

“When somebody gives you that opportunity, if you’re going to win the ball game, you’ve got to take advantage of it,” Henderson said. “Somebody’s got to step up and get a base hit and put a crooked number up there, and get us back in the ball game.”

Instead, the momentum swung back to Tennessee, which struck for four runs in the eighth. The big blow was Brown’s three-run homer, which came on the first pitch offered by UK reliever Braden Kapteyn.

Rusin was charged with six runs, five hits and five walks over 7 1/3 innings. He threw 124 pitches, 75 for strikes.

Chris Rusin

“We didn’t get the win so (14 strikeouts) doesn’t feel too good,” Rusin said. “I made a couple mistakes and it cost me three runs.”

Which leaves the Cats with a must win in order to take the series.

“I think we’ll be good,” Rusin said. “We’ve just got to come out aggressive and we’ll win the series.”

Would one ever think of being on a team that struck out 17 times and somehow pulled out a win?

“Never. Never,” Davis said. “I don’t think anybody, any coach, any player would have. But we stayed focused and got it done.”

Tennessee lefty Bryan Morgado seals things in the ninth by getting Chris McClendon to ground out for the first out. Braden Kapteyn reaches on a bloop single, but Troy Frazier lines out to third and Chad Wright strikes out. FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 8, Kentucky 2.

Cats face 8-2 deficit in bottom of the ninth

Tennessee gets a double from P.J. Polk to open the ninth. One out later, pinch-runner Jarred Frazier steals third. Frazier scores on Blake Forsythe’s single off the old scoreboard in right field. Two more strikeouts in the inning are a Vols season-high 17 for the game. Going to the bottom of the ninth: Tennessee 8, Kentucky 2.

Vols take 7-2 lead over UK into 9th

Vols break through with 4 in 8th, lead Cats 7-2

Tennessee restores its two-run cushion in the eighth. Chris Rusin matches the UK season high of 14 strikeouts by

Cody Brown

getting leadoff batter P.J. Polk. (James Paxton struck out 14 at LSU.) Kentrail Davis reaches on a high-hop infield single, then steals second. Blake Forsythe singles to center. Davis, planning to stop at third, continues home when center fielder Keenan Wiley bobbles the ball for an error. Cody Hawn singles, Forsythe stopping at second. That knocks out Rusin, who finishes with 14 strikeouts and having thrown 75 of 124 pitches for strikes. Braden Kapteyn, the DH, replaces Rusin. First pitch, Cody Brown greets Kapteyn with a three-run homer to right-center. Tyler Horne singles through the left side and Cody Grisham bunts for Tennessee’s sixth consecutive hit. A wild pitch puts the runners on second and third. Matt Ramsey strikes out for the fourth time in as many at-bats and Zach Osborne pops up to the pitcher. In the middle of the eighth: Tennessee 7, Kentucky 2.

Cats strike back in seventh to cut deficit to 1

UK’s half of the seventh begins with Marcus Nidiffer getting hit by a Bryan Morgado pitch. Keenan Wiley works an eight-pitch walk. Chris McClendon bunts the runners to second and third. On a full count, Braden Kapteyn draws a walk on a wild pitch that allows Nidiffer to score and Wiley to take third. UK Coach Gary Henderson sends Troy Frazier in to bat for Bryan Rose. Frazier also works the count full before taking a called third strike. Kapteyn steals second base without a play. Chad Wright, on yet another full count, walks to load the bases. Andy Burns lines an 0-1 pitch deep to right field, but right at Matt Ramsey, for the final out. Frazier remains in the game for UK, playing right field. At the end of seven innings: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 2.

Rusin gets 13th strikeout, but Vols pad lead to 3-1

Tyler Horne

Tennessee’s second hit of the game look much like the first one — a home run. Tyler Horne leads off the seventh inning with a line drive off the scoreboard in left-center. Chris Rusin retires the next three in order, including his career-high 13th strikeout of the game. That moves Rusin into third place on UK’s career strikeout list with 260, one more than Brandon Webb compiled from 1998 through 2000. Seventh-inning stretch time: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 1.

Tennessee leads Kentucky 2-1 through 6th

Kentucky gets a one-out walk to Chris Bisson, but he gets picked off by pitcher Bryan Morgado. Going to the seventh inning: Tennessee 2, Kentucky 1.

Vols’ Davis breaks up no-hitter with 2-run homer

Kentrail Davis

Tennessee’s Kentrail Davis ends Chris Rusin’s no-hit, shutout bid, as well as Kentucky’s lead with one mighty swing. Zach Osborne leads off the sixth with a walk, taking second on P.J. Polk’s sacrifice bunt. Davis then takes an 0-1 pitch deep into the parking lot beyond the right-field wall for a two-run homer. Blake Forsythe becomes Rusin’s 11th strikeout victim, but the UK lefty issues his season-high fifth walk of the game, this one to Cody Hawn. Rusin fans Cody Brown. In the middle of the sixth inning: Tennessee 2, Kentucky 1.

Cats head to 6th clinging to 1-0 lead over Vols

Kentucky’s fifth inning starts with an infield single — a hot shot off the throwing hand of pitcher Ty’Relle Harris — by Chris McClendon. Braden Kapteyn bunts McClendon to second base. Harris retires Bryan Rose on a fly ball. Then, apparently because of the ball he took off his hand, Harris exits and left-hander Bryan Morgado takes over. A passed ball allows McClendon to take third base. Chad Wright, on a full-count pitch, goes down swinging. Through five innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin strikes out the side again in fifth

In the fifth, UK left-hander Chris Rusin strikes out the side for the second inning in a row. Rusin has 10 strikeouts overall, his latest victims being Tyler Horne, Cody Grisham and Matt Ramsey. Horne went down swinging, the other two taking called third strikes. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Double play ends Cats’ chances in fourth

Marcus Nidiffer

Kentucky gets a one-out single from Marcus Nidiffer, his second hit of the game. But Keenan Wiley grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. At the end of four innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin strikes out the side in fourth; Cats lead 1-0

Tennessee’s Kentrail Davis opens the fourth by drawing a walk. But UK lefty Chris Rusin strikes out Blake Forsythe, Cody Hawn and Cody Brown. Through 3 1/2 innings, Rusin has seven strikeouts, with the score: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Kentucky leads Tennessee 1-0 through 3rd

Kentucky’s Andy Burns pokes a two-out single through the right side of the infield. But Chris Bisson bounces into a fielder’s choice. At the end of three innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Rusin sets Vols down in order in third

UK lefty Chris Rusin retires Tennessee in order for a second consecutive inning. getting a pair of groundouts and his fourth strikeout of the game. In the middle of the third: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

McClendon double gives Cats 1-0 lead in 2nd

Chris McClendon

In the Kentucky second, Marcus Nidiffer fists a one-out bloop single down the left-field line, just over the reach of third baseman Cody Brown. One out later, Chris McClendon rips a run-scoring double towards the scoreboard in left-center. Nidiffer just beats the throw to the plate, with McClendon taking third on the throw. Braden Kapteyn lines out to left. After two innings: Kentucky 1, Tennessee 0.

Vols go down in order in 2nd

Chris Rusin

Tennessee goes down in order in the second as Chris Rusin picks up his third strikeout and gets a pair of fly balls. In the middle of the second: Kentucky 0, Tennessee 0.

Cats, Vols scoreless through first

Kentucky gets a bad-hop infield single from Chad Wright to open the bottom of the first. But Andy Burns lines to left and Chris Bisson grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. Through one inning: Kentucky 0, Tennessee 0.

Tennessee threatens in first

UK lefty Chris Rusin retires the first two batters of the game, but then gives up his first first-inning walk of the season — to Kentrail Davis. Wild pitches advance Davis to second, then third, before Blake Forsythe walks. Forsythe steals second without a play. But Rusin strikes out Cody Hawn on a full-count pitch. After half an inning: Tennessee 0, Kentucky 0.

SEC baseball: Tennessee at Kentucky, game 2

Getting set for the second game of a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky scored six runs in the sixth inning, rallying from a 3-0 deficit, en route to a 6-4 victory over Tennessee in Friday’s opener.

The teams enter play Saturday ninth (UK, 9-13) and 11th (UT, 6-16) in the SEC. Only the top eight will qualify for the SEC Tournament, May 20-24, at Hoover, Ala. South Carolina (10-12) is in the eighth spot, a game ahead of Kentucky.

The lineups:

Tennessee – Zach Osborne, ss; P.J. Polk, lf; Kentrail Davis, cf; Blake Forsythe, c; Cody Hawn, 1b; Cody Brown, 3b; Tyler Horne, dh; Cody Grisham, 2b; Matt Ramsey, rf. Pitching — RH Ty’Relle Harris (4-4, 6.57).

Kentucky — Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Keenan Wiley, cf; Chris McClendon, 3b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching — LH Chris Rusin (5-3, 3.73).

Umpires — John Whitaker, plate; Owen Butts, 1b; Tony Maners, 3b.

Weather – 56 degrees, overcast, calm wind.

UK calls on DH Braden Kapteyn to close things out in the ninth. He gets pinch-hitter Jeff Lockwood to fly to left and Zach Osborne to take a called third strike. Kentrail Davis draws a walk, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. A wild pitch moves Davis to second base. But Kapteyn runs down a short pop foul off the bat of Blake Forsythe to end the game. FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats take 6-4 lead into ninth

Tennessee goes to the bullpen again to open the bottom of the eighth. Left-hander Will Locante comes in, with righty Matt Ramsey moving to right field in place of Jarred Frazier. Locante beans Bryan Rose with a 3-2 pitch, strikes out Chad Wright, walks Andy Burns and fans Chris Bisson. The Vols go to their bullpen again, calling in right-hander Stephen McCray. He strikes out Gunner Glad. Heading to the ninth inning: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Paxton strikes out side in 8th

UK lefty James Paxton strikes out the side, in order, in the eighth. Going to the bottom of the inning: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats leave ‘em loaded in 7th

In the seventh inning, a leadoff single by Kentucky’s Chris Bisson and a walk by Gunner Glad brings an end to Nick Hernandez’s night on the mound for Tennessee. Coach Todd Raleigh calls for right-hander Ryne Simpson. Marcus Nidiffer bunts the runners to second and third, and Raleigh replaces Simpson with lefty Adam Adkins. Keenan Wiley walks on four pitches, loading the bases. Adkins exits and right-hander Matt Ramsey enters the game for Tennessee. Ramsey fans Braden Kapteyn and gets Chris McClendon on a comebacker. At the end of seven innings: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Vols score 1 in 7th; Cats lead 6-4

A one-out single by Kentrail Davis ignites a Tennessee rally in the seventh inning. Blake Forsythe walks and both runners advance on a James Paxton wild pitch. Davis scores on Cody Haven’s sacrifice fly to center, Forsythe taking third. P.J. Polk grounds out on a tough play by third baseman Chris McClendon. Seventh-inning stretch time: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 4.

Cats roar back with six-run sixth

Chad Wright

For a second inning in a row, Kentucky opens with back-to-back singles, this time by Andy Burns and Chris Bisson, to put runners on the corners. Gunner Glad’s fly to center is too shallow to score Burns. A wild pitch moves Bisson to second base before Marcus Nidiffer draws a walk to load the bases. Keenan Wiley, who singled to open the previous inning, fouls off a couple of 3-2 pitches before lining a two-run single down the third-base line. Nidiffer holds at second. Braden Kapteyn brings Nidiffer home with the tying run and moves Wiley to third with a double to left. Vols lefty Nick Hernandez spears Chris McClendon’s bullet-comebacker to notch the second out, but Bryan Rose walks to load the bases. Chad Wright, 0-for-3 to this point, clears the bases with a double down the line that glances off the glove of left-fielder P.J. Polk. Wright goes to third on a wild pitch. Burns flies to deep left. At the end of six innings: Kentucky 6, Tennessee 3.

Cats trail 3-0 in middle of 6th

Tennessee gets a two-out single from Cody Grisham, but nothing else in the sixth inning. Going to the bottom of the inning: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Cats threaten but don’t score in fifth

Kentucky mounts its strongest threat in the fifth, starting with back-to-back singles by Keenan Wiley and Braden Kapteyn. Chris McClendon’s bunt moves runners to second and third with one out. But Vols left Nick Hernandez retires Bryan Rose on a pop foul and gets Chad Wright on a groundout to second. Going to the sixth inning: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols go down in order in fifth

A correction on the fourth-inning scoring for Tennessee (see revised information below).

In the top of the fifth, Tennessee goes down in order. In the middle of the fifth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols lead Cats 3-0 through 4th

Tennessee left-hander Nick Hernandez sets Kentucky down in order in the fourth. Going to the fifth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols push lead to 3-0 in fourth

Zach Osborne

UK lefty James Paxton strikes out the first two batters in the fourth inning, but the second of those – Tyler Horne — reaches first on a wild pitch. Cody Grisham’s single to left advances Horne to third and Grisham takes second on the throw to third. Paxton comes back to strike out Jarred Frazier. But Zach Osborne, a freshman out of Pleasure Ridge Park, singles up the middle drives in both runners. In the middle of the fourth: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 0.

Vols lead Cats 1-0 through third

Kentucky’s No. 9 hitter, Bryan Rose, is hit by a pitch to start the third inning. But Chad Wright grounds into a 4-6-3 doubld play and Andy Burns lines out to center. Going to the fourth inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee strands two in 3rd inning

In the top of the third inning, Tennessee’s Blake Forsythe reaches first on a two-out fielding error by shortstop Andy Burns. Cody Hawn draws a walk, but James Paxton catches P.J. Polk looking at a third strike. In the middle of the third: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats waste Nidiffer’s second-inning single

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Marcus Nidiffer but can’t move him past second base. After two complete innings: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee down in order in 2nd inning

James Paxton

Kentucky left-hander James Paxton retires the Tennessee Volunteers in order in the second inning. Going to the bottom of the second: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee leads Kentucky 1-0 through 1st

Kentucky threatens in the bottom of the first but gets nothing. Andy Burns laces a one-out single to left. As Chris Bisson strikes out, Burns steals second. Gunner Glad hits a ball hard, but right at third baseman Cody Brown, who tags Burns for the third out. After one inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Tennessee gets a run in first

Blake Forsythe

Tennessee strikes in the top of the first, doing all its damage after the first two batters are retired. Blake Forsythe singles through the right side of the infield, then goes to second as Cody Hawn reaches on a third-strike wild pitch. P.J. Polk’s single to right scores Forsythe, Hawn stopping at second. After half an inning: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 0.

Late lineup change puts Wade on bench

A late lineup change for Kentucky. SS Chris Wade will not start due to a sore hamstring. Andy Burns, originally set to DH, moves to short. Braden Kapteyn goes in as DH. The revised lineup is listed below.

SEC baseball: Tennessee at Kentucky

Getting ready for Friday’s opener of a three-game Southeastern Conference baseball series at Cliff Hagan Stadium, with Kentucky (22-22 overall, 8-13) playing host to Tennessee (20-25, 6-15).

UK comes in 10th overall in the SEC, Tennessee 11th. Only the top eight teams will qualify for the SEC Tournament, May 20-24, at Hoover, Ala.

The top eight entering weekend play, in order: LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Florida, Alabama, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Auburn is No. 9.

The weather 30 minutes before the scheduled game time is 72 degrees, overcast, an 18 mph wind blowing from right field to left, with gusts to 25 mph.

The lineups:

Tennessee — Zach Osborne, ss; Kentrail Davis, cf; Blake Forsythe, c; Cody Hawn, 1b; P.J. Polk, lf; Cody Brown, 3b; Tyler Horne, dh; Cody Grisham, 2b; Jarred Frazier, rf. Pitching: LH Nick Hernandez (2-4, 5.26).

Kentucky — Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Keenan Wiley, cf; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Chris McClendon, 3b; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching: LH James Paxton (4-2, 5.53).

Umpires — Tony Maners, home; John Whitaker, 1b; Owen Butts, 3b.

Louisville goes to right-hander Matt Lea to pitch the ninth. He gets pinch-hitter Navarro Hall looking at a third strike. Keenan Wiley reaches on a fielding error by first baseman Andrew Clark. Pinch-hitter Brian Suerdick lines to shortstop, with Wiley doubled off at first. Final score: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Cats trail U of L 11-2 with last chance at hand

Jonathan Huff replaces Braden Kapteyn on the mound to open the ninth inning. Huff retires pinch-hitters Tony Zych and Tim Hayes, but John Dao doubles to left-center. He’s stranded when Drew Haynes grounds out. Heading to the bottom of the ninth: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Louisville takes 11-2 lead into ninth

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Andy Burns, but U of L turns a double play for the third time in the game — a 6-4-3, retires Chris Bisson on the back end. Through eight innings: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

3-run homer boosts Cards to 11-2 lead over UK

UK reliever Braden Kapteyn finds trouble in the eighth. After retiring the first two batters, Kapteyn walks Adam Duvall and Andrew Clark. Chris Dominguez clears the bases, lining a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run homer. In the middle of the eighth: Louisville 11, Kentucky 2.

Louisville takes 8-2 lead to eighth inning

Kentucky gets a two-out single from Bryan Rose, but Chad Wright grounds into a 3-6-3 double play. At the end of seven innings: Louisville 8, Kentucky 2.

Louisville erupts for 6 in 7th, leads UK 8-2

Drew Haynes

Trouble finds UK reliever Logan Darnell in the seventh inning. Alec Lowery leads off with a bloop single that drops between the right fielder, and first and second basemen. A passed ball moves Lowery to second, and he takes third when Jeff Arnold’s grounder slips under shortstop Andy Burns for an error. Darnell retires John Dao on a fly to shallow right. But Drew Haynes drives in Lowery with the go-ahead run, singling through the left side of the infield. Arnold holds at second base. Adam Duvall walks, loading the bases. Andrew Clark’s tapper down the first-base line leaves Darnell with only one play, to first base. But his throw is off the mark as Arnold and Haynes score, with Duvall advancing to third. That ends Darnell’s night as Coach Gary Henderson calls on his DH, Braden Kapteyn, to put out the fire. With his first pitch, Kapteyn hits Chris Dominguez and loads the bases. Phil Wunderlich singles through the right side to drive in two runs, Dominguez stopping at third. Ryan Wright’s base hit up the middle scores Dominguez and puts Wunderlich on second. Lowery and Arnold strike out. In the middle of the seventh inning: Louisville 8, Kentucky 2.

Kentucky, Louisville tied at 2 through 6 innings

Right-hander Derek Self comes out of the Louisville bullpen to pitch in the sixth. Self gives up a two-out walk to Keenan Wiley, but no more. Going to the seventh inning: Kentucky 2, Louisville 2.

Clark homers to give U of L 2-2 tie with Cats

Andrew Clark

Kentucky’s 2-1 lead doesn’t last long. Andrew Clark leads off the top of the sixth with a line-drive home run to the shortest part of the park — 310 feet down the right-field line — to gain a 2-2 tie for Louisville. UK starter Clint Tilford strikes out Chris Dominguez, then turns things over to left-hander Logan Darnell. Tilford finishes with two runs allowed on seven hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Darnell strikes out Phil Wunderlich looking and Ryan Wright swinging. In the middle of the sixth inning: Kentucky 2, Louisville 2.

Cats reclaim lead with run in bottom of fifth

Kentucky answers Louisville’s run in the top of the fifth with one in the bottom of the inning. Chris McClendon leads off with an infield single. Marcus Nidiffer hits a potential double-play ball to third base, but second baseman Adam Duvall drops the throw from Chris Dominguez, leaving all hands safe. Bryan Rose bunts to move runners to second and third with one out. Chad Wright goes to first on a fielder’s choice, with McClendon thrown out at the plate. Andy Burns lines a single off the glove of Dominguez, driving in Nidiffer. Chris Bisson bounces out to end the inning. Going to the sixth: Kentucky 2, Louisville 1. 

U of L scores unearned run to tie Cats in fifth

Jeff Arnold

Louisville ties the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the fifth. Ryan Wright leads off with a grounder that splits the wickets of third baseman Chris McClendon for a two-base error. Alec Lowery strikes out, but Wright moves to third on a Clint Tilford wild pitch. Jeff Arnold drives home Wright with a single through the left side of the infield. Catcher Marcus Nidiffer cuts down Arnold trying to steal. But back-to-back singles by John Dao and Drew Haynes give U of L runners on the corners. Another wild pitch advances Haynes to second. Tilford avoids further damage, striking out Adam Duvall. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 1, Louisville 1.

Logsdon sets Cats down 1-2-3 in fourth

Louisville’s Gavin Logsdon retires Kentucky 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. Going to the fifth, UK has a run and two hits; Louisville has no runs, three hits and an error.

Cards threaten in fourth, but Cats hold on to lead

Clint Tilford

Louisville threatens in the fourth. One-out singles by Adam Duvall and Andrew Clark puts runners on the corners for cleanup batter Chris Dominguez. After a long-gone foul down the left-field line, Clint Tilford strikes out Dominguez with a changeup, then gets Phil Wunderlich on a fly to shallow left. In the middle of the fourth, it’s UK 1, U of L 0.

Nothing doing for UK in third; Cats lead 1-0

UK’s Chad Wright leads off the third and gets plunked on his helmet. However, Andy Burns grounds into a double play and Chris Bisson grounds out. After three innings, it’s Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Cards go down in order in third; Cats lead 1-0

Clint Tilford posts his second 1-2-3 inning of the game, getting a liner to left, a dribbler down the first-base line and a strikeout. Through three innings, he has given up one hit and faced the minimum nine batters. Going to the bottom of the third: UK 1, U of L 0.

Cats waste a chance in second inning

Kentucky looks to have something going in the second inning. Keenan Wiley walks, then steals second. Chris McClendon singles to center, a hit that should score Wiley. But Wiley, thinking the ball might be catchable, takes a couple steps back towards second and negates his chance to score. Nevertheless, third-base coach Brad Bohannon waves Wiley home. He’s dead meat, thrown out 8-4-2. Marcus Nidiffer singles over shortstop, moving McClendon to third. U of L coach Dan McDonnell goes to his bullpen when Neil Holland appears to injure himself on a fake pickoff move. Into the game comes lefty Gavin Logsdon, who gets Bryan Rose on a fly to short left field. After two innings: Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Cats turn double play to retire Cards in 2nd

Louisville’s Chris Dominguez leads off the second with a sharp single to center. It goes for naught, though, as Phil Wunderlich pops up and Ryan Wright bounces into a 5-4-3 double play — Chris McClendon to Chris Bisson to Gunner Glad. Going to the bottom of the second: UK 1, U of L 0.

Kentucky jumps to early lead over U of L

Andy Burns

Kentucky grabs the early lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first.

Andy Burns draws a one out walk. He steals second, continuing to third when catcher Jeff Arnold’s throw sails into center field. Chris Bisson’s grounder to second scores Burns. After one inning: Kentucky 1, Louisville 0.

Tilford sets U of L down in order in first

Kentucky’s Clint Tilford sets Louisville down in order in the first, getting a groundout, fly to center and a foul out.

Live college baseball: Cats vs. Cards

Getting set for Tuesday’s Louisville-at-Kentucky baseball game, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.

UK will take the field without shortstop Chris Wade, ending his streak of 106 consecutive starts. The sophomore out of Lexington Christian had started and completed every game of his collegiate career until being taken out late in Sunday’s loss at Alabama due to a tweaked hamstring. Filling in Tuesday will be freshman Andy Burns.

Jodie Meeks

This is the second meeting of the season between the Wildcats and Cardinals. UK won 8-7 at U of L.

All-American basketball player Jodie Meeks, who is considering turning pro, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. UK fans responded by cheering “One more year! One more year!”

The lineups:

LOUISVILLE (29-13) — Drew Haynes, cf; Adam Duvall, 2b; Andrew Clark, 1b; Chris Dominguez, 3b; Phil Wunderlich, lf; Ryan Wright, rf; Alec Lowrey, dh; Jeff Arnold, c; John Dao, ss. Pitching — RH Neil Holland (0-0, 6.57).

KENTUCKY (22-21) — Chad Wright, lf; Andy Burns, ss; Chris Bisson, 2b; Gunner Glad, 1b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Keenan Wiley, cf; Chris McClendon, 3b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Bryan Rose, rf. Pitching — RH Clint Tilford (1-4, 6.64).

Umpires – Clarence Coleman, hp; Keith Shartzer, 1b; Jay Asher, 3b.

Weather — Overcast, 70 degrees, 8 mph wind, right field to left.

Georgia adds three runs with two-out rally

Cats get one in sixth to pull to within 4-2

Bulldogs strike for three runs in 6th, lead 4-1

Rich Poythress

Georgia regains the lead in the sixth. Rich Poythress leads off with his 15th homer of the season, to the deck in right-center. That gives the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead and increases Poythress’ NCAA-leading RBI total to 58. Georgia has homered in 32 of 34 games this season. Bryce Massanari follows with a single through the right side. He’s wiped out as Colby May grounds into a fielder’s choice. Joey Lewis flies to right. Lyle Allen reaches on an infield single, thanks to May’s hustle to avoid a force at second. A double steal moves the runners to second and third. Both runners score as Miles Starr singles past diving third baseman Chris McClendon. Starr continues to second as the throw from left fielder Troy Frazier comes home. Chris Rusin, with his 100th pitch of the game, strikes out Levi Hyams. In the middle of the sixth inning: Georgia 4, Kentucky 1.

Cats go down quietly in fifth

Bulldogs left Alex McRee matches Chris Rusin’s effort in the top half of the inning, setting Kentucky down in order. Going to the sixth inning: Kentucky 1, Georgia 1.

Georgia goes down in order in the 5th

UK lefty Chris Rusin records his first 1-2-3 inning, getting a strikeout and a pair of groundouts. In the middle of the fifth: Kentucky 1, Georgia 1.

Cats strand a pair of runners in 4th

UK parlays a leadoff walk and a two-out infield single to put runners on the corners. But Chris Bisson grounds to second, putting the Cats’ stranded runners total at six. After four complete innings: Kentucky 1, Georgia 1.

Rusin shows a whole lotta glove

Georgia gets back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth inning. But UK lefty Chris Rusin extracts himself from the jam by making a spectacular play on a Miles Starr shot up the middle that seems destined for a single. Rusin makes a back-handed stab to start a 1-6-3 double play. Going to the bottom of the fourth: Kentucky 1, Georgia 1.

Wildcats tie it up but leave bases loaded

Marcus Nidiffer

Kentucky’s half of the third starts with a Marcus Nidiffer double down the third-base line. No. 9 hitter Andy Burns draws a full-count walk. Chris Bisson goes down on a pop-bunt foul, but Chris Wade draws a four-pitch walk to load the bags with one out. Gunner Glad coaxes a full-count walk to score Nidiffer. Chris McClendon goes down on a soft liner to shortstop Levi Hyams. Spencer Korus goes down swinging, leaving the bags loaded. Through three innings: Kentucky 1, Georgia 1.

Bulldogs get third-inning single

Chris Rusin

Top of the third, Georgia’s Rich Poythress laces a one-out single through the left side of the infield. But Chris Rusin strikes out Bryce Massanari to end the inning. Through 2 1/2 innings: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats keep Georgia shortstop Hyams busy

Kentucky goes down 1-2-3 in the second, all on bouncing balls to shortstop Levi Hyams. The first, by Spencer Korus, was deflected to Hyams by pitcher Alex McRee. After two innings: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Georgia wastes leadoff walk

Georgia wastes a leadoff walk in the second inning. Going to the bottom of the inning: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Cats get leadoff single, but no more

Kentucky gets a leadoff single from Chris Bisson, but Georgia left-hander Alex McRee retires the next three batters in order. After one inning: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Georgia grabs the early lead

Peter Verdin and Matt Cerione lead off with back-to-back scratch singles for Georgia. After retiring Rich Poythress — the NCAA leader in RBI — UK pitcher Chris Rusin gets Bryce Massanari to ground a potential double play ball to shortstop. However, the ball skips under Chris Wade’s glove for a run-scoring error. Kentucky first baseman Gunner Glad gloves Colby May’s soft liner, then dives into the bag to double off Massanari. After half an inning: Georgia 1, Kentucky 0.

Play ball!

Here are the lineups for the second game of Saturday’s Southeastern Conference day-night doubleheader at the University of Kentucky’s Cliff Hagan Stadium. Georgia won the opener 7-4.

 Georgia – Peter Verdin, rf; Matt Cerione, cf; Rich Poythress, 1b; Bryce Massanari, dh; Colby May, 3b; Joey Lewis, c; Lyle Allen, lf; Miles Starr, 2b; Levi Hyams, ss. Pitching — LH Alex McRee (3-0, 2.08).

Kentucky – Chris Bisson, 2b; Chris Wade, ss; Gunner Glad, 1b; Chris McClendon, 3b; Spencer Korus, rf; Troy Frazier, lf; Keenan Wiley, cf; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Andy Burns, dh. Pitching — LH Chris Rusin (4-2, 3.83).

Umpires – Tony Maners, hp; Darrell Arnold, 1b; Ray Gregson, 3b.

The Cats get something going in the bottom of the ninth. Keenan Wiley leads off by lining a single over shorstop Bobby Haney, and Spencer Korus follows with a walk. A four-pitch walk to Chad Wright loads the bases with none out.

Chris Bisson strikes out swinging. Chris Wade’s fly to left scores Wiley, with Korus and Wright staying put. Chris McClendon bounces out as Blake Cooper completes an eight-hit distance performance. Final score: South Carolina 4, Kentucky 2.

Cats trail by 3 going to bottom of 9th

Jackie Bradley Jr. starts the South Carolina ninth with a double down the right-field line. He takes second on Whit Merrifield’s sacrifice bunt. Nick Ebert draws a walk, putting runners on the corners with one out, and knocking Clint Tilford from the game. Left-hander Logan Darnell gets the call from the Kentucky bullpen.

Darnell promptly strikes out DeAngelo Mack. Right-hander Braden Kapteyn, already in the game as DH, gets the call for face Andrew Crisp. Kapteyn does the job with a called third strike.

With Carolina’s Blake Cooper trying to finish a complete game, going to the bottom of the ninth: South Carolina 4, Kentucky 1.

Going to the 9th: Carolina 4, Kentucky 1

In the top of the eighth, South Carolina strands a runner, Scott Wingo, who was hit by a pitch.

Kentucky gets a Chris McClendon walk and Gunner Glad single in the bottom of the seventh, but both are stranded. Going to the ninth inning: South Carolina 4, Kentucky 1.

Gamecocks lead Wildcats 4-1 through 7th

In the top of the seventh, one-out singles by Bobby Haney and Jackie Bradley Jr., drive UK’s Tyler Henry from the mound. Right-hander Clint Tilford gets the call from the ‘pen.

Whit Merrifield welcomed Tilford with a run-scoring double down the right-field line, with Bradley stopping at third. With the infield drawn in, Nick Ebert lined a two-run single past a diving UK third baseman Chris McClendon.

Whit Merrifield

Tilford got the next three batters. But South Carolina leads 4-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, UK got two-out singles by Spencer Korus and Chad Wright. They were stranded when Chris Bisson was retired on a close play at first.

At the end of seven innings: South Carolina 4, Kentucky 1.

Cats, Gamecocks tied 1-1 through 6th

UK strands a runner in a scoreless sixth inning. Going to the seventh: UK 1, South Carolina 1.

Gamecocks tie with run in sixth

So much for settling down.

DeAngelo Mack

UK’s Alex Meyer opened the sixth inning by issuing his sixth walk of the game, and his third to Nick Ebert. Meyer’s third wild pitch of the game moved Ebert to second. And DeAngelo Mack drove in the tying run with a single up the middle.

That ended Meyer’s day as Coach Gary Henderson called to the bullpen for righty Tyler Henry.

Henry set down the next three batters in order.

Midway through the sixth: Kentucky 1, South Carolina 1.

Cats take 1-0 lead in fifth

Braden Kapteyn

After struggling through two innings, UK right-hander Alex Meyer has settled down.

In the fifth, recorded his first 1-2-3 inning of the game, getting a pair of groundouts and his fourth strikeout of the day.

Braden Kapteyn led off UK’s half of the fifth with a double to left-center. A sacrifice bunt by Keenan Wiley moved Kapteyn to third base. Spencer Korus brought him home with the game’s first run, sending a double over the head of center fielder Whit Merrifield.

Korus made it to third on Chad Wright’s bunt, but was stranded when Chris Bisson grounded out.

Spencer Korus

After five innings: Kentucky 1, South Carolina 0.

Nothing doing in the fourth inning

Carolina wasted a two-out single by Kyle Enders. Through four innings, the Gamecocks have left at least one runner on base in every inning, five total.

Kentucky went down 1-2-3 in the fourth.

Through four, both teams have no runs on two hits.

Still no score through three innings

Carolina wasted a two-out walk in the third inning.

The Gamecocks made a defensive switch, subbing Kyle Enders for Justin Dalles behind the plate. Dalles appeared to suffer an injury in the first inning, by a ball that deflected off of UK batter Chris McClendon.

The Wildcats wasted a two-out infield single by Chris Bisson.

Through three innings: no score.

Scoreless through two innings

UK starter Alex Meyer did his best Houdini impression in the second.

South Carolina’s Andrew Crisp led off with a single and Jeffrey Jones walked. A wild pitch advanced both runners, and Justin Dalles walked to load the bases with none out.

But Meyer struck out Scott Wingo, picked off Jones at second and got Bobby Haney on a dribbler to the mound, escaping unscathed.

Carolina’s Blake Cooper retired the Cats in order.

At the end of two innings: no score.

No score through first

Both teams turned double plays in a scoreless first inning.

Two walks and a two-base throwing error gave South Carolina runners on the corners with one out. But DeAngelo Mack flied to Chad Wright in short left, and Wright threw out Jackie Bradley Jr., at the plate to end the top of the first.

Kentucky got a leadoff infield single by Chris Bisson, but Chris Wade grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Going to the second inning: no score.

Live from Cliff Hagan Stadium at the University of Kentucky: South Carolina vs. Kentucky

After splitting a wild Saturday doubleheader, this Southeastern Conference series winds up Sunday. South Carolina won Saturday’s opener 20-19. Kentucky took the nightcap 5-4.

Sunday’s game-time conditions: 38 degrees, a 24 mph wind blowing from right field to left, with light rain.

The lineups:

South Carolina – Jackie Bradley Jr., rf; Whit Merrifield, cf; Nick Ebert, 1b; DeAngelo Mack, lf; Andrew Crisp, 3b; Jeffrey Jones, dh; Justin Dalles, c; Scott Wingo, 2b; Bobby Haney, ss. Pitching: RH Blake Cooper (3-2, 4.74).

Kentucky – Chris Bisson, 2b; Chris Wade, ss; Chris McClendon, 3b; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Gunner Glad, 1b; Braden Kapteyn, dh; Keenan Wiley, cf; Spencer Korus, rf; Chad Wright, lf. Pitching: RH Alex Meyer (1-1, 4.81).

Chris Rusin

Chris Rusin threw eight shutout innings, while Andy Burns went 3-for-3 with three RBI as Kentucky shut out Indiana State 5-0 Saturday at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Rusin, a senior left-hander, gave up six hits and a walk, striking out nine. Now 2-1, he threw 110 pitches, 73 for strikes, and dropped his ERA from 6.75 to 3.63. Only one Indiana State runner reached second base — in an eighth inning that included two errors and Rusin’s lone walk.

Tyler Henry closed with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Burns drove in UK’s first three runs. His second-inning triple scored two runs, and a fourth-inning sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

“It’s a lot off your chest when you get the runs and you can just go out there and throw,” Rusin said. “Nothing to hold back, throw a lot of strikes, get some early action and, hopefully, you can go the whole game.”

UK pitchers have allowed one walk in 18 innings against Indiana State. The Wildcats for a three-game sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.

In addition to his offensive production, Burns contributed some nifty defense from the get-go. The second batter of the game, Koby Kraemer, hit a slow roller in no-man’s land between the mound, third and short. Burns charged, made a clean pick and threw out Kraemer.

An inning later, Sycamores leadoff batter Luke Fieser singled. Tyler Graham tried to advance Fieser with a bunt.

Gary Henderson

However, Burns charged, plucked the popup out of the air, then fired to first to double off Fieser.

“The ball just kept finding me,” Burns said, “and that’s what you’ve got to do in a game like that.”

Coach Gary Henderson liked what he saw from Burns.

“I thought he was much more aggressive at third base. Much more aggressive, looser, more confident,” Henderson said. “And, boy, it’s surprising how often those things go hand in hand with a young player. A little success on one side, then helps out the other side. (I’m) really pleased with his development. Obviously, it was a great day for him.”

Following are the notes filed live during the game.

Baseball final: Kentucky 5, Indiana State 0

UK’s Tyler Henry retired Luke Fieser, Brian Jett and pinch-hitter Brian Ramirez in order in the ninth. Final score: Kentucky 5, Indiana State 0.

A full recap will be coming in Sunday’s Herald-Leader and online at http://www.kentucky.com/820/story/718452.html.

 Wildcats take 5-0 lead to ninth inning

UK’s Andy Burns notches his third hit of the game, a single, but that’s all for UK in the eighth. RHP Tyler Henry will come on in the ninth and try to close the shutout. Through eight: UK 5, ISU 0.

Rusin wriggles out of jam in 8th; UK leads 5-0

Fielding errors on SS Chris Wade and 2B Chris Bisson, plus a two-out walk to Nick Ciolli, put Chris Rusin in a bind in the top of the eighth.  A 6-4-3 double play and called third strike led to two runners being stranded. Bisson’s error was the first by a UK second baseman in 376 days. The previous E was charged to Neiko Johnson in February of 2008. Going to the bottom of the eighth: UK 5, ISU 0

Wildcats take 5-0 lead into the eighth inning

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, UK’s Marcus Nidiffer singles and Chad Wright walks. But RH Brandon Smith retires Neiko Johnson on a liner to center, then gets pinch-hitter Bryan Rose on a called third strike. Though seven innings: UK 5, ISU 0. Rose remains in the game, playing right field.

Kentucky leads Indiana State 5-0 in 7th

Indiana State’s Joe Meggs is stranded after knocking a two-out single up the middle. Going to the bottom of the seventh: UK 5, ISU 0.

Pitching change for the Sycamores: RH Brandon Smith. Starter Eric Valdez worked six innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on six hits and five walks. He struck out four.

Kentucky leads Indiana State 5-0 through 6th

Kentucky gets a sixth-inning single by Andy Burns, but nothing else. Heading to the seventh: UK 5, ISU 0.

Kentucky’s Rusin working on a gem

ISU snaps LHP Chris Rusin’s string of retired batters at nine, getting a two-out single through the right side of the infield by Nick Ciolli. However, that’s all the Sycamores get as Rusin strikes out the side. Through the top of the sixth, Rusin has a five-hit shutout going. All five hits are singles. He has not given a walk and has struck out seven.

Indiana State makes a couple of defensive changes in the bottom of the sixth. Ben Ferrell comes in at second, Brian Jett at first.

Wildcats up lead to 5-0 through five innings

Neiko Johnson

UK adds a run in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. Keenan Wiley and Marcus Nidiffer opened the inning with back-to-back singles. The runners moved to second and third on Chad Wright’s sacrifice bunt. Wiley scored on Neiko Johnson’s sacrifice fly to short center. ISU 1B Tyler Graham took the cutoff throw on the mound, then threw wildly past catcher Bronco Lafrenz, which allowed Nidiffer to move to third. Cory Farris struck out to end the inning.

Rusin locks down ISU again

In the top of the fifth, LHP Chris Rusin retires Indiana State 1-2-3 for a second consecutive inning. Overall, he has retired seven in a row.

UK pads lead to 4-0

UK’s Andy Burns, who tripled in two runs in the second, added an RBI in the fourth. Neiko Johnson and Cory Farris started the inning with back-to-back walks. Chris Wade’s bunt down the first-base line went for a hit, loading the bases. A sacrifice fly to center, by Burns, scored Johnson and moved Farris to third. Farris scored when Chris Bisson legged out a fielder’s choice, avoiding a double play. Through four innings: UK 4, ISU 0.

1-2-3 in top of the fourth

UK LHP Chris Rusin retires Indiana State 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.

Cats waste leadoff double

Bottom of the third, UK’s Braden Kapteyn leads off with a double to the gap in left-center. But ISU RH Eric Valdez retires the next three in order, including two strikeouts. Through three innings: UK 2, ISU 0.

Nothing doing for ISU in third

In the top of the third, Indiana State’s gets back-to-back two-out singles by Ryan Strausborger and Koby Kraemer. But UK lefty Chris Rusin punches out Nick Ciolli to end the inning. UK 2, ISU 0.

Kentucky takes 2-0 lead in second inning

Andy Burns

Andy Burns delivered a two-out, two-run triple to the gap in right-center, giving Kentucky a 2-0 lead in the second. Leadoff batter Chad Wright reached on a fielding error by 2B Koby Kraemer. One out later, Cory Farris walked. A strikeout later, Burns tripled. Sycamores CF Ryan Strausborger made a valiant attempt at a catch, but his all-out dive earned just a soft glance off his glove. Burns was stranded when Chris Bisson flied to left.

No score through 1 1/2 innings

Indiana State got a two-out single from Nick Ciolli in the first and a leadoff single by Luke Fieser in the second. Fieser was erased when Tyler Graham popped up to third baseman Andy Burns on a bunt attempt, with Fieser doubled up easily at first base.

UK had a pair of first-inning walks, but Braden Kapteyn was picked off second base to end the inning.

Lineups

Indiana State (9-3) – Ryan Strausborger, cf; Koby Kraemer, 2b; Nick Ciolli, rf; Brady Shoemaker, lf; Luke Fieser, 3b; Tyler Graham, 1b; Joe Meggs, dh; Pascual del Real, ss; Bronco Lafrenz, c. Pitching: RH Eric Valdez (1-0, 2.19).

Kentucky (7-2) – Chris Bisson, 2b; Braden Kapteyn, 1b; Keenan Wiley, cf; Marcus Nidiffer, c; Chad Wright, lf; Neiko Johnson, dh; Cory Farris, rf; Chris Wade, ss; Andy Burns, 3b. Pitching: LH Chris Rusin (1-1, 6.75).

Umpires – John Bennett, home; Don Hudson, 1b; Nathan Huber, 3b.

Weather – (unofficial) 69 degrees, wind 12 mph, in from rf, with gusts up to 23 mph.