Austin Schultz hit the first leadoff home run for Kentucky in almost exactly a year and Ryan Shinn had his third multi-hit game of the weekend, including his eighth home run of the season, but unearned runs doomed the Wildcats in a 9-2 loss to Missouri at Taylor Stadium.
The Cats (17-15, 2-10 SEC) took the lead on the second pitch of the game when Schultz, a freshman from Nebraska with a large contingent of family members in attendance, launched his first collegiate home run. It extended his reached base safely streak to 22 games and career-long hit streak to five games.
Missouri (22-11-1, 5-6-1) responded with a pair of unearned runs in the third after a hit batter, error and walk put two runners on with one out. The Cats induced what appeared to be an inning-ending ground ball to third base but it scooted between the fielder’s legs, allowing two runs to score.
After Shinn’s home run to left field tied things in the fourth, the Tigers capitalized again with the help of the Cats. A leadoff walk and fielding error at second base turned into two runs when a bouncer went off an infielder’s glove into left field, providing the winning runs.
Shinn was lights out in the series, going seven-for-12 with two doubles and a home run while spraying hits to all fields. He ranks near the top of the national leaderboard in doubles with 15, has 23 extra-base hits on the season and a team-high 13 multi-hit games.
SCORING
Top 1st– Austin Schultz hit a leadoff homer to RCF. UK 1, Mizzou 0.
Bottom 3rd – Paul Gomez reached on an error and Chris Cornelius walked. Peter Zimmermann reached on a fielding error, Gomez and Cornelius scored. Mizzou 2, UK 1.
Top 4th – Ryan Shinn homered to LF. UK 2, Mizzou 2.
Bottom 5th – Ortiz walked to lead off the inning. Thomas Broyles reached on a fielding error, Ortiz moved to third. Kameron Misner walked to load the bases. Zimmermann grounded a ball through the infield, scoring Ortiz and Broyles. Mizzou 4, UK 2.
Bottom 7th – Misner homered to RCF. Zimmermann homered to LF. Chad McDaniel walked. Tony Ortiz reached on a fielder’s choice with McDaniel moving to third and Ortiz to second on a throwing error. Austin James reached first on a squeeze bunt with McDaniel scoring and Ortiz to third. Ortiz scored on a balk. James advanced to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches. Mizzou 9, UK 2.
NOTES
· Kentucky has scored in 96 consecutive games and 172 of the past 173 dating to the 2016 season. The lone shutout came in a seven-inning game. The current streak now is the third-longest in school history.
· Freshman IF Austin Schultz extended his reached base safely streak to 22 games with a leadoff home run.
o The home run was the first of his collegiate career.
o It was the first home run to open a game for the Cats since Tristan Pompey vs. South Carolina on April 8, 2018.
o He now has a career-long five-game hit streak.
· Senior OF Ryan Shinn was 2-for-4 with a solo home run.
o It was his third multi-hit game of the series and 13th of the season.
o He clubbed his eighth home run of the season and 23rd extra-base hit.
o For the series, he went 7-for-12 with two doubles and a home run.
ON DECK
Kentucky makes a pit stop at Lipscomb on Wednesday afternoon on the way to Ole Miss. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET and airs on WatchESPN. Audio coverage on UKathletics.com.
Follow along with the Cats on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
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For more information contact:
Matt May