Kentucky hit a pair of home runs while jumping out to an early lead but couldn’t hold off No. 7 Louisville’s offense, falling 18-6 at Kentucky Proud Park in front of 4,919 fans, the largest regular-season crowd in program history.
The Cats (20-17) jumped out a 5-1 lead after two innings, powered by home runs from Ryan Shinn and Breydon Daniel. Shinn’s first inning blast traveled and estimated 412 feet just to left-centerfield and Daniel hit a soaring two-run shot into the right field bullpen. Daniel had a terrific night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a double, triple and home run while falling just short of the cycle.
In just his second start of the season, outfielder Ryan Johnson had two hits and an RBI on the evening. It was the eighth multi-hit game of the senior’s two-year career in Lexington. Freshman Austin Schultz extended his reached base safely streak to 27 games by walking three times.
The Cardinals did most of their damage with either two strikes on the hitter or two outs in the inning, delivering nine two-out hits while scoring in every inning but the first and ninth.
SCORING
Bottom 1st – Ryan Shinn homered to LCF. UK 1, Louisville 0.
Top 2nd – Logan Wyatt singled to LF, advanced to second on Danny Oriente’s groundout and scored on Justin Lavey’s bloop double just inside the LF line. UK 1, Louisville 1.
Bottom 2nd – T.J. Collett was hit by a pitch and scored on Breydon Daniel’s home run to RF. Ryan Johnson doubled down the LF line, Zeke Lewis singled to RF and Austin Schultz walked to load the bases. Coltyn Kessler walked, scoring Johnson and loading the bases. Lewis scored on a wild pitch. UK 5, Louisville 1.
Top 3rd – Jake Snider doubled inside the 1B bag and scored on Tyler Fitzgerald’s triple to LCF. Wyatt grounded out, scoring Fitzgerald.UK 5, Louisville 3.
Top 4th – Alex Binelas singled to LF to open the inning and moved to second on a groundout. Pinch hitter Drew Campbell reached on a fielder’s choice with Binelas advancing to third. Lucas Dunn doubled to RCF, scoring Binelas and Campbell. Snider singled to LF, scoring Dunn. Louisville 6, UK 5.
Top 5th – Wyatt singled to LF to open the inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on pinch hitter Zach Britton’s single. Binelas singled up the middle, scoring Wyatt. Binelas moved from first to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on Lavey’s single to RCF. Campbell homered to RF, scoring Lavey. Louisville 10, UK 5.
Top 6th – Britton walked. Binelas reached on an infield single with both runners moving up a base on a throwing error. Lavey singled to LF, scoring Britton and moving Binelas to third. Pinkham singled to RF, scoring Binelas. Louisville 12, UK 5.
Bottom 6th – Breydon Daniel doubled to LF, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Johnson’s groundout. Louisville 12, UK 6.
Top 7th – Snider reached on an error to lead off the inning and Fitzgerald walked. Wyatt doubled to RF, scoring Snider and advancing Fitzgerald to third. Britton hit a SAC fly to LF, Fitzgerald scored. Binelas walked. Pinkham doubled to LCF, scoring Wyatt and Binelas.Louisville 16, UK 6.
Top 8th – Cameron Masterman reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a walk. Masterman advanced to third on a fielder’s choice groundout by Wyatt and scored on a throwing error on the play. Binelas doubled to CF, scoring Wyatt. Louisville 18, UK 6.
NOTES
· The attendance of 4,919 is the largest regular season crowd in program history, besting the previous mark of 4,798 on April 3,2018 against Louisville.
o It is the second-largest crowd ever. The largest was 5,005 in the NCAA Regional final on June 5, 2017 vs. NC State.
· Kentucky has scored in 101 consecutive games and 177 of the past 178 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 27 games.
o With a stolen base the freshman is now 9-of-10 on the season.
o Schultz walked three times in the game.
· Junior IF/OF Breydon Daniel went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a double, triple and home run.
o It was Daniel’s seventh home run of the season.
o It was his fifth multi-RBI game of the season.
o He logged his ninth multi-hit game of the season and tied his career-high with three hits.
· Senior OF/RHP Ryan Johnson went 2-for-4 with a run, RBI and double.
o The hits were the first of the season for Johnson.
o It was his eighth career multi-hit game.
ON DECK
Kentucky opens a series against No. 22 Tennessee on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. ET at Kentucky Proud Park. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus with audio coverage on UKathletics.com and the UK Sports Network.
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
