Tyler Bell’s Triumphant Return Highlights Gritty Comeback Win

All-American Tyler Bell made his triumphant return with a double and two-run home run, Ethan Hindle continued his extra base onslaught and No. 21 Kentucky erased an early four-run deficit to score a 10-5 victory over The Citadel in Friday night’s series opener at Kentucky Proud Park.

On a night when starter Jaxon Jelkin did not have his best arsenal he still found a way to get through five innings and gave his offense a chance to claw its way back into the game. The Cats (12-2) scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before unleashing a six-run onslaught in the seventh highlighted by Scott Campbell Jr.’s triple, a two-run single by Jayce Tharnish, Hindle’s RBI double and Bell’s two-run soaring blast to right field.

In the meantime, Connor Mattison calmed the game with 2.1 scoreless innings and Jack Bennett earned his third save by getting out of an inherited bases loaded jam in the eighth inning.

Although the Cats did not come up with the big hit in the early innings and left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings they forced Citadel ace Will Holmes to throw 74 pitches in two innings and chased him from the game. It paid off later in the game as the Bulldogs were forced to extend their bullpen more than usual.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 12-2 on the season.
  • UK is 129-65 since the beginning of 2023.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at the helm and now owns a 304-194 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 116-45 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 181-54 in non-conference games.
    • He is 160-25 vs. non-Power Four opponents.
  • Mingione is 156-66 at Kentucky Proud Park.
  • Mingione now is 1-0 vs. The Citadel.
  • Mingione is 24-15 vs. teams from South Carolina.
• Kentucky drew eight walks, was hit by a pitch and stole two bases.
  • Kentucky held Citadel scoreless over the final six innings.
• IF Ethan Hindle went 2-for-4 with 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B and HR.
  • 13 of Hindle’s 15 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
  • This week: 5-for-8 with 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 3 2B, 2 HR.
• OF Scott Campbell Jr. went 2-for-3 with 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, 3B.
• IF Tyler Bell returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with an injury.
  • Bell finished 2-for-4 with a R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR
• RHP Connor Mattison earned his 2^nd win with 2.1 scoreless innings.
• RHP Jack Bennett earned his third save.

ON DECK

UK and The Citadel play round two on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET instead of its originally scheduled 1 p.m. The game is on SECN+ and the contest can be heard on UK Sports Network.