LEXINGTON ? Ryan Strieby delivered an RBI walk-off single in the ninth to lift Kentucky to a 7-6 victory over Marshall on Wednesday at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The win was UK?s first in its final at bat this season, but marked the sixth time it has come from behind to win a game. The Wildcats improved to 10-3 while the Thundering Herd dropped to 4-6.
With the game tied heading into the ninth, Marshall?s Chris Monaco beat out a bunt single to lead off. He went to second on a sacrifice and took third on a wild pitch. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away, Kentucky pulled the infield in.
Andrew Albers induced a ground ball from Rich Russell and second baseman John Shelby smothered it, jumped to his feet and threw home to nail Monaco. The following batter, Brendan Murphy, hit a shallow fly to right center that Collin Cowgill made a tremendous diving catch on to end the inning.
Following the spectacular defensive plays, the Wildcat offense got going. Shaun Lehmann singled to leadoff and Antone DeJesus beat out his sacrifice bunt attempt for a hit. After a balk, Collin Cowgill was intentionally walked to load the bases with nobody out.
Lefty Bryson Meyers came on to strike out Sean Coughlin to keep Marshall alive. To set up a right-right match-up, Brendon Bump entered to face Strieby. Down 0-2, Strieby fought off a pitch into shallow right field to bring Lehmann home for the game-winning run.
Nick Wolle took the loss after pitching one inning. He pitched a perfect eighth before running into trouble in the ninth.
Albers worked the final 1 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season. He gave up two hits and no runs while striking out one. He was the fourth pitcher of the night. Tommy Warner started and worked three innings and gave up three runs ? one earned.
Marshall led 3-0 after its half of the third thanks to a three-base error. Jimmy Mathias led off with a single and Matt Helm reached on a bunt single, one of three for the Herd on the day. Monaco laid down a sac bunt that Warner fielded, but his throw sailed wide and two runs scored while Monaco made it to third. He scored on a bunt by Adam Ptacek.
Kentucky answered with two runs in its half of the inning on a two-out, two-run single by Coughlin. Marshall made it 5-2 with a two-run fourth before UK tied it with three in the fifth.
The Wildcats loaded the bases with nobody out only to see Collin Cowgill fly to short right and Coughlin pop out. The Herd then brought in Andrew Blain to face Strieby, who drew a walk to force in one run. Michael Bertram followed with a two-run single to tie it, 5-5.
Mike Brown gave Kentucky its first lead in the sixth. He singled, stole second and scored on a single by Antone DeJesus. The hit was one of four for DeJesus on the night.
Kentucky returns to action this weekend with a three-game series against North Dakota State. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
