LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sean Coughlin’s two-run double in the eighth inning broke open a close game, as the No. 25 Kentucky baseball team opened its home season with a 8-5 win over in-state rival Murray State, Wednesday evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
“I thought our focus was so good down at Furman, our kids really were dialed in last weekend,” Kentucky head coach John Cohen said. “Coming in here, on the home opener, seeing the video board and all the improvements to the stadium may have fazed our kids a bit and their focus was not what it should be. However, we managed to get our heads back in the game and we came out with a tremendous win.”
Sawyer Carroll and Matt McKinney contributed three hits and senior Billy Grace added two, as UK rolled to 11 total hits. Freshman Jason Kipnis, who on Monday was named the National Freshman of the Week by Rivals.com, blasted his third home run in Kentucky’s first four games, a rocket that sailed well over the right-field fence.
“Jason is really swinging the bat well,” Cohen said. “He has really been very focused on becoming a better baseball player and that hard work is paying off.”
UK’s freshman pitchers were impressive in their home debuts, as starter Duran Ferguson struck out a career-high eight batters and Tyler Henry earned his first career save. Junior right-hander Aaron Lovett tossed 3.2 innings in relief of Ferguson to notch his first career win, allowing three hits, while striking out a career-best five. Murray reliever Matt McGaha took the loss, his first of the season.
“Duran pitched well for us today,” Cohen said. “He kind of hit a wall when he got up to about 70 pitches, but he battled for us today and that is what we want from him. Being his first career start, I thought Duran performed tremendous out their on the mound for us tonight.”
Kentucky scored on its first opportunity, as leadoff hitter Antone DeJesus led off the game with a perfectly executed bunt single. Kipnis sacrificed him over into scoring position and Carroll’s first double of the contest plated DeJesus. McKinney followed a Coughlin ground out by roping a single through the left side of the infield for an early 2-0 UK lead.
Murray answered the Wildcats in the fifth, as Austin Swain led off the inning with a single. Two more singles loaded the bases for a Jason Payton grand slam, giving the Breds’ a 4-2 advantage.
The Wildcats responded in the next half inning, as Kipnis led off the frame with his monstrous solo blast. Carroll drove his second double into the left-field power alley, setting the stage for Grace to plate the tying run with an RBI single.
Kentucky squeaked out to a one-run lead in the seventh, beginning when Kipnis reached on a walk. A balk call advanced the outfielder to second, putting him in position to score on a McKinney RBI single to make it 5-4.
In the eighth, Kentucky took control of the contest, as Ryan Wilkes walked and moved up on a couple of consecutive sacrifices from Brian Spear and DeJesus. Carroll hung a fly ball into the outfield to plate Wilkes on a sacrifice fly. Coughlin’s double gave UK breathing room, scoring DeJesus and Spear.
Murray rallied in the ninth, loading the bases and pushing across one more run on a sacrifice fly from Wes Cunningham, for the final margin 8-5. Henry came on to get the final two outs of the inning, to seal the win for the Wildcats.
Kentucky returns to action at Cliff Hagan Stadium on Friday when it hosts Tennessee Tech for a three-game set. First pitch on Friday is slated for 4 p.m. EST and fans can catch the action in Lexington on WXRA 1580-AM or online via UKathletics.com. For ticket information, contact the UK ticket office at (859) 257-1818.
Post-Game Notes
Kentucky improves to 9-4 in the all-time series with Murray State and has now won seven consecutive meetings between the two schools. Freshman pitcher Duran Ferguson registered a career-high eight strikeouts for his first collegiate victory. Freshman relief pitcher Tyler Henry earned his first collegiate save, tossing 2/3 of an inning, allowing one hit. First baseman Sawyer Carroll had a career-high three hits and tied his career-high with two RBI. The junior also doubled twice. Jason Kipnis, the reigning National and SEC Freshman of the Week, has now hit three home runs in his first four collegiate games. Kentucky opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 2000, when UK began its campaign with 15 consecutive wins. Junior college transfer Aaron Lovett struck out a career-high five batters, to tally his first career win.
