BATON ROUGE, La. — With the game tied entering the eighth inning, the No. 11 Kentucky baseball team exploded for three runs and hung on for a drama-packed win over the LSU Fighting Tigers, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium.
Up just one run with a runner on first and one out in the bottom of the ninth, LSU first baseman Sean Ochinko drilled a shot down the left field line that cleared the fence. The home plate umpire ruled it a home run; after Kentucky head coach John Cohen asked him to seek help, the third base umpire, who at the time of the blow was stationed in the middle of the infield, called it foul. That call stood despite a heated protest by LSU coach Paul Mainieri, and Kentucky hung on to secure the win.
Kentucky (23-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) got multi-hit performances from five Wildcats, including a three-hit game from junior infielder Ryan Wilkes. Wilkes finished the day 3-for-4 with one RBI. Freshman outfielder Jason Kipnis provided the Wildcats the winning run, as his three-run homer in the eighth inning provided the difference. Kipnis?s home run was his team-best sixth of the season.
Wildcat starter Andrew Albers, worked 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and allowing only three runs. Junior Aaron Lovett notched the win, improving to 3-0, tossing 2 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. Kentucky freshman southpaw James Paxton was the final of three UK relievers, closing out the game?s final batter and securing the first save of his young career.
LSU hurler Louis Coleman took the loss, allowing the three deciding runs in the eighth inning, to fall to 2-3 on the season.
Antone DeJesus and Mike Brown each tallied two hits atop the Wildcat lineup and Matt McKinney, Brian Spear, and Kipnis each contributed two hits apiece. Senior catcher Sean Coughlin, the NCAA leader in RBI, had his hit streak snapped at a team-high 17 games.
LSU struck at its first opportunity, scoring one run in the bottom half of the first. Leadoff hitter Chris McGhee led off with a single and came around to score on a grounded double play.
Kentucky answered in the top of the second, pushing across one run. McKinney ripped his second career triple with one out, and an RBI groundout from Spear scored McKinney.
McGhee got the Tigers on the board in the third, ripping a solo home run just over the left field fence for a 2-1 lead.
Kentucky got on the board again in the fourth, scoring one run. McKinney reached on a fielder?s choice and Wilkes drove him in with an RBI single to even the game at 2-2.
LSU (14-11, 1-4 SEC) regained the lead, pushing across one run in the fifth. J.T. Wise led off the inning with a walk and came around to touch home on an RBI single from McGhee.
The Wildcats tied the game up in the seventh inning, as DeJesus singled and advanced to second after the LSU outfield misplayed the ball. The next batter, Mike Brown, scored DeJesus with a single into the right-center gap.
Kentucky took the lead for good in the eighth, as McKinney tripled for the second time in the contest and came around to score on an RBI single up the middle from Spear. The next batter, Kipnis, blasted a no doubt home run into the left-field stands to give UK a 6-3 lead.
LSU rallied with two runs in its half of the eighth, beginning when Ochinko reached second on two errors charged to the UK defense. Steven Waguespack scored Ochinko with an RBI single and came around to score on a Robert Lara single.
Kentucky returns to action on Sunday, seeking its first SEC sweep of the season. First pitch is set for Noon EDT and fans in Lexington can catch the action live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with the two-man tandem of Dick Gabriel and Neil Price on the call.
Post Game Notes
Team Records and Series Notes
No. 11 Kentucky improves to 22-2 with the win, 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference.
LSU drops to 14-11, 1-4 in the SEC.
LSU still leads the all-time series between the two schools, 34-19.
Kentucky improves to 5-0 on the road.
Individual Notes
Matt McKinney hit is second and third career triples Saturday. The senior?s first career three-bagger came in Friday?s contest.
Jason Kipnis hit his club-best sixth home run of the season in the eighth inning.
Senior catcher Sean Coughlin had his club-best hit streak snapped at 17 games.
Five Wildcats notched multi-hit games, including a three-hit performance from infielder Ryan Wilkes.
Aaron Lovett earned the win, hurling 2 2/3 innings to improve to 3-0.
Freshman James Paxton notched his first career save, recording the final out of the contest with the winning run at the plate.
