LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sawyer Carroll?s five-RBI performance boosted the No. 16 Kentucky baseball team to a nine-run rally, soaring from a 6-0 deficit and notching a 9-6 win over the red-hot Marshall Thundering Herd ? its 23rd non-conference win in the past 24 games – on Wednesday evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
After starting every game of his college career ? a span of 98 consecutive games ? Carroll was scratched from the starting lineup in order to take a final exam, in Italian. Carroll, a National Player of the Year award candidate, completed his final exam around 7 p.m. ET as Kentucky made it through the first 1 ? innings. By 7:15 p.m., Carroll was standing in the batters box as a pinch hitter, finishing the night 1-for-3 with a career-high five RBI. On the year Carroll, who leads the Southeastern Conference with a .431 average, has totaled 63 RBI in just 45 games, good for a tie for fifth place all-time on the single-season UK record books. A year ago, Carroll finished with 56 RBI in UK?s 54 games.
Carroll was the run-producer in the game but UK got three-hit performances from shortstop Chris Wade and catcher Tyler Howe. Wade added two doubles, his team-best 16th and 17th two-baggers on the year, going 3-for-3 on the night with an RBI. Howe finished 3-for-4 with an RBI. Chris McClendon tallied the other multi-hit game for UK, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Kentucky’s 34 wins equals the 34 wins the 2007 squad totaled. UK’s school-record for wins came during the 44-win SEC Championship season in 2006.
The Wildcats have not lost a home non-conference game since an April 18, 2007 setback vs. Morehead State, a span of 26 games.
Kentucky dug itself an early 5-0 hole as UK starter Clint Tilford got hammered for six hits and five runs through one inning. The UK bullpen pitched flawlessly for the second consecutive game, as the Wildcats have not allowed an earned run in 11 1/3 innings, the last coming on Saturday at Vanderbilt. The UK bullpen has allowed only one earned run in the past 20 innings.
Scott Green (5-2) picked up the win, tossing the two decisive innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run. Logan Darnell, Tommy Warner, Brock Baber and Andrew Albers combined to blank the Thundering Herd, with Albers picking up his third save in UK?s past three games, tossing the ninth. On Monday, Albers was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week.
Marshall (23-22-1, 9-8 C-USA) entered the game winners in nine of its past 11 games, posting 50 runs combined in its past five games. After starter Ian Kadish held the UK bats to two hits and five strikeouts through four innings, Justin Moore came on in relief, allowing four hits and six runs, taking the loss.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday, hosting the red-hot LSU Tigers in a pivotal three-game series. First pitch Friday at Cliff Hagan Stadium is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Marshall jumped all over the Wildcats in the second inning, getting five hits and five runs to take a commanding 5-0 lead. The inning started when Nate Lape, a North Carolina transfer, roped his 14th home run of the season over the left-field fence. Tilford then surrendered four consecutive singles to Marshall, before handing the ball over to Darnell, who got out of the jam.
Kentucky narrowed the lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning, beginning when Howe got his first hit of the game, a hard single into left field. Wade followed, ripping his first double of the year into left. Carroll notched his first RBI, a groundout and freshman Chris Bisson did the same, scoring Wade with an RBI groundout.
Marshall extended its lead to 6-2 with a run in the sixth, taking advantage of one hit and an error. Jeff Rowley singled through the infield to lead off, moving to third on two groundouts. Leadoff man Adam Yeager hit a hard line drive right back at Green, the UK pitcher, who deflected the ball right to Wade at shortstop. Wade attempted to change directions but booted the ball, not in time to get the speedy Yeager, allowing Rowley to score.
The Wildcats got four runs to tie the game 6-6 in the sixth inning. Bryan Rose led off with a walk and Collin Cowgill singled. McClendon hit into a fielders choice, with Cowgill out on the play, allowing Rose to move to third. McClendon moved to second on a wild pitch and Brian Spear drew a walk to load the bases. Howe grounded out for an RBI, scoring Rose and Chris Wade got hit by a pitch to load the bases up for Carroll. Carroll, whose two-RBI triple served as the game-winner at No. 10 Vanderbilt on Sunday, emptied the bags with a double into the opposite field gap.
Kentucky took a 8-6 lead with two runs in the seventh, as McClendon, Spear and Howe all singled with one out. Wade drove in one with a single of his own and Carroll played Spear with a sacrifice fly.
UK got an insurance run in the eighth, as Keenan Wiley led off with a bunt single and Rose moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice. McClendon scored Wiley with an RBI single through the right side.
Marshall designated hitter Victor Gomez, the reigning C-USA Player of the Week, finished with a game-best 4-for-5 night at the plate.
