SAN DIEGO — San Diego State junior All-American right-hander Addison Reed turned in a six-inning, six-strikeout performance, handing No. 23 Kentucky its first loss of the season, 12-4, Thursday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Reed, who was named the top closer in college baseball last season after leading the NCAA in saves, lasted six innings, allowing only two UK runs and scattering just five hits. Reed, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, notched the win, improving to 2-1 after fanning six Wildcats and issuing just one walk.
Kentucky (7-1) dropped its first game of the season to the Aztecs, with San Diego State chasing UK starter Alex Meyer (2-1) in the fifth inning. Meyer, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound right-hander allowed seven runs and eight hits in his 4.1 innings, striking out seven and walking four. UK then turned to junior right-hander Kyle Jackson who tossed 2.2 innings and allowed three runs on just one hit – a homer – issuing three walks. Freshman Walter Wijas, making his second career appearance, pitched the final inning of the game, allowing two runs on two hits.
Offensively, UK was led by sophomore rightfielder Cory Farris, who had a 2-for-3 performance at the dish, adding Kentucky’s first two RBI on a double into the left-centerfield gap in the second inning. Keenan Wiley, Braden Kapteyn, Chris Bisson, Andy Burns and Marcus Nidiffer each added hits for the Wildcats, with Burns and Kapteyn charting his second double of the season. In addition, UK freshman outfielder Brian Adams and sophomore catcher T.J. Daugherty each notched their first career hit in their first career at bats. Daugherty’s hit came with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth inning a single up the middle. Bisson, a preseason All-American, extended his hitting streak to a team-best nine games, dating back to last season.
Kentucky returns to action Friday, traveling across town to face off with San Diego, with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio), with Dick Gabriel calling the action. Fans in Lexington can hear the game live on WGVN 1580-AM and online at UKathletics.com.
San Diego State (4-6) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Jomel Torres reached on a bloop, one-out single into shallow centerfield. Rightfielder Brandon Meredith followed and ripped his second homer of the season over the leftfield fence.
UK responded with two runs in the top of the second inning, as Wiley reached on a two-out single into centerfield and Nidiffer followed with a single into left field. Farris plated them both with a hard-hit double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring both, with Nidiffer just sliding under the tag from the SDSU catcher for the game-evening run.
SDSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-2 lead. After Meyer sat down Chris Wilson, Matt Parker singled into right field with one out and Meyer loaded with bases with a pair of walks. Meredith continued his hot hitting, plopping a two-RBI single down the right-field line.
The Aztecs continued to pile on the runs, as Jordan Van Hoosier led off with a single into centerfield and stole second base. Meyer got the next two outs, but Parker singled into leftfield to make it 5-2.
SDSU added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, pushing its lead to 6-2. Cory Vaughn led off with a double into centerfield, a bloop into shallow centerfield that popped out of Wiley’s glove. Van Hoosier then scored Vaughn with a chopping single through the left side. Van Hoosier stole second to move into scoring position and after Meyer got a lineout to Blair Moore, Meyer was pulled from the game. Parker followed and hit a tailor-made double play ball at Black at shortstop, but he bobbled it, with Van Hoosier scoring and the inning extended.
SDSU added three runs in the bottom of the seventh, as Parker launched a three-run homer. In the bottom of the eighth, the Aztecs added two runs off Wijas, with Blair Moore totaling a two-out, two-RBI double.
