March 17, 2015
Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Ohio jumped out to six-run lead after the top of the sixth inning and held on for a 10-7 midweek win over Kentucky, on a sunny Tuesday evening at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Kentucky (13-7) fell behind early after the Bobcats plated two runs in the first, three in the second, one in the fourth and two in the sixth and eighth. UK immediately answered in the bottom of the first with two runs, before using a four-run frame in the sixth to cut the margin. The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth but was limited to a run after the Bobcats ended the inning with a 1-2-3 double play.
The Wildcats were led offensively by two-hit games from Kyle Barrett, Zach Arnold and Storm Wilson, with JaVon Shelby notching a two-RBI single in the first inning and a two-walk effort. UK also got hits from Evan White, Ka’ai Tom, Riley Mahan and Connor Heady.
UK starter Robert Zeigler (1-1) worked 1.1 innings in his third career start, allowing six hits and five runs, walking one and striking out one. With runners on the corners and one out in the second inning, lefty Brad Schaenzer took over in relief. Schaenzer worked 3.2 innings, allowing four hits and one run, striking out one. Bo Wilson came on to get an out, before giving way to Zach Logue. Logue worked two innings, allowing five hits and one earned run. Zach Strecker got an out in the eighth inning in relief of Logue and Matt Snyder made his third appearance of the year to end the eighth. Zach Pop made his fourth appearance of the year, working the ninth inning.
Ohio (11-6) starter Jake Rodnicki worked one inning, allowing four hits and two runs. Tom Colletti (2-0) started the second inning in relief and worked 3.2 innings, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out two. Ohio then used lefty Spencer Sapp, Jeremy Cronk, Christian Botter, Corey Wells and Jake Miller in relief. Logan Cozart came on with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth inning, working the final six outs to pick up his fourth save of the year.
Kentucky will return to action on Friday, welcoming No. 20 Mississippi State for a three-game series at Cliff Hagan Stadium, with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
The Bobcats got on the board in the top of the first inning, as Manny DeJesus led off with a single to centerfield. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Jake Madsen singled to centerfield to load the bases with one out. Tyler Wells then jammed a slow roller to second base that wasn’t hit hard enough to turn the double play, allowing DeJesus to score. Catcher Cody Gaertner then fought off a 2-2 offering for a single through the left side, scoring Mitch Longo.
The Wildcats answered in the bottom of the inning, starting with singles from Barrett and White. After a Tom fielder’s choice replaced White and put two on base, Shelby singled through the left side, scoring Barrett and Tom for a 2-2 game.
Ohio regained the lead in the top of the second inning, as Tyler Finkler led off with a single to leftfield, taking second on a sacrifice bunt. After DeJesus singled to put runners on the corners with one out, Garrett Black singled to centerfield to score Finkler. After Schaenzer came on in relief, Mitch Longo singled through the right side, scoring a pair and giving Ohio a 5-2 lead.
The Bobcats added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning, as Garrett Black singled in the hole on the left side with one out, stealing second and scoring on Longo’s RBI double off the 30-foot wall in rightfield.
Ohio stretched its lead to 8-2 with a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning from Garrett Black, scoring Jordan Adryan, who reached on an error. The Bobcats then got a fly ball single from Longo to fall in shallow rightfield, scoring Black.
The Wildcats plated four runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-6. Bernal was hit by his 28th career pitch to leadoff – the sixth-most in UK history – and Mahan followed with a single off the glove of the first baseman. Arnold then singled on a 1-0 offering to leftfield, scoring Bernal. After Heady loaded the bases with a bunt single, Barrett smacked a single to centerfield that scored Mahan. White and Tom then lined out to the outfield for sacrifice flies, scoring a pair of runs.
Ohio scored two runs – one unearned – in the eighth inning for a 10-6 lead.
UK loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth inning on walks from Barrett, White and Tom. After a strikeout, Wilson was hit by a pitch to force in a run, before Ohio turned a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play.
