Hjelle Bounces Back with Huge Effort in Regional Victory

Kentucky pitcher Sean Hjelle had an outstanding regular season, notching nine wins and earning SEC Pitcher of the Year honors.

However, in his last start, Hjelle had, without question, his worst outing of the season. Pitching against LSU in the SEC Tournament, the sophomore gave up 10 runs, nine of which were earned, and 11 hits in just five innings as the Wildcats lost to the Tigers, 11-0.

But on Friday in Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament opener against the Ohio Bobcats, Hjelle looked much more like the pitcher he had been all season.

“I’m a really good coach when (Hjelle) is pitching,” Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said. “He makes it really easy. There’s a reason why he’s the SEC Pitcher of the Year. He did tonight what he basically did every time out for our team – he gave us a chance to win. Eight out of his last nine runs, he has given up three runs or less.”

The right-hander from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, pitched seven-plus innings, allowing three runs, which all came in the eighth inning. Hjelle surrendered seven hits, while walking three and striking out three in a 6-4 Kentucky victory at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Hjelle cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. But in the fifth inning, Hjelle got into a bit of a jam, when a one-out walk and an infield single gave Ohio runners on first and second. But Evan White made a huge defensive play, snagging a line drive to save a hit. And with two outs, Hjelle induced Ohio’s best hitter, Spencer Ibarra, into a lazy fly ball to right field to end the threat.

Hjelle had thrown 101 pitches through seven innings, but came back out for the eighth. He gave up a pair of singles before Ohio’s Rudy Rott hit a three-run homer to right-center field to break up the shutout. The home run also ended Hjelle’s day. And while his performance led the Cats to a victory, Hjelle gave all of the credit to his teammates.

“We’ve been playing defense all year and I think my defense has shown up just about every start I’ve had,” Hjelle said. “It’s really relaxing and comforting knowing that. I think we had three or four diving plays that were made. My job is to go up there and get swings and put the ball in play and keep the team in a position to win.”

Ohio head coach Rob Smith was impressed that Hjelle was more than just a power pitcher.

“He’s really, really good,” Smith said. “The thing I was really impressed with was his ‘pitchability’. You figure a big kid like that, he may just be a fastball-oriented guy that occasionally might lose it because he’s a bigger, lankier dude. But he did a really good job. His ability to keep the ball down, change speeds and get double plays when he needed it clearly shows why he’s one of the best pitchers in the Southeastern Conference.”

Kentucky will now face the winner of the Indiana-N.C. State game that will be played on Friday night. And the Wildcats hope another pitcher can step up on Saturday the way Hjelle did in Friday’s win.