Troy Squires’ Career Day Gives No. 6 Kentucky Series Win

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Troy Squires turned in a career day, including a three-run home run that proved critical, as No. 6 Kentucky claimed the heavyweight weekend series with an 11-6 win over No. 3 Texas Tech at Cliff Hagan Stadium. UK will go for a three-game sweep on Sunday.
 
For the second time in as many days the Wildcats erased an early deficit with a relentless offensive approach that resulted in a five-run sixth inning to break a tie game open. The inning featured three consecutive bunt hits that scored runs, a testament to the Cats’ ability to play long ball or small ball when called upon.
 
Squires led off the game with a line drive single, singled again in the second, drilled a no-doubt three-run home run in the fourth and bunted for a hit and RBI in the sixth. He matched his career high in both hits (four) and RBI (four), each set earlier this season. He has now reached base in all 16 games this season.
 
The senior led a charge that saw seven players record a hit and all nine starters reach base safely. The Cats also stole four bases, had two sacrifice flies, a hit batter and drew six walks. They have now scored 21 runs in two games against a pitching staff that entered the weekend with a team earned run average under 2.00.
 
Additionally, the Cats’ bullpen was tremendous over the final six innings. Freshman lefty Mason Hazelwood came on in  the fourth and extricated the Cats out of a jam on his way to 2.1 impressive innings, while hard-throwing righties Zach Haake and Chris Machamer took care of the final 1.2 innings to give senior righty Alec Maley the win.
 
The two teams will return to the field Sunday at 1 p.m. to close out the measuring stick series with the game set to be streamed on SECN+.
 
 
 
SCORING
Bottom 2^nd – T.J. Collett reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on Luke Heyer’s walk. Ryan Johnson lined a single to CF, scoring Collett. UK 1, Texas Tech 0.
 
Top 3^rd – Zayne Willems and Gabe Holt walked and Cody Masters was hit by pitch to load the bases. Josh Jung singled to LF, scoring Willems and Holt and moving Masters to third. Clay Koelzer grounded out to third, scoring Masters. Texas Tech 3, UK 1.
 
Bottom 3^rd – Ben Aklinski doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Luke Becker’s SAC fly to CF. Texas Tech 3, UK 2.
 
Top 4^th – Willems singled to LF. Holt singled to RF, advancing Willems to third. Jung doubled to RF, scoring Willems and advancing Holt to third. Texas Tech 4, UK 2.
 
Bottom 4^th – Collett singled up the middle. Trey Dawson singled to LF. Troy Squires homered the RF. UK 5, Texas Tech 4.
 
Top 6^th – Willems homered to RCF. Texas Tech 5, UK 5.
 
Bottom 6^th – Heyer walked. Johnson doubled to RCF, moving Heyer to 3B. Dawson’s squeeze bunt scored Heyer with Dawson reaching first on the fielder’s choice. Squires bunted for a hit, scoring Johnson. Aklinski bunted for a hit, scoring Dawson. Pompey walked to load the bases. Becker singled to LCF, scoring Squires. Aklinski scored on Kole Cottam’s SAC fly to CF. UK 10, Texas Tech 5.
 
Top 8^th – Connor Beck and Braxton Fulford singled. Holt walked to load the bases. Masters grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Beck. UK 10, Texas Tech 6.
 
Bottom 8^th – Aklinski walked and scored on Pompey’s double to RF. UK 11, Texas Tech 6.
 
 
 
NOTES

• Kentucky is now 4-0 against ranked opponents this season.
  • The Cats have 21 wins vs. ranked teams the past two seasons.
  • The Cats have six wins vs. Top 10 teams during that span.
• The Cats drew six walks, stole four bases and hit two SAC flies in the game.
• The offense has …
  • Hit a home run in all 16 games this season.
  • Scored 120 runs in the past 11 games.
  • Recorded 82 extra base hits this season.
  • Scored 74 runs on 80 hits in the past seven games.

• Senior C/1B Troy Squires went 4-for-5 with two runs, four RBI and a home run.

  • Squires has reached base safely in all 16 games this season.
  • The four hits and four RBI each tied his career high.
  • The home run was his second of the season and third of his career.

• Senior INF Luke Becker went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a HBP and SAC fly.

  • He has reached base safely streak to all 16 games this season.

• Junior OF Tristan Pompey went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a double and two steals

  • Pompey has now reached base in 47 of the past 48 games.

• Junior OF Ben Aklinski went 2-for-4 with three runs, an RBI, a double and a walk.

  • The three runs tied his career high.
  • He has reached base in 11 straight games.

 
ON DECK
The final game of the series is Sunday with first pitch set for 4 p.m. and it will be aired on SECN+ and 98.5 FM Lexington.