Bullpen Steps Up for UK Baseball in Saturday Win
Saturday could have been a very long day for the Kentucky baseball pitching staff. Facing one of the nation’s best offensive teams, third-ranked Texas Tech, the Wildcats were forced to go to the bullpen early after UK starter Zach Thompson ran into trouble.
The bullpen responded and Kentucky beat Tech 11-6 to win their second straight and claim the series victory. Kentucky used Aaron McGeorge, Mason Hazelwood, Alec Maley, Zach Haake and Chris Machamer in relief on Saturday. The quintet combined to pitch six innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, walking two and striking out three.
Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione was happy that his relievers were able to keep the Tech offense in check.
“I thought our bullpen, when you start thinking about the job we got from the freshman Mason Hazelwood, the senior Alec Maley, Zach Haake got two big outs, and then Chris Machamer again,” Mingione said. “They gave us a chance to win that baseball game.”
Hazelwood, the left-hander from Mercer County (Ky.) High School entered the game in a very tough spot. With one out, one run already in and runners on second and third, Hazelwood induced a Clay Koelzer popup to third base and a Grant Little lineout to center field to get out of the jam.
“We’ve always talked about how a relief pitcher is known for how he does when he comes into situations like with runners in scoring position,” Hazelwood said. “I feel like I did my job today and came in and shut things down.”
Hazelwood went 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and one earned run. He struck out two and walked just one against a very good offensive team.
Maley, who earned the first win of his career in the game, pitched 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and an earned run. After Tech had tied the game 5-5 in the sixth inning, Maley got one of the Red Raiders’ best hitters, Josh Jung, to ground out to shortstop to end the inning. In the bottom of the frame, the Cats blew the game open with five runs to take a 10-5 win and to eventually make a winner out of Maley.
Haake also inherited a tough situation in the eighth inning. With one out and two runners on, Haake walked the first batter he faced. But he got consecutive ground balls to get out of the inning with only one run scoring.
Machamer finished the game for Kentucky for the second consecutive day. The sophomore from North Canton, Ohio, allowed one hit and struck out one in his inning of work.
“We get spoiled because you think about all of our starters getting us into the sixth inning and on,” Mingione said. “There’s going to be times when that doesn’t happen. So for guys to be able to step in, the innings we got out of Hazelwood and Maley were just crucial. It allowed us to move the game along and keep it going. “
While it’s not something Mingione would prefer to have happen, the UK head man knows that these situations also provide opportunities for others.
“Every time a guy maybe doesn’t have the outing and someone else goes, I just look at it as an opportunity for somebody else. Every time someone gets another opportunity, our team gets deeper and deeper and your team can keep growing. To our guys’ credit, they responded.”
