Trey Dawson Homers as Cats Conclude Winning Road Trip

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trey Dawson blasted his second home run of the season but a series of two-out hits doomed No. 6 Kentucky in an 8-2 loss to Louisville on a clear and cool night at Jim Patterson Stadium.
 
Despite the defeat, the Wildcats finished 3-2 on a difficult road trip through three different states and now return home for seven straight games, including the next three against No. 1 Florida.
 
The Cats got off to a good start on Dawson’s home run, a screaming shot over the left-centerfield fence that produced a 1-0 lead. The home run extended his reached base streak to eight games and comes on the heels of his two-out, two-run, game-winning double against Georgia last Friday.
 
It was an inability to close out innings that hurt the Cats on this night. Five of Louisville’s eight runs were scored with two outs and more than half the Cardinals’ hits came with two strikes. The Cats scored a pair of runs in the fourth and added four in the fifth, partly on the strength of three walks issues by the Cats that inning.
 
UK freshman starter Daniel Harper cruised through the first three innings, not allowing a hit and striking out three hitters looking. Despite giving up a leadoff double in the fourth he was poised to escape the inning without further damage but allowed back-to-back two-out, two-strike opposite field hits before exiting.
 
The Cats return to Cliff Hagan Stadium on Thursday night against #1 Florida for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch. The game will air on 630 AM WLAP for radio and the SEC Network.
 
 
 
SCORING
Top 3rd – Trey Dawson homered to LCF. UK 1, UL 0.
 
Bottom 4th – Tyler Fitzgerald doubled to LF and advanced to third on Jake Snider’s fly out. Devin Mann reached on a fielder’s choice with Fitzgerald thrown out at home. Logan Wyatt walked. Josh Stowers singled to RCF, scoring Mann from second. Danny Oriente singled to RCF, scoring Wyatt from second. UL 2, UK 1.
 
Bottom 5th – Zeke Pinkham walked, Snider singled and Mann walked. Wyatt walked, scoring Pinkham. Stowers reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Snider. Stowers reached second after being picked off, Mann scored. Oriente doubled to LCF, scoring Stowers. UL 6, UK 1.
 
Bottom 6th –Snider homered to right field, scoring Fitzgerald scored. UL 8, UK 1.
 
Top 8th – Troy Squires walked and advanced to third on a throwing error. Luke Becker grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Squires. UL 8, UK 2.
 
 
 
NOTES

• Several Cats extended impressive reached base safely streaks…
  • Senior INF Luke Becker has reached in 36 of 37 games.
  • Senior C/1B Troy Squires has reached in 35 of 37 games this season.
  • Junior OF Ben Aklinski has reached in 31 of the last 32 games, including 14 straight.

• Senior C/1B Troy Squires was hit by a pitch for the 12^th time this season.

• Junior INF Trey Dawson went 1-for-2 with a solo home run.

  • It was Dawson’s second home run of his career.
  • Dawson now has reached base in eight straight games.

 
 
ON DECK
The Cats return to Cliff Hagan Stadium on Thursday night against No. 1 Florida for a 7 p.m. ET first pitch. The game will air on 630 AM WLAP for radio and the SEC Network.