Freshmen Pitchers Come Through for Wildcats on Saturday

On Saturday, the Kentucky baseball coaching staff knew that it would need important innings from its bullpen. With starting pitcher Zack Thompson limited due to a pitch count, head coach Nick Mingione and pitching coach Jimmy Belanger would need big innings from their relief corps.

What the Wildcats could not have imagined is that those innings would all come from freshmen. But that is exactly what happened, as freshmen Mason Hazelwood and Jimmy Ramsey blanked Mississippi State for five innings, and the Wildcats rallied to beat the Bulldogs 4-1 at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Thompson went four innings, allowing a run in the first before settling in, retiring the last nine batters he faced. The sophomore threw 76 pitches over the course of four innings, allowing two hits while walking three and striking out three.

The fifth inning saw Hazelwood take the mound, and take control. The left-hander from Mercer County (Ky.) High School retired the first eight Bulldogs he faced before a throwing error allowed Dustin Skelton to reach first. Jordan Westburg followed with a double, but Hazelwood got MSU leadoff hitter Jake Mangum, who leads the SEC in hits, to fly out to Ben Aklinski in center field to end the threat.

After setting the Bulldogs down in order in the sixth and seventh innings, Hazelwood walked Rowdey Jordan to start the eighth inning before setting down Tanner Allen on a sacrifice bunt. Hazelwood went three and a third innings in total, allowing only one hit while walking one and striking out three.

Hazelwood enjoyed the big moment in Saturday’s win.

“For a while, I was going through the motions, just trying to aim it out on the mound,” Hazelwood said. “(Coach Belanger) told me to just let it fly and after that, it’s just become fun.”

Mingione knew how important Hazelwood’s innings were to the team.

“That was crucial,” Mingione said. “He went three and a third innings and just kept moving the game along. He had a good look on his face and he kept competing.”

Ramsey entered with one out in the eighth inning and, after walking Luke Alexander, the right-hander induced fly ball outs from Hunter Stovall and Justin Foscue to end the inning.

In the ninth, Ramsey walked the leadoff hitter before getting three straight fly balls to Tristan Pompey in left field to end the game and clinch the series for the Wildcats. Ramsey pitched the final inning and two-thirds to pick up his first career win.

Mingione was impressed with Ramsey’s toughness on Saturday.

“I want to compliment Jimmy Ramsey,” Mingione said. “That’s pressure in a big moment. He was fighting himself there for a second, but that guy kept competing. And when it mattered the most, he’s ramming the ball in the strike zone.”

Catcher Kole Cottam was also impressed with his freshmen pitchers.

“They did a phenomenal job,” Cottam said. “Mason Hazelwood, excellent today, best I’ve ever seen him, I’m really proud of him. And Jimmy coming in and battling, phenomenal day for our pitching staff. They’ve learned and grown so much since the beginning of the year.”

On a day when the Wildcats needed them the most, Hazelwood and Ramsey came up huge in a Saturday SEC win.