Kentucky Finishes Perfect Week After Sweeping Canisius

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Backed by strong pitching and a balanced offensive attack, Kentucky claimed both games of a doubleheader on Saturday, sweeping a three-game series with Canisius in the process to complete its first week in Kentucky Proud Park a perfect 5-0.
 
Freshmen left-handed pitchers Dillon Marsh (game one) and Cole Daniels (game two) each picked up a win and sophomore Carson Coleman locked down his first career save in the second game as the Cats (8-3) staff started to round into form. Daniels pitched in both games of the doubleheader, recording six outs against just five batters faced, including striking out the side in the nightcap after coming on with two runners on and nobody out.
 
Offensively, the Cats piled up 12 runs in the early game, scoring in seven of eight turns at bat. Junior infielder Zeke Lewis had a career effort with a pair of hits and four RBI, while junior first baseman Dalton Reed and senior outfielder Ryan Shinn each homered as part of multi-hit games. In the later affair, junior infielder/outfielder Breydon Daniel hit a two-run home run over the UK bullpen in left field and junior outfielder Jaren Shelby hit a game-winning two-run single for the Cats’ fifth come-from-behind victory this season.
 
 
SCORING – GAME 1
Bottom 1st – Breydon Daniel singled to LF, stole second, moved to third on Ryan Shinn’s groundout and scored on T.J. Collett’s SAC fly to CF. UK 1, Canisius 0.
 
Bottom 2^nd – Coltyn Kessler, Rook Ellington and Alex Rodriguez singled to load the bases. Zeke Lewis hit a SAC fly to CF, scoring Kessler. UK 2, Canisius 0.
 
Bottom 3^rd – Shinn homered to RF. UK 3, Canisius 0.
 
Bottom 4^th – Rodriguez walked and advanced to second on Lewis’ foul pop out to the catcher. Daniel was hit by a pitch. Rodriguez and Daniel pulled off double steal, with Rodriguez scoring and Daniel advancing to third on a fielding error by the 3B. Shinn walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Daniel stole home when the catcher attempted to pick off Shinn at 2B. UK 5, Canisius 0.
 
Bottom 5^th – Dalton Reed singled to CF and advanced to second on Kessler’s SAC bunt. Ellington and Rodriguez walked. Lewis singled up the middle, scoring Reed. Daniel reached on an infield single, scoring Ellington. UK 7, Canisius 0.
 
Top 6^th – Trevor Henneman walked and advanced to third on a double by Joseph Preziuso. Mike Steffan singled to LCF, scoring Henneman and advancing Preziuso to third. Morro grounded into a double play, Preziuso scored. UK 7, Canisius 2.
 
Bottom 6^th – Jaren Shelby walked. Reed homered to RF. UK 9, Canisius 2.
 
Top 8^th – Trevor Henneman reached on an error, advanced to second on Joseph Preziuso’s single and to third on a wild pitch. Mike Steffan hit a SAC fly to LF, scoring Henneman. UK 9, Canisius 3.
 
Bottom 8^th – Reed walked, Kessler singled and Elliott Curtis singled to load the bases. Lewis singled up the middle, scoring Reed and Kessler. Austin Schultz singled up the middle, scoring Curtis. UK 12, Canisius 3.
 
 
SCORING – GAME 2
Top 3rd – Dylan Vincent doubled down the LF line and scored on Conner Morro’s single to RF. Canisius 1, UK 0.
 
Bottom 3^rd – Austin Schultz walked and scored on Breydon Daniel’s home run. UK 2, Canisius 1.
 
Top 4^th – William Krull doubled to LCF, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jake Burlingame’s single to RF. Burlingame stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Vincent reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Burlingame. Canisius 3, UK 2.
 
Bottom 5^th – Daniel walked and advanced to third on T.J. Collett’s double to CF. Jaren Shelby singled up the middle, driving home Daniel and Collett. UK 4, Canisius 3.
 
 
NOTES

• Kentucky has scored in 75 consecutive games and 151 of the past 152 dating to the 2016 season. The lone shutout came in a seven-inning game. The current streak is the eighth-longest in school history and just one game shy of tying for the seventh-longest such streak.
• The Cats stole 11 bases in the series, including six on Saturday.
• With the sweep the Cats are now 35-4 at home in non-conference games under coach Nick Mingione.
• Five Cats had multi-hit games in the doubleheader: T.J. Collett, Breydon Daniel, Coltyn Kessler, Zeke Lewis and Dalton Reed.

• Junior infielder Zeke Lewis had a career-high four RBI in the opening game.

  • It was Lewis’ first multi-RBI game.

• Freshman LHP Cole Daniels earned his first career victory in the second game.

  • Daniels struck out all three batters he faced to earn the win.
  • Daniels pitched in both games of the doubleheader, recording six outs on just five batters faced by inducing a double play ball.

• Sophomore RHP Carson Coleman picked up his first career save in the night cap.

 
 
ON DECK
The Cats will play midweek games against Wright State (Tuesday) and Boston College (Wednesday) before hosting Middle Tennessee in a three-game series next weekend.