Elliott Curtis Drills First Career Home Run, Cats Drop Series

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Elliott Curtis clubbed his first career home run and Austin Schultz reached base three times in his first game as the leadoff hitter but Kentucky couldn’t overcome No. 13 Texas A&M, falling 9-3 on Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Proud Park.
 
With the win the Aggies (20-5, 4-1 SEC) claimed the series. The final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon and will air on the SEC Network Plus.
 
Texas A&M scored single runs in each of the first two innings, added two in the fourth and used a Mikey Hoehner home run to extend the lead to 7-1 in the fifth. The Wildcats (14-9, 0-5) battled back with two runs in the seventh on Curtis’ shot just inside the right field pole, Schultz’s double and scamper home on a throwing error a batter later.
 
UK coach Nick Mingione shook up the lineup looking for an offensive spark and moved Schultz into the top spot. The freshman infielder drew a pair of walks, doubled into the right field corner, stole a base and scored a pair of runs. But the rest of the lineup sputtered, striking out 17 times, including 13 punchouts by A&M start Asa Lacy in six innings of work.
 
Texas A&M shortstop Braden Shewmake continued his hot series, knocking in four runs, including his second home run in as many days. Infielder Bryce Blaum went 4-for-4 with three runs and reached base in all five of his plate appearances.
 
 
SCORING
Top 1^st – Bryce Blaum tripled to LCF and scored on Braden Shewmake’s single through the left side.  Texas A&M 1, UK 0.
 
Bottom 1^st – Austin Schultz walked and stole second. Jaren Shelby singled up the middle, Schultz scored. UK 1, Texas A&M 1.
 
Top 2^nd – Logan Foster reached on a two-out error, advanced to second on Aaron Walters’ single and scored on a single by Blaum. Texas A&M 2, UK 1.
 
Top 4^th – Blaum singled and scored on Shewmake’s home run to RCF. Texas A&M 4, UK 1.
 
Top 5^th – Ty Coleman singled and moved to third on a two-base fielding error. Will Frizzell doubled to CF, scoring Coleman. Mikey Hoehner homered to LF, scoring Frizzell. Texas A&M 7, UK 1.
 
Top 7^th – Frizzell homered to RF. Texas A&M 8, UK 1.
 
Bottom 7^th – Elliott Curtis homered to RF. Austin Schultz doubled to RF and scored on a fielding error. Texas A&M 8, UK 3.
 
Top 8^th – Blaum was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Cam Blake’s double to LCF. Shewmake grounded out to second, scoring Blaum and moving Blake to third. Texas A&M 9, UK 3.
 
 
NOTES

• Kentucky has scored in 87 consecutive games and 163 of the past 164 dating to the 2016 season. The lone shutout came in a seven-inning game. The current streak now is the the fifth-longest in school history.
• UK now is 11-3 at Kentucky Proud Park.

• Junior IF Elliott Curtis hit his first career home run.

• Junior 1B/DH T.J. Collett has reached base in 13 straight games and recorded a hit in nine straight.
• Freshman IF Austin Schultz extended his reached base safely streak to 13 games.

 
 
ON DECK
The final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon and will air on the SEC Network Plus. Audio coverage can be found via UKathletics.com.