Young Kentucky Pitching Shuts Down Powerful Indiana Offense
The Kentucky baseball team knew it was facing a powerful opponent on Tuesday night. Indiana entered Tuesday’s contest leading the nation with 81 home runs this season. The Hoosiers .470 slugging percentage was 19th in the country, and Indiana was averaging 6.9 runs per contest.
But Tuesday night belonged to a group of Kentucky’s young pitchers as the Cats topped the 25th-ranked Hoosiers 5-2 at Kentucky Proud Park. Indiana did not hit a home run in the game after homering in 37 of 47 contests prior to Tuesday.
Kentucky starter Jimmy Ramsey set the tone early for the Cats. The sophomore retired the first seven batters he faced, and allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings. The righty struck out seven batters and did not allow a walk while picking up his third win of the season.
UK head coach Nick Mingione was proud of Ramsey’s effort, especially after the sophomore had a rough outing in his Friday start against Arkansas.
“I thought it started with Jimmy, I thought he attacked early,” Mingione said. “He got his first guy out, and I thought that helped him. He has struggled to get that first batter out. He had a really good look about him tonight.”
Ramsey was pleased with his bounce-back effort on Tuesday.
“Obviously, I didn’t have the start I wanted this past weekend,” Ramsey said. “(The coaches) said we’ll get you back out there, get back on your feet. Just to figure out what I need to fix and what I need to get better on, and it all worked out today.”
After Ramsey, sophomore Daniel Harper came in and retired six straight Indiana batters, including three strikeouts. Harper’s last-second adjustment helped him in Tuesday’s game.
“My slider was really on, which is hasn’t been lately,” Harper said. “I made an adjustment in the bullpen before coming in and it seemed to work.”
Mingione complimented Harper’s effort after the game.
“You look at the job Daniel Harper did, just two really clean innings,” Mingione said.
Perhaps the key moment in the game came in the seventh inning. With UK leading 4-1, IU’s Jake Skrine laced a pinch-hit double to left field that cut the lead to 4-2 and gave the Hoosiers runners on second and third with just one out. Kentucky went to its bullpen, summoning freshman Cole Ayers, who promptly struck out Justin Walker and Ryan Fineman to get the Cats out of the inning.
“I thought Cole Ayers got us two really big outs,” Mingione said. “They are a swing from tying the game and he gets two outs.”
Sophomore Trip Lockhart pitched the final two innings, keeping the Hoosiers off the board and, in the process, earning his first career save. Lockhart allowed just one hit and walked one while striking out three.
Indiana’s ability to hit the long ball has carried the Hoosiers to a 31-17 record this season. But on Tuesday night, it was Kentucky’s young pitching that won the battle against the heavy-hitting Hoosiers.
