Walks Haunt Kentucky in Season-Opener

FORT WORTH, Texas – Kentucky extended its scoring streak to 120 consecutive games but was undone by eight walks on the mound, falling 5-1 to TCU in the season opener on a cold night at Lupton Stadium.
 
The Horned Frogs made three first inning runs hold up, thwarting several UK rallies before tacking on a pair of late insurance runs. Four of the five runs reached base via walk before coming around to score.
 
Despite the free passes, the Cats competed on the mound, striking out nine and finding ways to limit the damage after the opening frame. Starter Jimmy Ramsey allowed just one unearned run and four hits in 4.0 innings of work, while sophomore right-hander Alex Degen was explosive out of the bullpen in striking out four of the five batters he faced.
 
The Cats got on the scoreboard in the fifth when sophomore infielder Austin Schultz tripled to the wall in right field and came home on sophomore outfielder Cam Hill’s line single to right. Schultz now has reached base in 41 of the past 43 games.
 
 
SCORING
Bottom 1^st – Tommy Sacco walked, Austin Henry reached on an infield single and Gene Wood walked to load the bases. Hunter Wolfe reached on an error, Sacco and Henry scored, Wood to third. Conner Shepherd drove in Wood with a SAC fly. TCU 3, UK 0.
 
Top 5^th – Austin Schultz tripled to RF and scored on Cam Hill’s line single to RF. TCU 3, UK 1.
 
Bottom 7^th – Henry and Wolfe walked and scored on Shepherd’s triple into the RF corner. TCU 5, UK 1.
 
 
NOTES

• Kentucky has scored in 120 consecutive games and 196 of the past 197 dating to the 2016 season. The lone shutout came in a seven-inning game. The current streak is the second-longest in school history and fourth-longest active streak in the country.

• Sophomore INF Austin Schultz has reached base safely in 41 of the past 43 games and 14 consecutive contests.

  • He legged out the first triple of his career.

• Junior C/INF Coltyn Kessler has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games vs. non-conference opponents after drawing a walk in his first at-bat.

• Sophomore RHP Alex Degen struck out four of the five hitters he faced.

  • The strikeouts were a career-high, doubling his previous best of two.

 
 
ON DECK
The Cats return to the field on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET in game two of the series. The game will be live streamed for free on GoFrogs.com. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.