Indiana Survives Dramatic Affair versus Kentucky

On the verge of advancing to the Lexington Regional final, Kentucky was stunned on a late home run, falling 5-3 at Kentucky Proud Park on Saturday night in front of the largest crowd in Kentucky baseball history.

The Wildcats (37-19) now will face West Virginia at noon ET on Sunday in an elimination game.

UK took a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning, sending the record crowd of 6,094 into a frenzy. With two outs in the bottom of the inning Indiana catcher Peter Serruto lined a 3-2 pitch just over the right field fence to give Indiana a 4-3 edge.

To that point, UK starting pitcher Zack Lee turned in a career effort. After allowing a leadoff home run on the first pitch he threw he blanked the Hoosiers for the next 6.2 innings until Serruto laid off a pair of close pitches and then connected for his third home run of the season.

NOTES

• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and now owns a 213-148 career record.
  • UK is 5-4 in the month of June under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 5-4 in the NCAA Tournament, 5-2 in the Regional round.
  • Mingione now is 5-2 vs. Indiana.
  • UK is 21-4 in non-conference games this season.
• UK is hosting its third-ever regional, all three of which Mingione has been on staff (2006, 2017, 2023).

ON DECK

Kentucky will face West Virginia noon ET on Sunday.