Resilient Kentucky Outlasts Texas A&M for 14-11 Victory

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Shaun Montoya squeezed the harmless high pop up to right field and the boys in blue could finally exhale. After four hours and 25 runs Kentucky had outlasted Texas A&M 14-11 on a warm, windy day at Blue Bell Park.

With the victory, UK improved to 16-9 overall and 3-5 in Southeastern Conference play and set up a Sunday rubber match.

It took only one inning to realize it was going to be a wild afternoon with the wind blowing straight out. UK fell behind 3-1, tied it at three, fell behind 4-3, took a 5-4 lead on a Devin Burkes home run and fell behind 6-5 again. All before the fifth inning.

The Cats then delivered a six-run sixth inning to go ahead 11-6 before A&M closed the gap again with a seventh inning grand slam. The Cats bounced right back in the eighth inning with homers from Tyler Bell and Ethan Hindle, providing just enough insurance. Still, Evan Byers had to strand the bases loaded in the eighth and James McCoy in the ninth with the winning run at the plate.

 

NOTES

• Kentucky is 16-9 (3-5 SEC) on the season.
• UK was hit by six pitches.
  • UK has been hit by a pitch 53 times in the last 16 games.
  • The six HBP were drawn by six different players.
• UK has scored 16 total runs in the first inning of its eight conference games.
• UK hit five home runs in the game.
  • Cole Hage became the first Wildcat to homer in back-to-back games since he also completed the feat earlier this season.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 279-173 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 111-44 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione now is 6-9 vs. Texas A&M.
• Freshman IF Tyler Bell went 4-for-4 with a run, 4 RBI, double, home run and HBP.
  • He extended his reached base streak to all 25 career games.
  • He set a new career high in hits and tied his career high in RBI.
• Senior OF Cole Hage went 1-for-3 with three runs, 2 RBI, a home run and HBP.
  • He hit his eighth home run of the season and second in as many days.
• Senior C Devin Burkes went 2-for-5 with two runs, three RBI and a home run.
• Junior UTL/RHP James McCoy closed out the final out for the save.
  • It was his second career save, both coming against SEC foes.
  • He stranded the bases loaded with the tying run at first base.
  • He has allowed only one run in 13 career appearances.

 

ON DECK

Game three of the series is Sunday at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. It will be on the SEC Network+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.