Ethan Hindle, Cole Hentschel Lead The Way in Walk-Off Victory

Kentucky’s last two victories have had a heavy helping of Hindle.

On Saturday, his ninth inning home run sent the game to extra innings as the Wildcats defeated No. 2 Texas. On Tuesday night, he delivered the game-winning RBI on a two-out bunt single to give the Cats a 4-3 victory over pesky Miami (Ohio) at Kentucky Proud Park.

Hindle’s gutsy bunt wasn’t perfect but it was executed well enough in yet another tight game. Kyuss Gargett began the winning rally with a line single to left and raced to third when Cole Hage lofted a hit-and-run single over shortstop. After a strikeout, Hindle came to the plate with two outs and was asked to bunt. His attempt momentarily hung in the air but the third baseman could not make a diving catch and Gargett raced home as the winning run.

It was a strong night for Hindle. The sophomore drew two hit by pitch, stole two bases and scored a run as well. With 19 HBP, he now is eight away from UK’s single season record of 27. He also leads the team at 11-of-11 on stolen bases.

Lefty Cole Hentschel earned the win with two unblemished innings. He had four of the UK staff’s 15 strikeouts in the game.

 

NOTES

• Kentucky is 20-14 (6-9 SEC) on the season.
• UK drew three HBP in the game and now have 101 on the season.
  • UK entered the game ranked second nationally.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 283-178 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 14-5 this season and 165-49 in total against non-conference opponents in Mingione’s tenure.
  • UK is 61-64 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione now is 7-0 vs. Miami.
• INF Ethan Hindle was hit by a pitch for a team-leading 18^th and 19^th times this season.
  • He entered the game ranked No. 14 nationally.
  • He has been hit five times in the past four games.
  • This is the fifth time he has been hit multiple times in a game this season.
  • He currently is fifth on the UK single-season chart.
  • Hindle also stole a pair of bases and is tied for the team lead (11-of-11).
  • He finished 1-for-2, R, RBI, 2 HBP, 2 SB.
  • He had the game-winning RBI bunt single.
• INF Dylan Koontz went 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and two doubles.
• INF Kyuss Gargett went 2-for-4 with a run.
  • He started the winning rally with a single and scored the winning run.
• LHP Ethan Walker made his second-straight midweek start.
• Final line: 4.0 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
• The five strikeouts are a season high.
• LHP Cole Hentschel threw 2.0 hitless innings.
  • He struck out four.
• RHP Nile Adcock pitched 1.2 hitless innings and struck out four.
• The four strikeouts are a season high.

ON DECK

The Cats travel to No. 2 Tennessee this weekend. Friday’s opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. It will air on the SEC Network+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.