Kentucky Wildcats Baseball: Wildcats Fall To In-State Foe

The Kentucky Wildcat (41-12) baseball team traveled to Paducah, Kentucky today to play in-state foe, Murray State (23-30). Held on a neutral site, Brooks Memorial Stadium, the Bat Cats fell to the Murray State Thoroughbreds 7-3. In a late inning push, the Thoroughbreds prevailed over the Wildcats 7-3.

Murray State struck early as they took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning off a bases loaded single     and a bases loaded walk given up by starting pitcher Chandler Shepherd. The early momentum for the  Thoroughbreds came to a halt after a two-run homerun from Wildcat catcher, Luke Maile, to tie the game up in the top of the fourth inning and scoring another run in the top of the fifth to give the ‘Cats the lead.

There was not a lot of offensive production after the fifth, as the Bat Cats were not able to push across a run for the rest of the game. After an error from starting left fielder, Zac Zellers, the ‘Breds were able to score a runner from second to tie the game up once again in the bottom of the fifth.

Senior pitcher, Alex Phillips, took the mound for the Wildcats in the eighth inning with two out and a runner on first base. Phillips walked two batters to load the bases and gave up a three-run double, giving Murray State a 7-3 lead. The Wildcats were not able to score in the top of the ninth, resulting in just their third non-conference loss of the season.

Kentucky will travel to Mississippi State to play the Bulldogs at Dudy Noble Field on Thursday, kicking off the final series of the regular season. They’ll have the chance to finish the season with forty-four wins, if they can sweep their SEC rival.