The Kentucky Baseball team failed to close out the series today against Arkansas. The Cats struggled on offense until late in the game, as Arkansas jumped out early and cruised to a 7-3 victory. Arkansas used early offense and great pitching to pave the path to victory. The Bat Cats have now dropped four out of their last five SEC games.
Underway here at Baum @UKBaseball & @RazorbackBSB pic.twitter.com/mx7Tb89B8B
— Dr. Rhett Hutchins (@DrHutch81) April 12, 2015
The Kentucky offense started off super slow today. The Cats allowed Keaton McKinney to shut them down for the first third of the game. McKinney worked two 1-2-3 innings through the first three inning. The Cats did not record their first hit until the top of the fourth, but McKinney didn’t allow the hit to affect him, as he kept rolling through the lineup.
T4 | Kentucky gets its first hit of the day, but McKinney cruises through another frame. Hogs coming back up with a 4-0 lead. #BeatKentucky
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 12, 2015
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Unlike the Cats, the Razorbacks started the game off red hot. The Hogs put up a run in the first off a Benintendi RBI single. Benintendi has been a Cat killer this weekend, hitting two home runs in the first game and he recorded an RBI single in today’s first inning. The Hogs started to pour in the runs during the third. An RBI single for Rick Nomura played Tyler Spoon to give the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead. After the single, Michael Bernal plated two more with his RBI double. Arkansas led Kentucky 4-0 at this point.
The Cats and Hogs had a pitchers duel on hand from the fourth inning to the middle of the eighth. McKinney had thrown 8.0 scoreless innings, retiring 11 straight and striking out five headed into the ninth. McKinney was dealing and knew a complete game was in sight. Before reaching the top half of the ninth, Arkansas added a couple more insurance runs for McKinney. Tyler spoon lead off the scoring outburst with a solo homer to make it 5-0. Nomura also added another RBI to his stat sheet today, scoring McAfee on a single. Headed into the top of the ninth, Arkansas lead 7-0.
HOME RUN TYLER SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!! Arkansas leads 5-0 in the bottom of the 8th! #WPS #BeatKentucky
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) April 12, 2015
McKinney closed in on a complete game shutout until Connor Heady had a Sac Fly to give the Cats their first run of the game. JaVon Shelby also added a two run home run in the top of the ninth with two outs. That’s Shelby’s fourth homer of the year and second in as many games. Kentucky falls to 19-15 and 5-9 in SEC play.
The Cats return to action Tuesday April 14th, at 6:30 PM. This will be a home game for the Cats so make sure to come pack the Cliff and cheer on your Kentucky Wildcats.
Arkansas (20-16, 7-8) 7, #UKbaseball (19-15, 5-9) 3-FINAL. Loss: Cody (2-4). Shelby (2-3, HR, BB). Bernal (1-3). pic.twitter.com/N1Ss3ARyOQ
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 12, 2015
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