Observations (3/24): Kentucky run rules Murray State
Kentucky handled Murray State in a midweek tilt at Kentucky Proud Park on Tuesday night.
After dropping a road series to Ole Miss, No. 19 Kentucky took care of Murray State 14-4 in seven innings. The win moves the Wildcats to 20-4 on the year.
Below are some things that stuck out from the win.
Hudson Brown stays hot
One of the biggest stories at the plate this season has been the jump of sophomore Hudson Brown. The first baseman finished out his freshman campaign on a heater and he's turned that into being a constant force in the lineup. Brown has easily been the best hitter for Kentucky this season, but has really turned it up over the past five games.
The sophomore homered in the final two games of the SEC opening series against Alabama before heading to Oxford for a homecoming against the Rebels. The Olive Branch, Mississippi native got to play in front of his family and gave them quite a show over the three-game set.
“It's a lot of emotions, for sure, going into it,” Brown said. “I had to try and put that out of my mind and just focus on the game, and my guys helped me out with that a lot.”
Kentucky had no answer for Hunter Elliott in game one of the series outside of Brown, who went 2-2 with two walks. He followed that up with a 1-3 effort in game two that included a walk and an RBI. He closed out the homecoming with a 2-5 and two RBI effort in game three.
The hot bat followed him back to KPP as he roped a bases-loaded single to right that scored two and gave Kentucky a 2-1 lead. Brown was in the same bases-loaded spot in the second and delivered the same result with a single to center that scored two more.
Brown drew walks in the fourth and sixth to finish out his night at the plate. Overall, he finished 2-2 with four RBIs and two walks. Brown leads the team in batting average (.390) and is second in RBIs (22).
“I'm just trying to keep it simple. I don’t want to get too big, just trying to put barrel on ball and its out of my hands from there,” Brown said. “Keep a simple approach and hit it where it's pitched.”
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Bat Cats roll at the plate
The offense found itself down a run in the first inning, but got a huge opportunity in its first at-bat. Center fielder Jayce Tharnish, shortstop Luke Lawrence, and DH Tyler Bell walked to load the bases. After Brown singled to score two, second baseman Ethan Hindle laid down a sacrifice bunt to cap off the three-run rally in the first.
Kentucky kept rolling in the second as the bases were loaded again with one out after catcher Tagger Tyson was hit by a pitch, Tharnish walked and Lawrence singled. Bell did not get a pitch to hit and was walked to bring a run before Brown's second two-RBI single. Hindle finished off the rally again with a double that brought home the fourth run of the frame.
Tyson drew a walk in the third, but Kentucky was kept off the board. Kentucky got some help in the fourth with two on as left fielder Carson Hansen hit a grounder to second and the Murray State second baseman botched the throw, which allowed Brown to score.
The bats went three-up, three-down in the fifth before putting together another rally in the sixth. Discipline was on display in the inning as Bell, Brown and Hindle walked with one out to load the bases. Hansen was hit by a pitch and third baseman Tyler Cerny was walked. Right fielder Ryan Schwartz was hit by a pitch and Tyson hit a sacrifice fly to score two more runs. Tharnish blew the game open with a two-run triple.
Kentucky finished with 14 runs on five hits, 11 walks and four hits by pitches.
“As you know, strike zone discipline is one of the biggest keys,” UK coach Nick Mingione said. “We put an emphasis on our two-strike approach yesterday in practice, and I thought that paid off.”
Bullpen game gets it done on the mound
The Wildcats emptied out of the bullpen against the Racers as nine different arms pitched in the game, which was planned by the coaching staff. Freshman lefty Will Coleman made his second start of the season and immediately had some command issues as he hit and walked the first two batters of the game. He struck out a batter before a single opened the scoring and ended Coleman’s evening.
Junior righty Ryan Mullan was first in relief and he got the lone out needed to end the first and was lifted in the second for junior righty Chase Alderman. The right-hander gave up a single, but kept the Racers off the board for a scoreless frame. It was Alderman's first appearance since March 4 against EKU. The gate swung open again in the third and sophomore lefty Leighton Harris emerged.
The left-hander had some control issues as he hit the first batter before walking the next one. He settled back down with an out, but a fielder’s choice brought home a run. He limited the damage to the lone run in his one inning of work. Sophomore righty Tristan Hunter had the best inning of the night as he struck out the side in his one inning on the hill.
Senior left-hander Jackson Soucie followed Hunter in the fifth with another three-up, three-down inning in which he struck out two. Redshirt sophomore Tommy Skelding was next on the bullpen carousel and he did not keep the strong innings rolling as he walked the first batter, followed by a double to score a run. An error kept the tough luck going and a single brought home another run, which ended Skelding’s night.
Sophomore righty Burkley Bounds came on and got out of the jam to stunt the Racers' momentum after the two runs. Freshman righty Jack Sams came on in the seventh and walked the first two batters he faced. The righty struck out the next batter and Lawrence made a diving stop to get one out before Cerny made a stellar play to end the game.
The Wildcats will hit the road for a three-game set against LSU starting on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
