Bat Cats Start Cold and Stay Cold, Lose at Auburn 5-2

The Kentucky Wildcats (26-16, 10-9) ran into familiar foes in last night’s 5-2 road loss to Auburn (19-23, 6-13) a complete game by an opposing pitcher and cold bats away from the friendly confines of Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Auburn’s Cole Lipscomb went the distance and struck out three Kentucky batters along the way while allowing only five hits. He allowed a single earned run and did not walk a Kentucky batter all evening.

Kentucky’s Zack Brown pitched a rough six innings even. He surrendered 12 hits, five runs and walked a two batters opposed to three strikeouts.

The Tiger’s Anfernee Grier was Brown’s kryptonite. Grier started his assault with a single in the 1st inning and later in the inning gave Auburn a 1-0 lead when Nikko Buentello drove him home with an RBI double. Brown got Grier to ground out during his next at bat in the 2nd inning, but Grier got his revenge in the bottom of the 4th.

Back-to-back singles put two Tigers on first and second. Grier strode to the plate and sent the first pitch rocketing over the fence in left-center field to give Auburn a 4-1 lead. Later, in the bottom of the 6th, Grier drove in his fourth run of the game with another single.

Kentucky’s first run of the contest occurred when JaVon Shelby scored on a Tristan Pompey ground out in the top of the 2nd. Evan White put Kentucky on the board again in the top of the 5th when ran home on a wild pitch.

White was the only Cat, who had an answer for Lipscomb and collected a single and a triple to continue his recent hot hitting.

Zach Pop shined in two innings out of the bullpen. Pop only allowed one hit, gave up a walk and did not yield a single run.

Kentucky looks to even the series Saturday evening. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:30 P.M.