Bat Cats Drop A Close One to IU on the Road, 3-2

After extra inning heroics saved the Kentucky Wildcats (29-20) on Sunday, the team felt the sting of late inning defeat in a 3-2 heartbreak against the Indiana Hoosiers (29-19) yesterday evening in Bloomington.

Heading into the final frame, the game was tied at 2. IU’s Austin Cangelosi, ahead on a 2-0 count, doubled off of UK reliever Zach Strecker. The next hitter grounded out and then Streckner went to the bench in favor of Justin Lewis.

IU went to the bench as well and brought out Laren Eustace to pinch hit. Lewis fell behind in the count 1-0. His second pitch didn’t offer any redemption. Eustace smacked the game winning single into center field, handing the Wildcats their second consecutive out of conference loss.

The matchup between the border rivals was tense the entire way.

Kentucky opened up the scoring in the top of the 3rd inning. Hot hitting Zach Reks singled to center field and drove in Tristan Pompey to give UK a 1-0 advantage.

The Hoosiers answered in the bottom half of the inning on a Ryan Fineman RBI single.

Reks struck again in the top of the 6th with a leadoff solo home run over the centerfield fence. He finished the day 3-of-4 with 2 RBI. Riley Mahan and Dorian Hairston also finished the day with two hits apiece.

Cangelosi notched the score in the bottom of the 6th when he ran home on a fielder’s choice and thus setting the stage for the dramatic finish three innings later.

Zach Logue of UK put in five solid innings on the hill. He allowed one run on fours hits, but struck out four batters while only walking one.

Zach Pop and Logan Salow held down the middle innings and kept the Hoosiers’ bats silent until the 9th.

Kentucky had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 9th. With runners on the corners and with two outs gone, Troy Squires grounded out to second base.

The Bat Cats take the field again later this week in a three game road series at Ole Miss.