Kentucky Baseball Outlasts No. 2 Louisville Cardinals: Highlights and Recap

No. 10 Kentucky (26-12, 10-5) dominated the early innings, almost blew a lead in the middle, and cruised in the final frames to beat rival no. 2 Lousiville 11-7 for the first time in six tries tonight at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

The Wildcats wasted no time in using Louisville starter Shane Hummel as artillery practice in the bottom of the 1st inning. Tristan Pompey's double and Evan White's walk put two runners aboard with one out and Luke Becker at the plate. Becker smacked a single and brought a run home.

Riley Mahan doubled Kentucky's lead with another RBI single. Troy Squires made it three RBI singles for the home team a batter later. Tyler Marshall and Marcus Carson each brought in runs as well to send Hummel to the showers early and give Kentucky an early 5-0 lead.

The onslaught resumed in the bottom of the 3rd inning after a throwing error by the Cards gave Squires and Marshall the clear to charge across the plate. With Marcus already on base, Connor Heady launched his sixth home run of the season over the left field fence to add two more to Kentucky's tally to increase their lead to 9-0.

Marshall's second RBI of the game and a run off a wild pitch increased Kentucky's lead to 11-0 in the 4th inning.

In his ninth start of the season, freshman lefty Zack Thompson (4-2) kept the high-powered Louisville offense in check during his first four innings of work. Thompson's night trended southward when he beaned two Cardinal batters. With two outs, U of L's Logan Taylor put the Cards on the board with a two-run RBI double.

After twin walks to open the top of the 6th, Thompson got the hook. In five complete innings Thompson allowed four earned runs, gave up three hits, walked four, and fanned seven batsmen.

Nicholasville native Colton Cleary did not last long in his relief appearance. The senior gave up a three-run bomb to Drew Ellis and a double.

Freshman Chris Machamer did an admirable job closing out the inning, but an unearned run and one courtesy of a throwing error brought the visitors from the River City to within four, 11-7 after six.

Machamer gave Kentucky two full innings and only surrendered a single run and hit.

As the Cardinals surged, Kentucky's bats cooled off during the middle innings thanks to the relief pitching of Riley Thompson, who tossed a career-best two complete shutout innings. Thompson also struck out four Wildcats.

However, Zach Pop and Logan Salow combined to shut down the Cards in the final two innings to preserve the victory for the Cats.

Eight Wildcats combined to produce 14 hits and five (Becker, Mahan, Marshall, Squires, and Reks) had multi-hit games. Marshall finished 3-of-4 with two RBI. Squires finished 2-of-3 and scored three runs.

Kentucky begins a weekend series against SEC power LSU this Friday evening at the Cliff.