BAT CATS STAY ALIVE! UK defeats USC Upstate 7-3

CLEMSON, SC — It was do or die for Kentucky baseball Saturday afternoon as the Bat Cats stay alive in the Clemson Regional, defeating USC Upstate 7-3.

And they did it without freshman standout Tyler Bell, who fouled a ball off his leg during his first at bat Friday against West Virginia.

Carson Hansen got the bats rolling early in the bottom of the first with a three-run big blue bomb.

Just like Friday, Kentucky led 3-0 to start but a rally from the Mountaineers tied it up 3-3.

That was the same case against USC Upstate, scoring three runs in the fourth inning to tie up 3-3.

Patrick Herrera gave the Cats the lead back off a perfectly placed bunt with runners on the corners.

Nic McCay started on the mound for the Cats, pitched four innings, allowing three hits, three runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

Ethan Walker replaced McCay in the fifth, and the junior was dealing. Walker finished out the game, pitched five innings with one hit, no runs or walks and seven strikeouts.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Hudson Brown gave the Cats some extra cushion heading into the ninth on a two-run RBI single to put UK up 7-3.

West Virginia beat Clemson 9-6 so Kentucky will play the Tigers Sunday at noon.

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