LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky baseball kept its season alive thanks to timely hitting and a strong performance on the mound from Austin Strickland with a 10-0 win over West Virginia.
The Wildcats offense scored in all but two innings. Strickland was making just his second start of the season and he was fantastic. The junior right hander went six innings giving up just four hits, no runs, a walk and he struck out six batters.
Kentucky jumped on top of the Mountaineers in the bottom of the first. After Jackson Gray was hit by a pitch in the leadoff spot, Jase Felker doubled down the left field line to score Gray. Two batters later, Emilien Pitre grounded out but it still allowed Felker to score to give the Wildcats a 2-0 advantage after one inning.
UK added another run in the 2nd when Nathan McCarthy doubled down the left field line to score Reuben Church. 3-0 Kentucky after two.
It stayed that way until the 4th inning, when Kentucky's McCarthy drove one over the right center field wall for a two run shot. That was just his 2nd of the season. Kentucky would take a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Kentucky is known for its small ball play and got back to it in the 5th inning manufacturing another run. Felker reached on a bad throw to first and Devin Burkes was hit by a pitch. After Pitre flied out, Hunter Gilliam singled up the middle to score Felker and the Wildcats were in front 6-0 after five innings. And, in the 7th inning Burkes would walk, be sacrificed to second and score on a hit by Reuben Church.
The final runs came when the Cats loaded the bases in the 8th inning and Burkes doubled down the left field line to bring them all home.
Kentucky improves to 38-18 on the season and advances to the Region final to face Indiana on Sunday at 6:00 pm. Kentucky must win to force a final game on Monday. A loss and the season is over to UK.
