Jase Felker Laces Walk-Off Single, Kentucky Sweeps Indiana State With 7-6 Win

For the first time this season, Kentucky has swept a weekend series.

It didn't come easy, but a Jase Felker single in the bottom of the ninth propelled the Bat Cats to a 7-6 comeback victory on Sunday afternoon at Kentucky Proud Park, stifling the Indiana State Sycamores.

The win follows a doubleheader sweep that featured another pair of close wins on Saturday. The Cats are now 7-1 amidst their 10-game home stand and are 9-2 overall.

Kentucky was down 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh, but a multitude of clutch hits saw it pull back a run in each of the final three innings of the game. Felker was the man of the hour, but left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt set the tone with a 4-for-4 day at the plate.

The Wildcats faced an early deficit, as UK starter Zack Lee was tagged for three first-inning runs, headlined by a two-run base hit from Indiana State designated hitter Luis Hernandez in just the third at-bat of the game.

UK settled in, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second. It was the third time in the series that it had pushed across a quartet of runners in a frame. Waldschmidt drive a double over the head of the center fielder, scoring a pair of runners before he and shortstop Grant Smith were driven in by center fielder Jackson Gray, who continued his hot streak at the dish.

Lee got comfy on the bump, proceeding to strikeout nine batters across six innings, blanking the Sycamores (2-8) in his final five innings of work. The right-hander didn't allow a walk in the up-and-down outing that saw six hits for the Sycamores.

The bullpen failed UK head coach Nick Mingione, however, as hard-throwing lefty Magdiel Cotto allowed runs for the first time this season, giving up a single while also hitting two batters, leading to a big three-run inning for Indiana State. Cotto couldn't get out of the inning, but neither could RHP Colby Frieda.

Needing just one out, Frieda gave up a pair of RBI singles and was promptly yanked in favor of East Carolina transfer Ryder Giles, who finally notched the final out of the top half of the seventh.

Trailing 6-4, Waldschmidt cranked a lead-off double and was eventually driven in by Felker to make it a one-run game. Ryan Hagenow got the ball in the eighth inning for UK, striking out a pair en route to a scoreless frame.

It would be first baseman Hunter Gilliam who collected the next clutch hit, as the Longwood transfer got just enough of an 0-1 pitch, sending it the other way to right field, where it just cleared the fence, tying the game 6-6, receiving a roar from the KPP crowd and UK bench.

Hagenow went back to work in the top of the ninth and rolled a 1-2-3 inning, setting the table for the rally that led to Felker's game-winning swing.

As he did all day, Waldschmidt got on base to open the inning, working a full count, then slapping a single through the left side of the infield. Smith proceeded to lay down a sacrifice bunt, moving his teammate into scoring position at second base.

Gray flied out to left field, sending Felker up to the plate with two outs and the winning run on base. The Princeton, Ky. native wasted no time, sending the first pitch of the AB up to right center, scoring Waldschmidt and earning the Wildcats a big series-sweep in the process.

The Cats left just three men on base on Sunday, exploiting advantages that had previously been squandered in the first few games of the regular season.

UK will finish its 10-game home stand during the midweek, as it prepares for its only two-game midweek stretch of the season. First up is the Murray State Racers on Tuesday, March. 7. First pitch from KPP is set for 4 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on SEC Network+.

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