Kentucky Completes Successful Homestand With 9-2 Victory Over Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky third baseman Jase Felker continues to make the most of his opportunities.

Just a few days after notching a game-winning hit to sweep Indiana State, the senior drove in three runs and now possesses a .550 batting average in seven games played, spearheading a 9-2 win over the visiting Ohio Bobcats, the seventh win in a row for the Bat Cats.

Two hard-hit singles through the left side for the Princeton, Ky. native got the job done in a big way, helping his team separate from the same Ohio team that won inside Kentucky Proud Park a season ago.

"I just want to get in and make the most of every opportunity to help the team win," Felker told Wildcats Today after the big performance. "That's all i'm in there for."

Kentucky's win completes a 10-game homestand that saw it earn a 9-1 record, keeping the train chugging as SEC play nears. Seven of those nine wins saw the Wildcats' pitching staff allow three runs or less.

With Wednesday being game two of a five-game week, Kentucky (11-2) coach Nick Mingione opted for a bullpen game, starting right-hander Seth Logue, who started eight times last season as a sophomore.

Logue needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in the first inning. He began the second inning, but didn't finish it. Ohio (2-9) drew two walks, then right fielder Will Sturek singled through the left side, loading the bases.

After throwing just 25 pitches, Logue was pulled for junior right-hander Austin Strickland. Ohio did some damage with one out, as second baseman Billy Adams rolled a grounder down the first-base line, trickling over the bag then hitting an umpire, scoring a pair to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.

Strickland minimized, picking up a strikeout and fly out to get out of the jam. He threw two innings and allowed just the one hit while striking out three, ultimately earning the win, his first of the season.

Kentucky didn't trail for long, as the bases were immediately loaded thanks to a hit batsman and two walks. With the table set, right fielder Nolan McCarthy delivered a two-run double to the gap in left-center, tying the game.

Bobcat reliever Braxton Kelly struck out Grant Smith and Jackson Gray, but Felker continued his scorching start to the season, driving a single to left field, bringing home two more runs, giving UK a lead it wouldn't relinquish.

"I knew we had runners in scoring position, I think we had two outs the whole time, so I really just wanted to hit something early in the count and get the barrel moving," Felker explained.

That lead blossomed to 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth, as some two-out hitting. Smith laid down a bunt, advancing to second after an errant throw by pitcher Carter Sabol. Gray drew a walk, leading to nearly an identical single to left from Felker, bringing Smith home.

"He can do so many things," Mingione said of Felker. "We've seen him lay down bunts. We've seen him get hits. We've seen Him go first-to-third. We've seen him steal bases. He's just so versatile."

After lining out in his first three at-bats of the game, catcher Devin Burkes was finally rewarded with a thunderous double that drove in a pair. The redshirt sophomore leads UK with 18 RBIs.

"It takes some pressure off of you," Felker said about having Burkes behind in the batting order.

A sacrifice fly from Smith and RBI groundout from Ryan Waldschmidt added two more in the later innings, though the run support wasn't needed, as the stellar pitching continued for UK.

Following Strickland, six more Cats took the mound, allowing a grand total of two hits, walking two while striking out nine. Veteran right-hander Ryan Hagenow headlined, hurling a pair of hitless innings that saw the junior fan three.

In four appearances this season, he's allowed just two hits in six innings of work, really catching the eye of his head coach in the process.

"We just talked about (Hagenow's) ability to manipulate ground balls, the ability to strike guys out, his ability to move the game along," Mingione said. "He has really grown and we're in a really good place when he's on the mound, because our defense is engaged. They know they're gonna get ground balls, they know they're gonna get involved. His growth and maturity has been really fun to watch."

Now on the back of a seven-game winning streak, UK will hit the road for the second time this season, heading westward to Carbondale, Ill. for a three-game set against the Southern Illinois Salukis.

"Love our team's competitiveness, their fight, the way we pitched and defended at a really high level, which you're supposed to do" Mingione said. "At home, we were able to do that. So thankful for offense, our ability to generate and manufacture runs, we've done a little bit of everything."

Game one on Friday, March 10 is currently set for 7 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN+.

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