Starting Lineups + Live Score Updates for West Virginia vs. Kentucky

West Virginia and Kentucky are getting set to square off in the winner's bracket of the Morgantown Regional, and whoever wins tonight's game will be in a great position, clinching a spot in the regional final.

Below, you will find our live game tracker along with the starting lineups for tonight's ballgame. Reminder: WVU is the away team tonight.

GAME THREAD

TOP 1 (WVU)

Mountaineers go three up, three down, but some hard contact from Ineich, Kelly, and Schoenfeld, each of whom flies out.

BOT 1 (UK)

The start of this game could not have gone much worse for the Mountaineers. Brodie Kresser botched a double play ball early in the inning, and Maxx Yehl couldn't find the zone whatsoever. After a 2-RBI double, Yehl gave up a 2-run homer and then plunked a batter in the head. He has been pulled from the game after 34 pitches, appearing as if his arm is bothering him. Ian Korn is set to replace him. WVU's pitching situation went from great to extremely concerning in a hurry. Cats lead 4-0. Korn gets Cloud to fly out, and that's the end of that.

TOP 2 (WVU)

West Virginia puts traffic on the bases, but can't scratch across a run. A base running mistake by Sean Smith, a third became the second out of the inning as he went halfway home on a comebacker to the pitcher, who threw him out trying to go back to third. Big missed opportunity for WVU to get on the board.

BOT 2 (UK)

Kentucky tacks on to the lead thanks to an RBI double from Luke Lawrence and a runner scoring on a fielder's choice on a grounder to short. They lead 6-0.

TOP 3 (WVU)

West Virginia gets on the board as Gavin Kelly hits a two-run homer to left center. Despite three strikeouts in the inning, the Mountaineers are having better battles at the plate. Just have to protect with two strikes. 6-2 Kentucky.

BOTTOM 3 (UK)

Nothing is going for the Cats here. Korn gets an inning-ending double play that was bang-bang at first. Runner at second as deemed to have slid into the man covering the bag, making it an automatic out.

TOP 4 (WVU)

Tyrus Hall with an RBI double to center and then eventually scores from third on a balk to make it 6-4. Gavin Kelly walked, and Paul Schoenfeld was hit by a pitch. The Mountaineers have the bases loaded with two outs, and Kentucky is going to make another pitching change. Smith gets plunked by a pitch around the numbers to score another run. Graveline surprisingly swings on a 2-0 count and flies out to shallow left. Big missed opportunity to tie the game up or even take the lead, but nonetheless, we've got a ballgame.

BOT 4 (UK)

Three up, three down for the Cats.

TOP 5 (WVU)

The Mountaineers have tied it up. Armani Guzman had a leadoff walk, stole second, and third with the throw down to third trickling into left field, easily allowing him to score. Runner on first and still one out for WVU. Nothing else is going for WVU as Ira Austin cleans it up for Kentucky. We're all tied up.

BOT 5 (UK)

Another error by Brodie Kresser to begin the inning, which is followed up by a single, a strikeout, and an infield base hit. The bases are loaded for Kentucky with one out, and that will end the day for Ian Korn. Reese Bassinger is being called out of the bullpen to try to work out of this jam. Bassinger strikes out Cloud, but Owen Jenkins hits a hard grounder past Ineich at short, which scores two runs. A third runner was thrown out at the plate by Armani Guzman, who retrieved a bad throw in from the outfield. Kentucky regains the lead, 8-6.

TOP 6 (WVU)

Gavin Kelly with a solo home run to lead off the inning, his second long ball of the game. One out in the inning. Nothing else going for WVU here, but the homer by Kelly makes it 8-7 heading to the bottom half of the sixth.

BOT 6 (UK)

Quick work from Bassinger here. He needed just six pitches to get three outs. Score stays 8-7 Kentucky.

TOP 7 (WVU)

Armani Guzman led the inning off by reaching second on a dropped fly ball in left field, and a few batters later, Tyrus Hall came through with a big RBI base hit, dropping it into right with two outs. Back to the top of the order with the score all even. Ineich bounces out, stranding Hall at second, but WVU gets the job done. 8-8.

BOT 7 (UK)

Bassinger gets a 6-4-3 double play and, after hitting a batter, gets a grounder to first to shut the door. Heading to the 8th, tied at 8.

TOP 8 (WVU)

Three up, three down for the Mountaineers.

BOT 8 (UK)

Bassinger runs into trouble here, hitting two batters and giving up a couple of base hits to hand Kentucky the lead back. Steve Sabins is making a pitching change, hoping to keep this game within reach. 9-8 Wildcats with one out and bases still loaded. Interesting decision by Sabins to go to Ben McDougal, who has just a handful of appearances this season. Hudson Brown comes up with a 2-run base hit to make it a three-run game. Kentucky is still in business. McDougal gets out of it, but the Mountaineers need three.

TOP 9 (WVU)

Mountaineers had two runners to begin the inning, but a double play wiped out the threat. Zahir Barjam flew out to left to end it. Kentucky wins 11-8, meaning WVU will face Wake Forest in an elimination game tomorrow at noon.

West Virginia's starting lineup

1. SS Matt Ineich — .305
2. C Gavin Kelly —.377
3. CF Paul Schoenfeld — .346
4. DH Sean Smith — .320
5. LF Matthew Graveline — .289
6. 1B Armani Guzman — .295
7. 2B Brodie Kresser — .293
8. RF Ben Lumsden — .241
9. 3B Tyrus Hall - .268

Kentucky's starting lineup

1. CF Jayce Tharnish — .347
2. SS Tyler Bell — .344
3. DH Luke Lawrence — .340
4. 1B Hudson Brown —.330
5. 2B Ethan Hindle — .304
6. RF Braxton Van Cleave — .259
7. LF Carson Hansen — .232
8. 3B Caden Cloud — 206
9. C Owen Jenkins — .245

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