Kentucky v Lipscomb Baseball Friday - Game 1

[Darrell KSR]

The season is still early, but we do not seem to be hitting as well as we normally hit. In the starting lineup today, (including today statistics), we have Daly (.381) and Lopez (.364) as the only two batters batting over .300.

Leadoff hitter Waldschmidt is batting .182. But things can change pretty quickly. Devin Burkes came into today batting .200, and with his two hits today, he is up to .259, so it is still early.

[Darrell KSR]

Good job of hitting by their leadoff hitter, who had four foul balls and managed to fight off Smith to draw a leadoff walk. That's big, because the next batter slammed it over the left-field fence. Told you they had some pop in their bats. If our pitching doesn't get better today, we may have to outscore them 12-11 to win.

There's another single, and Travis Smith just has not had it this year, folks. I'm hoping that we look at Ryan Hagenow as a possible starter. He came into college with very high expectations, and he has had moments of very good pitching, although he has been inconsistent. This season in his first couple of appearances he has been very good. Of course, I don't see them every day and Ryan may end up giving up nine runs his next outing for all I know.

Smith is behind the next batter, 2-0, but gets a fly out to center field. Good, we needed that. Next batter up walks on five pitches and now there are two runners on, still just 1 out.

There's a base hit RBI up the middle, and this game is tied. Smith has gone 3.1 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks, and 4 earned runs so far, with two runners additionally on base. His ERA for the season has now ballooned to nearly 7.

There is a strike out, and again, we needed that. Now two outs in the inning. Lipscomb's number nine batter now at the plate, their shortstop, but he is batting .385 for the season. Seven of their nine starting position players are batting over .270.

That will end the day for Travis Smith, as Cameron O'Brien comes in to relieve him.

T4, 2 outs | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

O'Brien has a 2.25 ERA on the season, throwing 4 innings and allowing 2 hits and 0 walks. He generally throws strikes.

There's a first pitch strike. Next pitch over the plate, grounded to the third baseman who tosses to second and the inning is over.

M4 | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

Final Stat Line for Travis Smith today:
3.2 innings, 5 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 4 earned runs. He threw 73 pitches today, 40 strikes.

For the season he has thrown 12.2 innings, allowing 16 hits, 10 walks, striking out 10, allowing 10 runs (9 earned), with a 6.39 ERA.

[Darrell KSR]

Kentucky's slick-fielding shortstop, #9 batter Grant Smith to lead it off and he promptly bangs a base hit to left field on the first pitch. Top-of-the-line up and Ryan Waldschmidt flies out to right field, and lowers his season average to .167. Pitre grounds to first base and Smith scoots down to second, so a base hit from Herrera could put Kentucky back on top. Herrera lines to the third baseman.

E4 | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

Nick uses O'Brien as sort of a specialist to get out of the inning and then hand the reigns over to a new pitcher, and that's what he does again today. Trey Pooser will take over.

Pooser has thrown 7 innings this year, allowing 8 hits, 4 walks, while striking out seven and allowing 7 earned runs for a not-so-nifty 9.00 ERA. Let's see if he can improve on that today.

[Darrell KSR]

Nice three up, three down inning with a line out, strike out and fly out. Also did not mention but James McCoy went into left field for Nolan McCarthy.

M5 | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

Lipscomb is still operating with their starting pitcher, who has allowed many hits (8 in 4 innings) and two walks, but actually has limited his pitches fairly well to just over 60. We are not working him deep into the account.

[Darrell KSR]

Would be nice to have a big inning this inning. Lopez leads it off, and he flies out. Burkes draws a four pitch walk. Pardon me while I grumble, as we just watch the starting pitcher, who is likely tiring, throw four consecutive balls. So what do we do? Daly swings at the first pitch and flies out. I get in today's world you want to be aggressive, but still… It's a freaking tie game.

There are two outs now, and Nick starts the runner, Burkes steals second, and motors on down to third base as the catcher throws it away. Go ahead run 90 feet away. Nope, Cameron strikes out.

E5 | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

Lipscomb's starting pitcher has now gone 5.0 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 walks and has thrown 77 pitches. Still not bad on the pitch count.

[Darrell KSR]

Pooser worked around some trouble – a one-out single, and a two-out walk, and stranded two Lipscomb runners on base with a strikeout. Always worries me when they get runners on base because of all the homeruns they have hit; they can put a big number on the plate in a hurry.

M6 | Kentucky 4, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

The switch hitter James McCoy will lead off the next inning for Kentucky, having replaced McCarthy defensively last inning. Following McCoy will be Grant Smith, and then the top of the lineup.

[Darrell KSR]

McCoy leads off and is hit by the first pitch, moves to second on a wild pitch. After Smith strikes out, Waldschmidt doubles McCoy in and Kentucky is back on top. Waldschmidt steals third and with 1 out, we have a chance to add another run.

New pitcher for Lipscomb.

Pitre walks on four pitches, and steals second and a base hit could add two important runs. Herrera strikes out. Handle pinch hits for Lopez (who has been hitting well) and grounds out.

Lot of activity, but only one run. Not maximizing our opportunities today.

E6 | Kentucky 5, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

Jackson Nove will take over for Pooser. Nove has thrown 4.0 innings of 1-hit, 2 walk, 0 run baseball this season.

Pooser's final line today: 2.0 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, 0 runs.

[Darrell KSR]

Two walks, a balk, and a passed ball, but no run scored thanks to a foul out, a caught stealing, and a ground out. Nove has had better innings, but results matter.

M7 | Kentucky 5, Lipscomb 4

[Darrell KSR]

Burkes leads off and reaches again, this time on an error by the shortstop. Sacrifice bunt moves him to second and he scoots to third on a passed ball. Church will pinch hit for Cameron, and draws a 9-pitch walk, while Burkes scores on a wild pitch.

Pitching change for Lipscomb.

B7, 1 out | Kentucky 6, Lipscomb 4

[Doc]

Is it raining or do I just have a crappy feed?

[Doc]

Men on the corners for UK, 2 outs 7th

[Darrell KSR]

Crittenbergr pinch runs for Church and steals second. McCoy flies out to center field and Crittenbergr cannot advance, but he steals third-base next anyway. There are two outs, though so it may still take a base hit to score him. Grant Smith at the plate. He walks. Runners on the corners for Waldschmidt (DH today). He is hit by the first pitch and bases are now loaded. Pitre at the plate. He's a left-handed batter facing the right-handed relief pitcher for Lipscomb. Pitre sees the first pitch, likes the first pitch, swings at the first pitch, and flies out on the first pitch.

E7 | Kentucky 6, Lipscomb 4

[Doc]

Bases loaded after HBP. 6-4 cats

[Darrell KSR]

Is it raining or do I just have a crappy feed?

It has been raining a little on and off most of the game.