Kentucky versus Missouri Baseball Friday

[Darrell KSR]

Trey Pooser is going to be the pitcher today. Hopefully we can get him some runs. He has been okay this year, but I thought he might be one of the people who drew this starting nod. He has a 4.72 ERA. Opponents batting .220 against them.

[Darrell KSR]

Ryan Waldschmidt leads it off with a base hit, steals second and Pitre walks. Burkes bunts, and beats it out for a base hit. Bases full, but Lopez grounded back to the pitcher and a 1-2-3 double-play may snuff out the Kentucky threat.

Two runners remain on base, but there are two outs. Daily with the big two-out base hit up the middle, two-RBIs and Kentucky draws first blood. Nicholson strikes out.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 0 | M1

[Darrell KSR]

Kentucky lineup today has Devin Burkes behind the plate, Ryan Nicholson at first base, Emilien Pitre at second base, Grant Smith playing shortstop, and Mitchell Daly at third base. In the outfield we have Ryan Waldschmidt at left field, Nolan McCarthy in centerfield, and James McCoy in right.

[truecatsfan]

Is this game on tv anywhere?

[truecatsfan]

Never mind just found it.

[Darrell KSR]

Pooser starts out like a ball of fire, striking out the first two batters. Missouri number three batter works him to a 2-2 count, and then deposits the next pitch over the left-field fence to cut the lead in half. Next batter is in the hole, 1-2 and he singles up the middle. Number five batter up, Pooser gets ahead 0-1, and there's another base hit. Three straight hits with two outs; now there are runners on first and second.

Settle down young man. There's a first pitch strike to the next batter. He has done well getting ahead of these hitters. Next pitch is wild and gets away from works and both runners move up. Now two runners are in scoring position. Count now goes full, and with first base open, it might not be the worst thing just to walk him and get a force play.

They agree, and he takes ball four, and the bases are loaded for the Missouri second baseman, switch hitter Garcia. Sees the first pitch, lines it to left field, but grabbed by Waldschmidt, and Missouri strands 3. That's a big, big out.

We may need a lot of runs tonight, folks. And I would expect multiple pitchers. I hope one of them is Ryan Hagenow. Really like that kid, and she's one he is injured, I think we have a resource were not utilizing to its fullest. But that's just my opinion.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 1 | E1

[Darrell KSR]

Is this game on tv anywhere?

SECN+, for anyone else who may need the reference.

[Darrell KSR]

McCarthy blisters a shot down the third base line but the Missouri third baseman leaps and makes a great grab for out number one. McCoy chops one back to the pitcher, who does a nice job and tosses to first for the second out. Don't like the way this is going.

Grant Smith shows bunt, takes a ball high. Strikes out after being ahead, 3-0. The automatic strike was quite high and very generous by the umpire. Even the second strike, I thought was a little low. Struck out on a changeup.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 1 | M2

[Darrell KSR]

Nice inning for Trey Pooser, as he strikes out the first two batters and gets the third one to ground to third base for a 1-2-3 inning. He throws high in the strike zone and his fastball has not been touched in that area. Had the third batter set up for a strikeout, but through the pitch low and he grounded out, which worked fine.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 1 | E2

[Darrell KSR]

Pooser is running up his pitch count pretty quickly. Even though that was a quick inning, he is already up to 44 pitches through only 2 innings.

Top of the Kentucky order this inning. The Missouri starting pitcher has nearly a 10 ERA, so I am hoping we will feast on him for another inning or two.

[Darrell KSR]

Cats go 3 up, 3 down.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 1 | M3

[Darrell KSR]

Fans just bundled up wearing coats and blankets. All players wearing sleeves tonight as well. Neck warmers are pretty standard as well. It's 40° with winds blowing out of the North at 21 mph, so I guess that's pretty chilly.

[Darrell KSR]

Infield pop up and a groundout with a nice running grab and throw from Daly and the first two batters are out. There's a two-out walk, but no damage done as another pop up to Grant Smith at shortstop in shallow left field ends the inning.

Kentucky 2, Missouri 1 | E3

[Darrell KSR]

Lopez leads off with a double, moves to third base on a balk and score some ground out. Nothing else doing for Kentucky, but added a run.

Little momentum for Missouri as they get the last two batters with strikeouts after falling behind, 3-0 on the next to last batter.

Kentucky 3, Missouri 1 | M4

[Darrell KSR]

Pooser will take the mound in the bottom half of the fourth inning, sitting at 58 pitches. Sure would like to see another inning like last inning.

Lazy fly ball to center field for the first out. Punches out the next batter for his fifth strike out of the game. Infield pop up to Grant Smith at shortstop for out #3, and another excellent inning from Pooser. He is keeping that fastball, which rides up high in the strike zone and they can't do anything with it.

Kentucky 3, Missouri 1 | E4

[Darrell KSR]

Kentucky will bat 9-1-2 this ending.

Grant Smith handcuffed, just rebalance a ball to the left side of the infield, ground out for out number one.
Ryan Waldschmidt flies out to right field for out number two. Missouri right fielder got turned around and twisted but made the catch. The winds are really blowing, though. Pitre grounds out.

Kentucky 3, Missouri 1 | M5

[Darrell KSR]

Pooser will take the mound with 70 pitches under his belt. The last couple of innings have really helped keep his pitch count down low. He will face the 9-1-2 batters for Missouri. This will be his third time through the order when he reaches the top, so this is when you start watching the pitching carefully, even when they are doing well.

[Darrell KSR]

Ground out, then a ball in right-center field that McCarthy didn't see initially, then sort of rambled over and dove and caught. It was a nice play, but a poor job. He doesn't play centerfield normally, and that showed there. Ground out and it's a nice 1-2-3 inning for Pooser.

Pooser has retired 13 out of the last 14 Missouri Tigers.

Kentucky 3, Missouri 1 | E5

[CatQuick]

Following your posts Darrell appreciate it!!

[Darrell KSR]

Following your posts Darrell appreciate it!!

Just hoping me watching the game doesn't jinx them.