3/5/2022 baseball Edit

Bat Cats make statement with series win over No. 8 TCU

The Cats celebrate with Chase Estep (12) after his home run helped lift Kentucky to a 5-1 win over TCU in Game 2 of the weekend series on Saturday at Kentucky Proud Park. (UK Athletics Photo by Sarah Caputi) (UK Athletics)

Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated

Managing Editor

Joined the Cats Illustrated staff in the summer of 2017. Veteran reporter and photographer who has covered UK sports dating back to 1987.

Kentucky raised some eyebrows across the college baseball landscape this weekend by taking two out of three games against No. 8 TCU at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Wildcats, who won Friday night's opener 13-11 in dramatic fashion, claimed a 5-1 win in Game 2 to clinch the series on Saturday afternoon. The Horned Frogs bounced back to salvage Game 3 of the series with a 12-8 win in the second game of a doubleheader.

It marked UK's first series win against a team ranked in the Top 10 since April of 2019.

Kentucky (10-2) got a three-run homer from Chase Estep to highlight the Game 2 win. It was a remarkable weekend for the junior third baseman from Corbin, who went 6-for-12 in the series and is batting a smoldering .455 on the season.

Tyler Bosma (2-0) earned the win on the mound for the Cats, tossing five strong innings. He allowed just one earned run on six hits while striking out six and walking none. Darren Williams tossed two scoreless innings of relief to lock down the victory.

TCU (8-3) built a 7-0 lead in Game 3, but the Cats battled back to tie the game at 7-7 going to the ninth inning. The Horned Frogs broke it back open with a five-spot in their final trip to the plate.

The visitors from the Big 12 pounded out 18 hits in the finale. The top six men in the TCU lineup each had multi-hit games, including three apiece for Elijah Nunez, Brayden Taylor, and Tommy Sacco.

Senior first baseman Jacob Plastiak hit a grand slam to help spark Kentucky's comeback. It was his team-leading fifth home run of the season. Senior outfielders Adam Fogel and Hunter Jump also homered for the Cats in Game 3. Jump led UK with four hits.

Kentucky returns to action on Tuesday with a 4 p.m. ET matchup against Murray State at Kentucky Proud Park. The game will be aired on SECN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network (98.5 FM).