LEXINGTON, Ky. -- It may have been Kentucky's sloppiest performance of the young season, but the Wildcats found a way to overcome the self-inflicted damage Tuesday in a thrilling 6-5 win over Western Kentucky.
The Cats issued a season-high four walks, committed three errors, threw two wild pitches, and experienced a handful of other miscues that don't show up in the scorebook to make things more dramatic than they needed to be at Kentucky Proud Park.
Kentucky (8-2) was able to maintain its composure and ultimately got a go-ahead RBI single from Trae Harmon in the bottom of the seventh after the Hilltoppers had rallied to tie the game with three runs in the top of the inning.
Western Kentucky (4-7) got the potential tying and winning runs on base in the ninth against UK closer Sean Harney, but he worked around a bloop double that should have been fielded and a hit batsman to lock down his fourth save of the season.
Harmon was the offensive star for the Cats, belting an RBI double off the wall in left-center to highlight a three-run sixth inning for UK. The junior designated hitter from Somerset went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in his first starting assignment.
Reuben Church and John Rhodes also had a pair of hits for UK. Austin Schultz had a double and two RBI. Kirk Liebert delivered a key RBI off the bench and scored a pair of runs.
Freshman right-hander Ryan Hagenow started for the Cats and worked 3.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out six before giving way to Holt Jones out of the UK bullpen. Jones pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Daniel Harper (1-0) earned the win, getting teammate Zach Kammin out of a jam in the seventh and keeping the score tied. Austin Strickland set up Harney with a scoreless eighth inning of work.
Western Kentucky got two hits apiece from Matthew Meyer and Davis Sims.
Aaron Shiflet (0-1) took the loss out of the Hilltopper bullpen, allowing one run on two hits over 1.2 innings on the mound.
Kentucky returns to action Friday against Georgia State in the opener of a three-game weekend series at KPP. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
