Errors have cost Kentucky (2-5) three games already

It was an up-and-down, but mostly down, season-opening seven-game stretch on the east coast for Kentucky's baseball program.

Cats Illustrated takes a look at the highlights and lowlights of Kentucky's 2-5 start through seven games to start the 2017 baseball season.

Kentucky held their own and kept it respectable over a three-game set in Chapel Hill, but the Tar Heels' pitching talent was an advantage that proved difficult for the Cats to overcome.

In the first game it was J.B. Bukauskas and his bullpen striking out 15 that did the Cats in. The very next day two unearned UNC runs crossed the plate in a one-run game, so an error was decisive. On Sunday, the Heels racked up five runs in the game's first three innings and although Kentucky fought back valiantly they couldn't quite make up the difference.

All three games were close. All three games went to the Heels.

The lessons from that first series were that Kentucky had to improve in its plate discipline, in it's own pitching staff's ability to control the count, and in its defense.

The 0-3 start may have been disappointing, but Kentucky was competitive.

Kentucky's four games in Virginia, following the series against UNC, had their share of ups and downs. Kentucky played four games against teams that were not ranked.

The defensive issues did Kentucky in against Liberty in a 5-4 loss, with two errors as the difference in a 5-4 game won by the Flames.

Over the next two games Kentucky scored 35 combined runs in a 16-9 win over St. Joseph's and a 19-2 win against Old Dominion.

St. Joe's had been winless and scored first on a grand slam that gave them a 4-0 lead. But Kentucky roared back and didn't slow down once they took the lead. The following game, against ODU, was an even bigger offensive explosion.

But in the last game in Virginia the Cats fell to Delaware 4-3. That dropped Kentucky's record to 2-5 on the season. In that game against Delaware an errant throw to second base by relief pitcher Logan Salow led to four unearned runs to cross the plate.

There's a strong case to be made that three of Kentucky's five losses were due to faulty defense and, mostly, to throwing errors.

After four games Kentucky's offensive numbers weren't impressive with only Zach Reks and Kole Cottam batting above .267.

Now the numbers look much better.

Marcus Carson is the team's batting leader with a .500 average and a .552 on base percentage. Reks is second on the team with a .414 clip at the plate and a .514 OBP.

Cottam (.364), Tyler Marshall (.308) and Luke Becker (.308) are all batting above the .300 number.

Evan White recently returned from his injury after the first game to play again and he's 4-6 at the plate with two walks and a .750 OBP.

Kentucky has five home runs in six games with 19 extra base hits.