LEXINGTON, Ky. — Seven different pitchers combined to throw a shutout as No. 6 Kentucky used a five-run seventh inning to defeat Xavier 6-0 at Cliff Hagan Stadium on Wednesday night. Here are the main storylines from the game.
Cats breakthrough in 7th inning. Neither side had much going offensively until the seventh inning. Leading 1-0, Kentucky scored five runs on four hits to take a 6-0 lead. Centerfielder Marcus Carson was hit by a pitch to start the inning. A bunt by Connor Heady advanced him to second.
A bit of bad luck struck on the next at-bat when Tristan Pompey hit a rope off the umpire. Instead of advancing to third base or potentially scoring, the umpire called the play dead, putting runners at first and second base. Pompey’s single was the start of four straight hits for the Wildcats. Evan White doubled home two runs and Zach Reks singled White home. Catcher Kole Cottam delivered a two-run home run to give Kentucky the six-run advantage. Cottam became the first player to homer in three straight games since A.J. Reed did it against Florida in 2014.
Thompson solid again. Kentucky starter Zack Thompson threw six innings of shutout baseball. Xavier didn’t collect their first hit until Chris Givin singled to start the fifth inning. It would be the only hit surrendered by Thompson.
The freshman from Selma, Ind., struck out five batters and walked three on 86 pitches. Thompson was credited with the win, giving him wins in three straight decisions.
Colton Cleary delivers nice outing. Lefthanded reliever Colton Cleary worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning. Rylan Bannon reached first base on an error by shortstop Connor Heady to start the inning. Freshman Chris Machamer, who started the inning, then retired the next hitter.
Zach Pop entered the game for Machamer and recorded an out, but he walked the next two batters to load the bases. Cleary came in and got Will Larue to fly out to right field to end the inning. He allowed an infield single in the eighth inning but retired two other batters before giving way to Alec Maley. Maley allowed a single to put runners on the corners but got Conor Grammes to fly out to end the inning.
