Strickland shines in do-or-die pitching effort for Kentucky

The junior right-handed pitcher, who had served in a bullpen role for most of the season, drew the starting assigment for the Wildcats against West Virginia in the elimination bracket of the NCAA Lexington Regoinal.

His job had two requirements: keep UK's season alive, and do it in a manner which preserves the rest of the Cats' pitching staff for a rematch with Indiana later in the day and a potential championship showdown on Monday at Kentucky Pride Park.

Mission accomplished.

Strickland (4-1) threw six shutout innings against the Mountaineers in leading Kentucky to a 10-0 win. He allowed only four hits, walked just one, and struck out six.

"What a start at the time where we needed it the most," UK head coach Nick Mingione said of Strickland. "His competitive spirit shined today."

Asked what impressed him the most about Strickland's performance, West Virginia shortstop Tevin Tucker said: "Probably his command, just mixing up pitches."

Mingione cited Strickland as part of the unselfishness that has defined the Cats' surprising season.

"When the season started, Austin was one of the guys we just pulled aside and told him, 'Hey, Austin. You're not going to be one of the opening-day starters, but that could change," Mingione recalled. "He wanted to start really bad, and this guy basically said, 'Coach, whatever you need to do to help the team win.'

"As the season went on, we just kept giving him more and more and more innings... At the very end of the year, when we needed the biggest start of the season, he gave it to us."

In his two late starts this season against Florida and West Virginia, Strickland has allowed only three earned runs through 12.2 innings on the mound.

"I believe in myself... I believe that, when I'm out there, I'm the best competitor there is," Strickland said.

Thanks to that, the Cats will now play again at 6 p.m. ET Sunday in a rematch of Saturday night's dramatic 5-3 comeback victory by Indiana. The Hoosiers advanced to the championship bracket of the double-elimination event on the strength of an unlikely three-run homer by their No. 9 hitter in the seventh inning Saturday.

Kentucky (38-18) complemented Strickland's impressive outing with a strong offensive performance than helped the coaching staff ensure it could save as many arms as possible for two more games needed to advance.

Nolan McCarthy and Reuben Church each had two hits to lead the Cats' nine-hit attack. McCarthy, who had played sparingly in May as James McCoy emerged as the primary starter in right field, belted an RBI double and hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning that broke open a close game and gave UK a 5-0 lead.

Devin Burkes later added a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach at 10-0.

Jase Felker and Hunter Gilliam also had RBI hits for the Cats, and Emilien Pitre drove home a run with a ground ball.

Kentucky left-handed reliever Magiel Cotto and McCoy worked the final three innings, holding the Mountaineers scoreless.

West Virginia's season ended at 40-20. Grant Siegel (4-3) started and took the loss for the Mountaineers, allowing three runs on three hits in only 1.1 innings on the mound.