Kentucky's Power Surge Gives Wildcats 16-6 Win, Forces Winner-Takes-All Game Monday

Kentucky roughed up the Indiana pitching staff in a 16-6 win on Sunday, forcing a rematch on Monday in the Lexington Regional Championship.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky built success with a step-by-step offensive approach this season, but the Wildcats had a power surge on Sunday.

In a 16-6 win over Indiana, Kentucky blasted four home runs and two doubles, coming from six different players. The Wildcats really poured it on in the late innings when Indiana coach Jeff Mercer reached deep into his bullpen with the outcome decided. It was a missed opportunity for Indiana to advance to the Super Regionals, but the Hoosiers get a second chance to win the Lexington Regional on Monday in a winner-takes-all game at 6 p.m. ET at Kentucky Proud Park.

For the Hoosiers, it's all about flushing this loss and focusing on Monday's game.

"I still think we're in a good spot," Mercer said. "The great thing about baseball is it's an everyday sport. It's an everyday game. Sometimes you're on top of the hill. Sometimes you're on the bottom of the hill. You can't ride the waves. You're not the best team in the world when you win or you're not the worst team when you lose, even when you get your butt kicked."

Kentucky was at a perceived disadvantage heading into Sunday, needing to win two games in one day to keep its season alive. But the Wildcats found their rhythm at the plate, outscoring West Virginia and Indiana 26-6 across the two games.

"I think that 18 innings was good for us," Kentucky first baseman Hunter Gilliam said. "It kind of got our groove back. And you've got a bunch of animals up there and we don't do tired. So 18 innings was nothing for the boys."

UK's Devin Burkes (7) hits a two-run home run against Indiana during their rematch in the NCAA Regional in Lexington Ky. on June 4, 2023 :: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The burst of power was a bit surprising to see from a Kentucky team that hit just 46 home runs prior to Sunday's games – tied for 215th out of 295 teams in Division I college baseball. Kentucky right fielder Nolan McCarthy felt Sunday's effort showed the Wildcats can win in multiple ways.

"We all know we can hit," McCarthy said. "We're a really good offense. We can do small ball, and we can also leave the yard. I just think we've got everything going for us."

Kentucky's offensive onslaught began in the second inning, when McCarthy drove the ball over the left centerfield wall, one of the deepest parts of the ballpark. The three-run home run ignited an almost-full Kentucky Proud Park and was a sign of things to come for both sides. Indiana went with 6-foot-6 senior lefty Ben Seiler on the mound to start, but Mercer pulled him after allowing four runs and hitting three batters in 1.1 innings. 

Indiana hung around in the early innings, benefitting from centerfielder Jackson Gray deflecting a fly ball from Evan Goforth over the fence for one of the most unique home runs you'll ever see. Indiana's Big Ten Freshman of the Year Devin Taylor drove in another run in the bottom of the third to make it a 4-2 game, but that's as close as Indiana would get.

Indiana freshman right-hander Ethan Phillips replaced Sinnard and gave up two runs, while also hitting four batters by pitch. Sophomore right-hander Luke Hayden gave Indiana three innings of work, but he allowed three runs, two of which were earned. Kentucky scored five runs from the fourth to sixth innings, highlighted by a Devin Burkes two-run home run. 

Indiana sophomore designated hitter Carter Mathison did his best to keep Indiana in the game, hitting a solo home run and an RBI single, but Kentucky carried a 9-4 lead heading into the seventh.

Indiana's Carter Mathison (3) embraced teammate Hunter Jessee (4) after Mathison hit a home run against UK during their rematch in the NCAA Regional in Lexington Ky. on June 4, 2023 :: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

While a comeback was still possible at this point, Indiana simply didn't have the arms to keep the game competitive. This issue stemmed all the way back to Friday's regional opener against West Virginia, when Indiana's ace Luke Sinnard exited the game one pitch into the third inning with arm discomfort. Indiana was relying on him to pitch deep into the game, and the injury threw a wrench into Mercer's pitching plans for the weekend.

Knowing the importance of winning on Friday, Indiana used top pitchers like Brayden Risedorph and Ty Bothwell to shut down West Virginia. Other top arms, including Ryan Kraft, Craig Yoho and Connor Foley, pitched in Indiana's win over Kentucky on Saturday, leaving a largely depleted pitching staff heading into Sunday's game. 

The innings penciled in for Sinnard's outing on Friday caught up to Indiana on Sunday, and when Kentucky took control of the game, Mercer had to make a judgement call. He didn't want to rush pitchers back on short rest from Friday or Saturday, while still at the risk of losing the game and further jeopardizing the pitching staff's depth for Sunday.

Mercer turned to a couple inexperience pitchers for the final innings, beginning with sophomore right-hander Cooper Hellman, who had pitched just 4.2 innings all season. Hellman entered in the seventh and was credited for three earned runs. He was replaced by Adrian Vega, who had allowed 14 runs in 18 innings this season prior to Sunday's game. Vega pitched the final three innings, allowing four hits and four runs. 

Kentucky scored seven runs in the seventh inning, with home runs from Gilliam and Ryan Waldschmidt and an RBI double from Emilien Pitre to put the game away for good.

Indiana would have loved to win the regional on Sunday, but Mercer knew the Hoosiers had a winner-take-all game waiting on Monday, when their pitching staff will be closer to full strength.

"We have two games to win one," Mercer said after Sunday's loss. "The worst thing I can do is run out and bring guys back on too short of rest and their stuff is not good or they get hurt. If we have a chance we run through it once, and [Kentucky] will obviously have to throw their arms because if they lose, they're done. So they have to go their prime arms first. We read the game, decide where it goes. And then if we don't have a window, then we push to tomorrow and we go and try to win the Regional. And that's the way the game's played. You have to be able to, if you get into a position where you have to take it on the chin, you have to take it on the chin, because as a coach your job is to give your team and the boys the best opportunity to win their Regional. That's my job. And so you know what, we did that today. And so we have to go out tomorrow, and now those guys are going to have as much rest as they possibly can and have a chance to win that game."

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