Jackson Gray Wallops Grand Slam Against Former Team to Push Kentucky Past WKU, 10-8
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — In 100 career games at Western Kentucky, Jackson Gray hit 14 home runs in 322 at-bats. He had hit just one in 85 ABs since transferring to Kentucky for his senior season.
The 6-foot-3 Wildcat center fielder stepped in the batters box of his former home — Nick Denes Field — with his new team down 4-2 in the top of the seventh inning, facing a loss to WKU for the second season in a row.
Freshman right-hander Evan Jones indulged in a six-pitch battle with Gray, running the count full after five. That sixth and final pitch was a fastball down the heart of the plate that yielded one of the biggest hits of the season for the Cats, as the lefty corked a no-doubt grand slam that landed in the away bullpen in right field, which was full of crazed UK relievers that just witnessed their teammate push their team ahead of the Hilltoppers, 6-4.
"It's pretty surreal, man," Gray told Wildcats Today postgame. "I worked an at-bat and got the one I was looking for at the end."
That herculean swing capped off a six-run inning, completing a four-run comeback while leading Kentucky (22-3, 5-1 SEC) to a testy 10-8 win over the in-state Hilltoppers. Shortstop Grant Smith belted a three-run homer one inning later, leading to a four-spot in the eighth that, at the time, felt like unimportant insurance runs.
"I was just trying to stay to the middle of the field like I always do," Gray said about his approach at the plate. "We had a bunt on, actually, then it got to two strikes and I was swinging again, just trying to stay middle to oppo gap. He kind of ran the fastball in a little bit, I was just on time and I got the barrel out in front."
"His first couple of at-bats weren't maybe his best at-bats, but boy did he finish strong. Anytime you get an opportunity to face a former team — you got your former teammates, you get to go to your old field — that can be hard sometimes. There's just so many emotions ... for him to get that hit, I know the guys were super excited and happy for him."
WKU (16-10) wouldn't go down quietly, as a pinch-hit home run from Brett Blomquist, single and two walks ran sophomore lefty Jackson Nove out of the game after he recorded two outs to open the frame. The wild Seth Chavez entered to try and stop the bleeding, but a walk and a wild pitch plated two more runs, bringing the Tops within three.
Another home run in the ninth made it 10-8, but Missouri transfer Zach Hise would finally shut the door for the road win, giving UK some momentum to take with it on the bus ride back to Lexington.
The victory makes 18 wins out of the last 19 games for the No. 18 Bat Cats, who continue to find ways to win.
"We're not getting too high or too low at any point," Gray said. "It's pretty impressive, this is the first team i've been a part of that can really manage their emotions."
Kentucky left two runners on in the top of the second. Nolan McCarthy singled to right field, advancing designated hitter Chase Stanke over to second base, but G. Smith flew out to center to end the frame. That turned out to be the only at-bat with a runner in scoring position for the Cats through the first four innings of the evening.
The Hilltoppers then jumped out to a lead in the bottom of the inning thanks to three hits amongst a bevy of hard-hit balls. Tristan Garcia opened things with a ripped single up the middle before first baseman Lukas Farris smoked a double down the left-field line, putting two in scoring position with one out.
DH Eli Watson drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly before catcher Camden Ross notched the first of a pair of two-out runs, grounding a seeing-eye single through to left field.
Wildcat right-hander Travis Smith, who made his sixth midweek start of the year, allowed a season-high six hits in 3.1 innings, striking out just one of the 17 batters he faced.
"I thought Travis was so close to putting up more zeroes, but he keeps growing," Mingione said. "That's the first time that he's ever thrown on a mound other than ours in his college career. He gave us a chance."
WKU added another run in the third thanks to three straight baserunners with two outs. Following a HBP, Garcia golfed a flair single into short center, putting two on base for former Wildcat Kirk Liebert, who transferred to Bowling Green from Lexington over the offseason. The left fielder grounded a single over the mound and through the middle, scoring David Reckart, sticking it to his old team in the process.
The Hilltoppers possessed terrific pitching in the early stages, the left-handed opener Cam Tullar got through 2.1 innings without allowing a run, then made way for freshman righty Jack Bennett, who dealt 3.2 innings of his own, striking out four and allowing just one hit.
Kentucky's deficit grew to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth. With a runner on first, Sophomore left-hander Evan Byers served up an 0-1 pitch that saw Garcia acquire his third base hit of the game. Liebert walked to load the bags, proceeding a Byers balk that allowed Reckart to trot to home plate for his second run scored of the evening.
The Cats came out sluggish, but good enough pitching kept it in the game. Ryder Giles acquired two outs to get out of the fourth inning. Seth Logue — who earned his first win of the season — fired a scoreless sixth, while Magdiel Cotto made his first appearance since March 8 and followed with a hitless bottom of the seventh.
"We have so many guys doing their job," Mingione said. "Depth, it's really helped us ... all of these guys that are throwing the ball exceptionally well, it's good, because you don't have to overuse guys.
Then came the late onslaught that saw Mingione's team break out of its funk and turn up the heat. Gray's grand slam was only the third hit of the game for UK and it finished with just seven, four less than WKU. The Cats only struck out seven times and drew seven walks.
"Love the resiliency," Mingione said of his team. "There were times where they could've said 'you know what? It's not our night tonight.' They did not do that. They just kept fighting and fighting and found a way to get a win."
Kentucky now looks to build another winning streak, returning home to face the Missouri Tigers for a three-game series at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch on Friday, March 31 is set for 6:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on SEC Network+.
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