Tyler Bosma Deals Six Scoreless as No. 18 Kentucky Run-Rules Mizzou 10-0 for Third SEC Series Win
LEXINGTON, Ky. — After playing through dreary conditions the night prior, Kentucky baseball took the diamond on Saturday afternoon to plenty of wind, but otherwise favorable weather as well as the tune of cheers from a bustling crowd that totaled 3,156 at Kentucky Proud Park.
Big Blue Nation finally got wind of one of the hottest teams in the country, and subsequently witnessed another impressive showcase from the Bat Cats — which featured an early offensive invasion and some lights-out pitching to boot.
Kentucky (24-3, 7-1 SEC) followed up a five-run first inning in game one on Friday with four more in the first frame in game two, leading to a no-doubt 10-0 victory in eight innings over Missouri, handing the Wildcats their third SEC series win in as many tries. Second baseman Émilien Pitre drove in three runs as all nine position players recorded a base hit, giving starting pitcher Tyler Bosma (4-1) more than enough run support while the lefty hurled six scoreless innings.
"It was good. With the weather as it was, we were just hoping to keep the ball in the yard and let my defense work behind me," Bosma said of his outing. "We were able to keep the pitch count down enough to where I was able to go six."
The No. 18 Cats have run-ruled the Tigers (19-8, 3-5) in each of their first two games of the series, taking a toll on a Mizzou pitching staff that had previously swept then-No. 2 Tennessee in the first weekend of conference play.
"I thought our guys did a good job on (Missouri's) starter to try and get him out of the game early," said Nick Mingione, who with the win earned his 200th victory as Kentucky head coach. "They did a phenomenal job ... for them to all get a hit and to all make great defensive plays, it says a lot about our positional player group."
It took just four batters for Kentucky to jump out in front, as Mizzou starter Zach Franklin experienced some of the same control issues that plagued Kentucky's Darren Williams in game one. Following a leadoff double down the left-field line from Jackson Gray, Franklin hit both third baseman Jase Felker and catcher Devin Burkes, loading the bases before recording an out.
Pitre recorded his first RBI of the day with a high chopper to second base, advancing all baserunners 90 feet, scoring Gray. The gusty wind then made its presence known, as UK first baseman Hunter Gilliam skied a popup behind the first-base bag. Both Mizzou 1B Hank Zeisler and 2B Jackson Lovich ranged over and attempted to get a read on the ball, but it eventually wiffled its way down to the turf, scoring Felker.
Gilliam was credited with an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 20 games. He and Ryan Waldschmidt each drove in four runs in Kentucky's 12-2 run-rule victory over the Tigers on Friday night. Waldschmidt stayed hot right behind Gilliam, tattooing a double to the wall in left-center, scoring Burkes to make it 3-0 UK. Gilliam tried to chug all the way home from first, but was gunned down on a strong relay throw to the plate from Mizzou SS Matt Garcia.
The inning wasn't over, though, as the next at-bat saw designated hitter Kendal Ewell notch his first RBI of the season, lining a base hit to left field, bringing Waldschmidt home. The single was only the sixth hit of the season for the EKU transfer who has struggled to find his stride in Lexington.
Kentucky has now scored in the first inning in six of its eight SEC games.
After striking out a pair in the top of the first, Bosma got to trot back out to the mound with a comfy 4-0 lead, which continued to grow every time he came out of the dugout for the next inning.
"I thought Bosma was unbelievable," Mingione said. "In these conditions, against a really good offense ... played some really good defense today, virtually every player on the field made good plays."
He fanned two more in the top of the second, getting the Bat Cats back in the batters box to do more damage. After Felker was pegged for the second time, Burkes walked, setting the table for Pitre, who crushed a double out to center, pushing both of his infield brethren across home plate. The Repentigny, Quebec, Canada native then snuck his hand onto third base in a steal attempt right before getting to dash home on a Franklin (4-2) wild pitch. Mizzou went to its bullpen one batter later.
"We have a bunch of dogs on this team," Pitre — who now owns nine multi-RBI games this season — told Wildcats Today postgame. "It's just been fun, like every game, it's competitive and everyone wants to win."
Kentucky plated another in the bottom of the third thanks to shortstop Grant Smith, who took a 2-1 pitch from LHP Daniel Wissler over the fence in left field for a solo home run. The senior Incarnate Word transfer has now hit three homers in UK's last four games.
Bosma stayed steady, living in the low-nineties on his fastball while mixing in plenty of off-speed, painting corners in the process. He managed a one-two-three top of the fourth and fifth, then ended his outing by covering first base to retire Zeisler on a slow chopper that was fielded by Gilliam.
The Miami Ohio transfer struck out six, allowing just four hits and a walk. He tossed a career-high 98 pitches, though he wished pitching coach Dan Roszel would've let him back out to the mound for a seventh inning.
"I had the adrenaline going," he said. "When you're working like that and you've got defense making plays, you're able to get in the groove of the game."
Of course, it also helps when you get to pitch with a lead:
"Our offense has done a great job, really all season, just getting us a lead early, then our bullpen has done a good job all season holding that."
In relief of Bosma, Nicholasville, Ky. native Evan Byers allowed just one hit and one walk in two of the best innings of his Kentucky career, striking out three to keep the door closed.
Waldschmidt drove in his sixth run of the series with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth. Gilliam then followed suit with the game-winning hit in the eighth, slinging a double over the head of the Mizzou CF to the wall, bringing Felker home to the delight of the KPP crowd.
Kentucky has outscored the Tigers 22-2 through two games, cementing its series win in eye-popping fashion. It'll now look for its second SEC sweep and third straight sweep in a series at home. Veteran right-hander Zack Lee will get the start for UK against tough Missouri righty Rorik Maltrud, who owns a 2.13 ERA in eight appearances this season.
Game three between the Wildcats and Tigers is set for noon p.m. EST on Sunday. First pitch will air on the SEC Network.
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