Home opener UK vs XU...

[Comebakatz3]

Cottam works a full count. Major now not getting that bottom of the strike zone. Still, his off speed pitch is just nasty. It is that off speed pitch that he uses to get Cottam to strike out with for the first out of the inning. Looks like Major has a big curve that he can throw all around the plate, and for strikes, as well as a good changeup that the bottom will drop off of.

Johnson gets a solid pitch to hit, but he flies it sky high. Left fielder comes on hard and slides to get it, but he slides past it and it falls and Johnson hustles into second. They rule that a base hit because it was a hard play for the left fielder, but it probably could/should have been caught.

Squires grounds one right to first base, but it is enough to advance Johnson over to third base.

We have two outs and UK going to take down Heyer and bring in Kessler. Kessler came in for one at bat this past weekend, but he struck out. Now we might see a pitching change for Xavier, and we will. Majors will come off the pitching mound, but will head back to the outfield. Grammes will come in to pitch from third base. Grammes is a sophomore righty that goes 6'1 195, and he has one appearance on the year. In that appearance he faced the minimum in one inning giving up no hits and recording a strikeout.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Grammes throws one right down the middle, but Kessler can't catch up to it. His second pitch is a high fastball that Kessler chases and his third pitch is a slider that Kessler swings through for the last out of the 6th.

Still, the damage is done for UK getting back to level with a huge Collette home run 2-2 going to the 7th.

 

[Jeff Drummond]

4,118 - New UK opening day record crowd at CHS. At least 2K more out in the Cliff lot behind RF.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Attendance tonight 4,118 a new regular season record.

 

[Comebakatz3]

4,118 here on hand to see this opener at UK. I have to imagine that this is close to a record if not a record for an opening game at Cliff Hagan Stadium. That's one heck of a way to start the 50th season.

Jimmy Ramsey now coming in for UK. Ramsey is another tall kid from Minnesota... maybe we should call the "The Twins"? He's a freshman that pitched on Saturday and went 2.2 giving up no hits with a walk and a strikeout.

 

[CB3UK]

Good night.....how tall is Jimmy?

 

[Comebakatz3]

Middle infield getting work from Ramsey as the first hitter grounds one to Becker and the second hitter takes the first pitch and grounds it to Dawson. Ramsey then gives up a single on a soft line drive into shallow center. This Xavier team really struggled at Florida State this past weekend going 0-3 and finishing the weekend with a batting average of .147. Just three of their hitters had a multi-hit weekend. Seats have really emptied out now. Ramsey gets a strikeout to end the Xavier half of the 7th.

Ramsey goes 6'7 240. Better yet I guess we should call the two kids from Minnesota (Ramsey and Hjelle) the "Twin Towers." Ramsey, unlike Hjelle, doesn't look like he's going to be throwing out too many people on pickoff plays. His is much slower than Hjelle.

 

[DubyaT]

Does the official attendance announced include people on the Cliff and immediately behind it in parking lot?

 

[Comebakatz3]

As we stretch, here are some other SEC scores:

Tennessee - 8
Lipscomb - 5
Final
- Tennessee goes to 2-2 on the year.

Alabama - 4
MTSU - 0
Final
- Bama 4-0

South Carolina - 5
North Florida - 2
Final
- USC 3-1

Ole Miss - 8
Memphis - 6
Final
- UM 4-0

Auburn - 3
Georgia State. - 2
Final
- AU 4-0

Vanderbilt - 7
Presbyterian - 1
Final
- Vandy 3-1

Florida - 6
FAU - 1
Final
- UF 4-0

Texas A&M - 7
SF Austin - 1
Top 5

 

[Comebakatz3]

Dawson swings and hits a chopper to the pitcher kind of in no-mans land down the third base line. Grammes, the former third baseman, chases it down and throws out Dawson at first. Pompey then goes oppo-taco past the third baseman for a single. Becker works a 3-1 count before lining one through the hole on the left side. Runners on second and first as we see a mound visit from Xavier.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Aklinski quickly grounds into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. Not how we wanted that one to go.

Still, going to the 8th with the game tied 2-2.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Kentucky has now out hit Xavier 8 to 6, but the score is tired. Ramsey still in to face Xavier's bottom half of the lineup. Ramsey gets Majors to fly out to left field. I feel like Pompey plays outfield about like I do... the best get to the spot quickly and they rarely catch it on the run... people like me always catch it on the run. It's an out either way, but one makes me less nervous. Pompey grabs another fly ball to left for out number two. Ramsey then gets a called strike three to end the inning. Very quick work for Jimmy.

Xavier now going to the bullpen for the first time today. Before now they have always used a position player in order to make a change. Grammes comes out for Schramm, a 6 foot 165 pound lefty. He gets Collette to ground right back to him for out number one. Cottam draws a full count walk. Johnson puts down a bunt. He doesn't show it until late and it isn't a great butn, but it works as a sacrifice that moves Cottam into scoring position.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Squires grounds one up the middle, but Xavier short gobbles it up and throws him out to end the inning. W're going to the 9th with the score tied 2-2.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Ramsey still on the mound for UK. The tall freshman now facing Warkentin, who flies one into foul territory towards Pompey in left. Pompey takes a relatively poor angle towards it, but Dawson doesn't. Dawson gives it big time effort, but can't bring it in. Ramsey had to battle a bit more, but he gets a second strikeout in a row and his third overall to start the 9th inning. Ramsey and Hjelle take that same big mean walk around the left side of the mound after a strikeout as they follow the ball around the infield. Ramsey follows it up with another swinging strikeout. This one on just some good gas down the middle. Dawson eats up a grounder at third and throws out the runner to get the third out and send UK to the bottom half of the 9th.

We're looking at more free baseball on the horizon if UK can't break open this 2-2 tie.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Does the official attendance announced include people on the Cliff and immediately behind it in parking lot?

I am not positive, but Gabriel somewhat seemed to indicate that it didn't indicate those in the parking lot. Not sure how they decide how many are on the deck?

 

[Comebakatz3]

Alex Rodriguez now coming in to pinch hit for Kessler, who was in for Heyer. ARod turns on one and puts it between third and short for a leadoff single. Dawson follows it up with a great bunt that he beats out for an infield single!!! This was a bunt that he pushed to first past the pitcher, who had to run after it and scoop with his glove to even have a play. It didn't work.

 

[Jeff Drummond]

time to walk it off!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Love seeing John T. Shelby up there celebrating a safe call on that should be sac bunt. Pompey not looking to square as he gets two straight balls, which give us a mound visit. Pompey then swings through a pitch before squaring to bunt and putting it down to move the runners over. 1 out with runners on second and third. Solid bunt from Pompey, that just died right before it got to the pitcher. A "wild pitch" gets away from the catcher on an intentional walk attempt. Really, it was a good pitch and probably could have almost been called a strike, but the Xavier catcher didn't handle it well and it rolls away, but doesn't get far enough for the runners to advance. So, after 3 more free ones we've got the bases loaded 1 out and a tie game with Aklinski up.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Aklinski swinging like he wants to be the hero rather than like he just wants to get the walk off fly ball. He is 0-3 and he goes down swinging. Collette works the count full, in order to make this more dramatic...

 

[jgodek]

Think that would’ve been ball 4. Ugh.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Strike three as Collette gets a piece, but the catcher hangs on and we're going to extra innings for the second time in just 5 games. 2-2 going to the 10th.

Kentucky has got to stop striking out. That is 10 strikeouts in this game. That is 38 through 5 games, which would be almost 8 strikeouts a game. That's not good.

 

[jgodek]

That’ll really sting if we can’t pull this out.

 

[Jeff Drummond]

END of 9: Kentucky 2, Xavier 2. Cats strike out twice with bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 9th. They're going to extra innings at CHS.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Ramsey still going for Kentucky and he gets another strikeout to begin the 10th. A liner gets past Collette and into the right field corner. Johnson bobbles it an that allows the runner to get to third with a double and an error.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Mound visit for UK to talk this through. We will see if Ramsey needs to be taken out or if he will just be settled down. Belanger decides to make a change and he'll go to a new pitcher.

 

[CB3UK]

I've been flipping back and forth. Great baseball game and a great basketba game both tonight . Neck and neck!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Machamer coming in to try to to make sure that Xavier doesn't score here.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I've been flipping back and forth. Great baseball game and a great basketba game both tonight . Neck and neck!

I have the basketball game on the kitchen tv with the sound down low and the baseball game on the computer with the sound up. Basketball is pretty frustrating... does everyone seem to just rain threes on us or what?

 

[jgodek]

That was a horrible throw.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Pinch hitter for Xavier, Monastra, who has been to the dish 3 times, but has failed to get a hit so far. Mach falls behind 2 balls before getting back to back strikes. Short fly ball to right center, Johnson takes it in right. Runner tagged and would have been out by a country mile, but the throw is to the wrong side and Squires fails to collect the ball before tagging and the runner is safe to give Xavier the lead 3-2 in the top of the 10th.

 

[Comebakatz3]

That was a horrible throw.

and a terrible pickup by Squires. I think Aklinski has to call off Johnson on that and allow Aklinski to get behind it to make a strong throw.

 

[RogerIndy]

I have the basketball game on the kitchen tv with the sound down low and the baseball game on the computer with the sound up. Basketball is pretty frustrating... does everyone seem to just rain threes on us or what?

I have an Apple TV and can use the ESPN app and have it in split screen. But I might have a heart attack

 

[jgodek]

and a terrible pickup by Squires. I think Aklinski has to call off Johnson on that and allow Aklinski to get behind it to make a strong throw.

Saw it and thought there was no way they would send the runner or score there. Gonna need to offense to find a way here..

 

[Comebakatz3]

Mach gives up a four pitch walk and then follows it up with another walk (I believe) to put runners on first and second. Runners advance on an 0-2 pitch in the dirt that Squires can't find. Xavier interestingly tries to steal home and UK gets them at the plate to end the inning.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Should have had it in the B 9th, bases loaded and 1 out, just too anxious at the plate swung at bad pitches.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Saw it and thought there was no way they would send the runner or score there. Gonna need to offense to find a way here..

That was extremely shallow. I imagine that it probably even surprised Johnson that they were going on such a shallow fly ball, and that might be why he didn't set up behind it and prepare a better throw. It was poor defense all around though. Squires had plenty of time to collect and to make the tag and he failed to do so.

 

[AgesBlue]

Got my rally cap on and turned around ...... RALLY CATS !!!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Cottam leads things off and he goes up 3-1 before drawing a walk. If I am UK, I take him down, and they do. Zeke Lewis comes in to run for Cottam at first base. UK calling time out to discuss things. Johnson with a chance to make up for the error and poor throw that cost his team a run and possibly the game. He could bunt here.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Johnson is squaring, but pulls back to take ball one. An inside pitch hits Johnson's bat as he tries to sac bunt on an inside pitch, and he tries get out of the way for strike one. He swings at the second strike before looking at one outside. He then looks at strike three in the bottom of the zone. Terrible inning for Johnson.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Squires now up and he swings at a 2-1 and fails to protect the moving Lewis, who gets thrown out. Squires then flies out.

UK loses its home opener 2-3.