Cats open series against MTSU with win
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated.com
@JDrumUK
Zack Thompson dominates Blue Raiders, allowing only one run over seven innings with nine strikeouts. Breydon Daniel, Cam Hill go deep for Kentucky.
UK lefty Zack Thompson.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Kentucky preseason All-American Zack Thompson picked up his first win of the season Friday by pitching the Wildcats to a 4-1 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the opener of a three-game series at Kentucky Proud Park.
Thompson (1-0) allowed only one run on four hits over seven innings of work. The junior left-hander, considered one of the top hurlers in college baseball this season, also struck out nine Blue Raiders without issuing a walk.
Daniel Harper and Jimmy Ramsey closed out the win for the Wildcats with two innings of scoreless relief. Ramsey earned his first save by working the ninth inning.
Kentucky (9-4) made the most of its seven hits on the day. Breydon Daniel and Cam Hill provided the power with home runs. Hill's two-run shot in the fourth inning, his first of the season, gave the Cats the lead for good.
Hill and Coltyn Kessler each had two hits to lead UK. Daniel, Ryan Shinn and Zeke Lewis each added one hit. It marked the third long ball of the season for Daniel, a junior college transfer.
Zach Keenan (1-2) started and took the loss for MTSU. He allowed all four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out seven over six innings.
The Blue Raiders dropped to 5-8 on the season.
The series resumes on Saturday at KPP with a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.
@JDrumUK
Zack Thompson dominates Blue Raiders, allowing only one run over seven innings with nine strikeouts. Breydon Daniel, Cam Hill go deep for Kentucky.
UK lefty Zack Thompson.
Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated
Kentucky preseason All-American Zack Thompson picked up his first win of the season Friday by pitching the Wildcats to a 4-1 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the opener of a three-game series at Kentucky Proud Park.
Thompson (1-0) allowed only one run on four hits over seven innings of work. The junior left-hander, considered one of the top hurlers in college baseball this season, also struck out nine Blue Raiders without issuing a walk.
Daniel Harper and Jimmy Ramsey closed out the win for the Wildcats with two innings of scoreless relief. Ramsey earned his first save by working the ninth inning.
Kentucky (9-4) made the most of its seven hits on the day. Breydon Daniel and Cam Hill provided the power with home runs. Hill's two-run shot in the fourth inning, his first of the season, gave the Cats the lead for good.
Hill and Coltyn Kessler each had two hits to lead UK. Daniel, Ryan Shinn and Zeke Lewis each added one hit. It marked the third long ball of the season for Daniel, a junior college transfer.
Zach Keenan (1-2) started and took the loss for MTSU. He allowed all four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out seven over six innings.
The Blue Raiders dropped to 5-8 on the season.
The series resumes on Saturday at KPP with a 1 p.m. ET first pitch.
