LSU completes super regional sweep to knock Kentucky baseball out of NCAA Tournament
Kentucky baseball’s NCAA Tournament run ended with an 8-3 loss to LSU on Sunday, finishing the Tigers’ sweep of the best-of-three super regional.
Here is what you need to know about the game.
Turning point
Kentucky, playing as the home team, jumped out to an early lead thanks to a leadoff home run from center fielder Jackson Gray in the bottom of the first inning, but LSU answered with a run of its own in the second inning. The Tigers then took control of the game in the top of the third on a three-run home run by designated hitter Cade Beloso. LSU added another run latter in the inning on a bases-loaded slow roller to third base that was scored an infield single.
On the mound
Kentucky starter Austin Strickland was unable to repeat his dominance from the regional round in which he threw six scoreless innings in an elimination game against West Virginia. Against LSU’s vaunted lineup, Strickland looked off almost immediately. He worked in and out of trouble throughout his 2 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on five hits with four walks and one strikeout.
The Wildcats were able to stay in the game thanks to another dazzling relief appearance from sophomore Mason Moore. The Rowan County High School graduate struck out five batters while walking two and surrendering just two hits in 4 1/3 innings. In three NCAA Tournament appearances, Moore did not surrender a run across 14 1/3 innings of relief.
Rather than save seventh-year senior Darren Williams for a possible winner-take-all game on Sunday, UK Coach Nick Mingione sent the multi-inning reliever to the mound in the eighth inning, but Williams left with two on and none out in the ninth after being hit by a line drive. LSU then blew the game open, adding three more runs against four Kentucky relievers.
At the plate
Kentucky’s surprising postseason power barrage continued Sunday with three solo home runs in the first four innings from Gray, catcher Devin Burkes and right fielder Nolan McCarthy. The Wildcats hit nine home runs in seven NCAA Tournament games after hitting just 42 in 54 games before the tournament.
UK had multiple chances to pull even closer but were unable to cash in multiple scoring opportunities. The Wildcats left 11 men on base. The best chance came in the bottom of the seventh inning when designated hitter Reuben Church just missed a possible game-tying double when it landed inches foul down the left field line. Two pitches later Church took a called strike three on a borderline pitch on the inside corner to end the inning.
What’s next
UK’s season ends with a 40-21 record and two wins shy of the College World Series. The 2023 season marked the end of a five-year NCAA Tournament drought and just the second super regional appearance in program history. Kentucky was swept in both its super regionals, at Louisville in 2017 and at LSU this weekend.
In the era of the transfer portal, roster continuity can never be assumed, but on paper Kentucky could have an even stronger team next season.
The 2023 roster does not include a single player ranked in MLB.com’s top 200 prospects list for the upcoming draft. Moore could slide into the weekend rotation next season alongside redshirt freshman Travis Smith, assuming Kentucky is able to fight off any transfer interest from traditional powers in the promising duo. While there are no surefire 2023 draft prospects on the roster, several players will likely have decisions to make about late-round selections or free agent offers.
Williams, Gray, first baseman Hunter Gilliam and third baseman Jase Felker are among the players who have exhausted their college eligibility, but other seniors will have to decide whether to use the extra year of eligibility granted all players in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic to return to school.
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