April 14, 2023

Pass the Baton: No. 11 Kentucky Topples No. 1 LSU

Wildcats erase a four-run deficit, outlast the Tigers 13-10 in Baton Rouge

By Matt May

Kentucky University

BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 11 Kentucky rebounded from its worst loss of the season with a resilient 13-10 victory over top-ranked LSU on Friday night at Alex Box Stadium, one night after being overwhelmed in a run-rule defeat.

Senior Chase Stanke, who was celebrating his birthday, had three hits and drove in four runs with a two-run home run and pair of RBI singles to lead a charge that came from nearly every player who stepped between the lines.

The Cats improved to 28-6 overall and 10-4 in Southeastern Conference play.

Sophomore Nolan McCarthy had a bases loaded triple to drive in three and Jackson Gray and 2B Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), who hit third, joined Stanke with three hits each, as Kentucky pounded out 14 hits. Pitcher Mason Moore was excellent in relief, Darren Williams earned the win and Ryder Giles got six monstrous outs to earn the save.

NOTES

Kentucky is 35-9 over its last 44 games dating to last season.

UK is 19-10 in its last 29 games vs. SEC opponents.

UK is 14-18 all-time vs. No. 1-ranked teams.

UK is 10-31-1 all-time in Baton Rouge.

UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and now owns a 204-135 career record.

UK is 47-47 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.

Mingione is 4-9 vs. LSU

UK has scored in 332 of 339 games under Coach Mingione.

UK scored five runs in the fifth and five in the seventh, the 26th and 27th time it has scored four or more runs in an inning.

LSU has scored 17 of its 26 runs in the series by batters who reached base via walk, hit by pitch or error.

Infielder Emilien Pitre went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.

He had his 11th multi-hit game of the season.

He has seven hits in the series.