Game one of a doubleheader on Friday didn’t go exactly like the LSU Tigers (26-13, 9-7 SEC) wanted on Friday afternoon as the Kentucky Wildcats (18-2, 11-5 SEC) got hot off the bat with 16 hits in a 12-5 victory.
Kole Cottam got the Wildcats on the board in the bottom of the first after he grounded out to send home Evan White. Later in the inning, Riley Mahan increased their lead to 2-0 with an RBI single to left field.
The Tigers did respond in the second with a pair of RBI doubles from Nick Coomes and Josh Smith to tie things up. The stalemate wouldn’t last long as Mahan hit an RBI double in the third. Two batters later, Tyler Marshall gave the Wildcats some cushion with a two-run double to right center field.
Luke Becker really helped out Kentucky’s cause in the fifth with a solo shot in the fifth and a grand slam to help put the game away in the bottom of the seventh.
Jared Poche dropped to 6-3 on the season allowing five runs off of seven hits, walked two, and struck out two in three innings of work.
Game two of the doubleheader is set for 6:05 pm.
-Clint Domingue