The Wildcats defeat Louisville 17-13 in four-hour slugfest to claim Bluegrass battle
LOUISVILLE – April 16, 2024
Ryan Waldschmidt drove in six runs, hometown kid Ryan Nicholson drove in three more and No. 3 Kentucky outlasted Louisville 17-13 in a slugfest at Jim Patterson Stadium on Tuesday night to claim state bragging rights for 2024.
Waldschmidt led off the game with a solo shot to center and later added both a two-run double and three-run 463-foot behemoth blast that exited the stadium. His six RBI tied the six Ryan Ritter had in the Cats’ 2021 victory at Louisville. Nicholson, who played his high school ball at St. Xavier in Louisville, belted his seventh home run in the past six games in front of a bevy of family and friends.
Mitchell Daly added a home run, Nick Lopez added three more hits to boost his season average back over .400 and Austin Fawley connected on a two-run double as UK (31-5) added two five-run and a four-run inning.
The teams played plinko early before the Cats jumped out to an eight-run lead and after the Cardinals cut into the deficit, a 10-run advantage. More than four hours after first pitch UK finally celebrated its 19th win in the past 21 games.
NOTES
- Kentucky now is 31-5 in 2024, 14-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
- Kentucky has won 19 of its past 21 games.
- Kentucky is 12-4 in night games.
- Kentucky is 13-2 in “true” road games, 15-3 away from Lexington.
- It is the most road wins in a season in school history.
- Kentucky is 7-1 in April.
- Kentucky has won 20 of its past 22 regular season non-conference games.
- Kentucky has hit 19 home runs in its last five games.
- Kentucky scored three runs or more in an inning for the 47th, 48th and 49th times this season.
- UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 247-155 career record.
- Mingione needs 11 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
- UK is 56-55 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.
- Mingione now is 4-9 vs. Louisville.
- Junior Ryan Waldschmidt was 3-for-5 with four runs, six RBI, a double, two homers, a walk and a HBP.
- He clubbed two home runs on the night, a solo shot to lead off the game and a three-run shot in the 5th inning.
- He also had a two-run double as part of a night where he reached base five times.
- It was his 10th multi-hit game of the season and 22nd career.
- It was his 6th multi-RBI game and 17th career.
- Senior Ryan Nicholson went 3-for-4 with a run, three RBI, two walks, a steal and a home run.
- He hit a home run in a fourth straight game, the first Wildcat to do that since Grant Smith last season.
- He has five home runs in those four games.
- He now has seven home runs in his last six games.
- It was his 10th multi-hit and 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
- He reached safely each of his first five plate appearances.
- Senior Nick Lopez was 3-for-4 with three runs, an RBI and two walks.
- It was his 15th multi-hit game of the season.
- He reached safely each of his first five plate appearances.
- He extended his streak of consecutive at bats reaching safely to nine before a 7th inning groundout.
- The 9 straight, in order: 1B, BB, HR, HR, BB, 1B, BB, 1B, 1B
- Senior Mitchell Daly was 2-for-5 with two runs, four RBI, a double, a homer and a walk.
- It was his 7th multi-hit and 6th multi-RBI game of the season.
- Junior Nolan McCarthy was 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI, a HBP and a double.
- It was his 8th multi-hit game of the season and 16th career.
- R-Freshman Austin Fawley hit a two-run double.
- It was his 1st career multi-RBI game and first double of his career.
ON DECK
The Wildcats open one of the most anticipated series in their history when No. 2 Tennessee arrive on Friday. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on the SECN+ and there will be an audio broadcast via the UK Sports Network.
