The sophomore blasted fifth-inning homer but Kentucky falls in series sweep
FORT WORTH, Texas – Trae Harmon clobbered the first home run of his career and drove in three runs but it wasn’t enough for Kentucky as it fell TCU, 10-5, in the series finale at Lupton Stadium. The defeat concluded a weekend sweep at the hands of the Horned Frogs, who have reached the College World Series four times in the past six seasons.
Harmon, from Somerset, Kentucky, earned the first start of his career after pinch hitting in each of the first two games of the season. In his second at bat he delivered the Cats’ first hit of the afternoon, a moonshot to left field that landed in the shadows of the three oversized flags fluttering above the trees. He added a two-run single in the eighth for a career-high three-RBI day.
Like the first two games of the series, the Cats (0-3) were undone by unforced mistakes. After retiring the first five hitters of the game, starter Dillon Marsh issued a pair of two-out walks, opening the door for a five-run inning. In all, 10 of the Horned Frogs’ runs on the weekend came from runners who reached via walk or hit by pitch.
The Cats will have a chance to steady themselves beginning Tuesday when they open a 15-game home stretch at Kentucky Proud Park against Southeast Missouri State.
SCORING
Bottom 2nd – Conner Shepherd and Zach Humphreys drew two-out walks. Gray Rodgers singled to LF, scoring Shepherd. Phillips Sikes reached on fielder’s choice to load the bases. Porter Brown walked, scoring Shepherd. Tommy Sacco doubled into the LF corner, scoring three. TCU 5, UK 0.
Bottom 4th – Humphreys doubled to open the inning and moved to third on a flyout. Sikes reached on an error, Humphreys scored. TCU 6, UK 0.
Top 5th – Trae Harmon homered to LF. Jaren Shelby walked, John Rhodes singled and Zeke Lewis reached on an error to load the bases. Austin Schultz singled off the pitcher’s glove, scoring Shelby. TCU 6, UK 2.
Bottom 5th – Gene Wood homered to LF. TCU 7, UK 2.
Bottom 6th – Rodgers homered to RF. TCU 8, UK 2.
Bottom 7th – Wood homered to RF. TCU 9, UK 2.
Top 8th – Matt Golda had a pinch hit single and T.J. Collett singled to CF. After a passed ball moved up both runners, Harmon singled to CF, scoring Golda and Collett. TCU 9, UK 4.
Bottom 8th – Rodgers singled to CF, moved to second on a balk, to third on a groundout and scored on Tommy Sacco’s SAC fly. TCU 10, UK 4.
Top 9th – Shelby singled, Rhodes doubled and Cam Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Oraj Anu hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Shelby. TCU 10, UK 5.
NOTES
- Kentucky has scored in 122 consecutive games and 198 of the past 199 dating to the 2016 season. The lone shutout came in a seven-inning game. The current streak is the second-longest in school history and fourth-longest active streak in the country.
- Sophomore INF Austin Schultz has reached base safely in 43 of the past 44 games and 16 consecutive contests.
- Sophomore 1B/OF Trae Harmon clobbered his first career home run, a solo shot to LF.
- He finished the day 2-for-4 with a single, home run and three RBI.
- The three RBI are a career-high.
- Junior INF Matt Golda collected the first hit of his collegiate career in his first plate appearance.
- Freshmen RHP Ron Cole made his collegiate debut on the mound.
ON DECK
The Cats open a 15-game homestand at Kentucky Proud Park on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. ET vs. Southeast Missouri State. The game will be aired on SECN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.
