Cats fall to No. 20 College of Charleston

In the season opener, the UK wildcats fell to the No. 20 College of Charleston Cougars.  Charleston’s batters scored 11 runs with 14 hits versus UK’s 6 runs and 5 hits.

The first inning started well for the Cats.  Both senior Neiko Johnson and senior Taylor Black were hit by pitch and took an easy base.  Junior Chad Wright reached base on fielder’s choice.  With a runner in scoring position, junior Braden Kapteyn hit and allowed for a double play.  Sophomore starter Jordan Cooper allowed two hits and one run but left three men on base.

Kapteyn turned things around for the Cats with the first home run in the season, scoring three runs with one hit in the top of the third inning and bringing the score to 3-1.  His home run was matched by back to back Cougar home runs; one earning three runs which brought the score to 4-3.

Freshman Corey Littrell came in to pitch for Cooper during the bottom of the fourth.  Littrell allowed only two hits in the 4^th and 5^th before allowing Charleston five runs with five hits in the 6th.  Senior sidewinder Nick Kennedy stepped in and allowed one run and two hits.  Sophomore Walter Wijus closed for the Wildcats and only gave up two hits with no runs.

While the pitching was struggling, the batting was trying to hit a steady stride.  In the 6^th, the Cats recorded two runs from sophomore Luke Maile and Kapteyn on junior Michael Williams’s double.  The only other run for the Cats came from freshmen Lucas Witt in the 8^th when he was able to reach on fielder’s choice.

With the major holes  in the offense from graduation and the MLB draft, the new and returning Bat-Cats have to step it up if they want to make it anywhere in the always tough SEC.   Out of ten batters, only four batters recorded a hit.  While the new bats may be to blame for part of this, it is no full excuse.  The pitchers will also have to step up their game and get better control of the ball to prevent walks and wild pitches.  Cooper tripled his number of walks from last year in two innings.  It makes me wonder…Will UK really have a year of the pitchers?  Or will they have a heartbreaking season?

Tomorrow the Cats face Marshall at 5 PM.  The game can be listened to and followed through UK's website.