Offensive 'Pressure' Leads Cats Past Tigers on Saturday
The Kentucky baseball team, especially the offense, prides itself on putting pressure on the opposing defense. Whether it’s stealing bases, hit and runs, bunting or hitting the long ball, the Cats look to stress its opponent however they can.
On Sunday, UK was able to do just that. The Cats racked up 13 hits, were hit by three pitches, had four extra-base hits and were very aggressive on the basepaths, forcing the Tigers into a season-high seven errors as Kentucky pounded Clemson 16-4 in an elimination game at the Clemson Regional of the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament.
The 16 runs tied the most runs that Kentucky has ever scored in an NCAA Tournament game. UK scored 16 against Indiana in the 2023 Lexington Regional at Kentucky Proud Park and was able to equal that number on Sunday.
UK head coach Nick Mingione liked how his offense continued to stay on the attack throughout Sunday’s game.
“Proud of our team for the offensive execution and then our ability to apply a lot of pressure,” Mingione said. “Still have a long way to go. I would just tell you that this was one of those games where it was just clicking on all cylinders for us. We battled.”
Luke Lawrence continued his hot streak with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and an RBI, batting in the leadoff spot for the second straight game. Mingione liked how Lawrence was able to set the table for the UK lineup.
“The quality of his at-bats, boy is he just giving us good at-bat after good at-bat,” Mingione said. “Consistency compounds and his ability to, even when he gets out, he just moves on. And that comes with maturity. It’s been special and we need him to keep going.”
Sunday’s game did not start in ideal fashion for Kentucky. Clemson, which was designated as the visiting team, scored two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead. However, the Cats answered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning, as Tyler Bell and James McCoy were hit by pitches, then were brought home on a single by Carson Hansen.
In the third inning, UK took control of the game with a five-run inning, aided by three hits, two Clemson errors, a wild pitch, a passed ball, and two walks. By the time the frame was over UK was up 7-2.
The onslaught continued in the fourth inning. Kentucky started the inning with four consecutive hits followed by a sacrifice fly from McCoy. Hits from Hansen, Patrick Herrera and Ryan Schwartz followed and UK took a commanding 10-2 lead in the process.
Kentucky added a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to lead 16-3.
The Cats advanced to their third consecutive NCAA Regional final, where UK will meet West Virginia at 6 p.m. Kentucky will need to win on Sunday night, then again on Monday, to win the regional.
Kentucky will continue to try to stress the opposition on Sunday night, something that could get UK into a winner-take-all game on Monday.
