LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky rallied from a two-run deficit with a four-run sixth inning, capped off by a two-run homer by Sean Coughlin to defeat Vanderbilt 8-6 in a seven-inning contest Sunday afternoon at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
The game was the regularly scheduled final game of the series, with the second game of the series to be concluded after being suspended yesterday due to rain.
Vanderbilt scored two runs to break a 4-4 tie and took a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Wilkes led off the inning with a double to right off of Ty Davis and then moved to second when Keenan Wiley was hit by a pitch by Stephen Shao who relieved Davis. Mike Brown sacrificed both runners over, but Shao struck out Antone DeJesus for the second out in the inning. A passed ball by catcher Andrew Giobbi scored Wilkes and advanced Wiley to third before Sawyer Carroll came through with a RBI single up the middle to tie the game. Coughlin then followed with a homer to left-center that got into the wind and cleared the wall and a leaping Matt Meingasner to give the Wildcats an 8-6 lead.
Brock Baber recorded the final two outs of the seventh to record his first save. Duran Ferguson recorded two outs in the sixth to pick up the win to move to 2-1.
Shao was charged with three runs on three hits in an inning of work with a strikeout in the losing effort. Davis gave up three runs on four hits in four innings of relief with three strikeouts and two walks.
Ryan Flaherty had two hits and two RBI, while Macias recorded two hits and two runs scored to lead the VU offense. Sean Coughlin led UK with three hits and four RBI.
VU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first after taking advantage of two fielding errors by the Wildcats and a RBI single by Dominic de la Osa.
UK came right back to tie the game in the bottom half, taking advantage of three walks by Nick Christiani, including one with the bases loaded.
Christiani was pulled after the first inning after giving up two runs on two hits with a strikeout and three walks.
The Wildcats then took the lead in the second on a RBI single by Sean Coughlin off of reliever Ty Davis.
Ryan Flaherty came through with a RBI single in the third to tie the game back up at 3-3.
Sawyer Carroll’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth put Kentucky back up on top 4-3. Keenan Wiley led off with a single, Mike Brown walked and Antone DeJesus bunted them over to second and third before Carroll came through with the sac fly to right.
VU came right back in the top of the fifth to tie it again on another RBI single by Flaherty. David Macias led off the inning and one out later moved to second on a grounder by de la Osa before Flaherty came through with the single through the middle.
The Commodores took a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth courtesy of RBI hits by Alex Feinberg and Brad French. Matt Meingasner started things with a one out walk off of starter Greg Dombrowski. Feinberg then lined a double into right-center to score Meingasner. Brad French followed with a high-hop single over the third baseman’s head to bring in Feinberg to make it 6-4.
The Commodores will hit the road for two midweek games against local foes Lipscomb on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Middle Tennessee on Wednesday at 6 p.m. VU will then host in-state rival Tennessee in a three game SEC series over the weekend.
Vanderbilt 201 012 0 – 6 9 0
Kentucky 210 104 x – 8 9 3
Christiani, Davis (2), Shao (6) and Giobbi. Dombrowski, Ferguson (6), Paxton (7), Baber (7) and Coughlin. W- Ferguson 2-1, L- Shao 0-1. Sv-None. HR- UK: Coughlin (7).
