Pitching Leads Cats Past Spartans on Saturday
The Kentucky baseball team needed a win on Saturday against USC Upstate to keep its season alive. The Cats got that win, largely due to an outstanding job by its pitching staff.
Nic McCay got the start for Kentucky and was very good early. He retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, giving up just a leadoff walk in the second inning.
McCay ran into trouble in the third inning, allowing three hits and three runs while walking two batters. Those three runs allowed the Spartans to tie the game at 3-3 through four innings.
Lefty Ethan Walker came on in the fifth inning and retired the first five batters he faced. After hitting a batter, Walker retired the next seven batters he faced, getting the Cats into the ninth inning. The Spartans got a couple of runners on in the final stanza, but Walker shut the door to get the win. He allowed no runs and just one hit in five innings, striking out seven and walking none.
UK head coach Nick Mingione sang Walker’s praises after Saturday’s game.
“Ethan started out in our rotation. He started out pitching on the weekends,” Mingione said. “We had a freshman in Nate Harris throwing the ball really well. Long story short, Ethan moves to the bullpen and never one time did this guy whine, complain or make excuses. Never one time did he feel sorry for himself, never one time did he ever show any frustration. His message to the coaching staff was that he would do whatever the team needs to win. I can tell you that his heart was right. I had the utmost confidence to put him in the game. I didn’t care if the game was tied or we were down or up, Ethan Walker was pitching. For him to be able to do this in that moment, none of us are surprised, because of his heart.”
All of this came against the nation’s second-leading scoring team, which entered the weekend scoring 9.7 runs per game and that had produced 101 home runs on the season.
After Saturday’s game, Walker admitted that just believing has made a big difference for him late this season.
“No adjustments, just confidence in my pitching coach and the defense behind me,” Walker said. “That’s what’s been working.”
Walker feels especially comfortable with the guys out there on the field with him.
“I give all of (the credit) to the defense,” Walker said. “Just trusting them and knowing that they’re going to make plays behind me. It loosens my muscles when I’m on the mound.”
Even that was classic Walker, according to his head coach.
“He threw 62 pitches in five innings and gave us a chance to win that game,” Mingione said. “And all he’s doing is deflecting (credit) like a goalie. It just says everything you need to know about him.”
With the season on the line, Walker stepped into a huge role and delivered an outstanding performance so that the Cats are able to advance and play again on Sunday.
