Aggies Fall in Series Finale at No. 13 Kentucky

Sunday, April 23

Lexington, Ky.

12:00 PM

Texas A&M

25-15, 9-9

Kentucky

30-9, 11-7

Texas A&M

Kentucky

Apr 23, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score SEC Standings

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Texas A&M Aggies could not take advantage of early opportunities as No. 13 Kentucky salvaged an 8-1 win in the series finale on Sunday at Kentucky Proud Park.

Texas A&M (25-15, 9-9 SEC) left eight runners on the bases in the first four innings and was never able to draw even after Kentucky (30-9, 11-7 SEC) grabbed the early lead with runs in each of the first two innings.

Matt Dillard got the nod for his first start as an Aggie and allowed just two runs in 3.2 innings but fell to 1-3 on the year with the loss. Evan Byers got his first win of the year for Kentucky with 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Zack Lee.

A&M had a single and drew three walks in the first inning but were unable to cash in on runs. They loaded the bases again in the third inning but were only able to get a run-scoring fly ball from Jace LaViolette.

Kentucky, meanwhile, built up a 4-1 lead through five frames, but got the big hit the Aggies were unable to find when Jackson Gray tripled home three runs and then scored himself on a sacrifice fly in a four-run seventh.

Gray reached base in all four of his plate appearances finished with double shy of the cycle with four RBI in the game for the Wildcats.

TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Jace LaViolette – 0-for-2, SF, RBI
Jack Moss – 1-for-3, HBP, 1 R
Ryan Targac – 1-for-4, 2B

UP NEXT
Texas A&M returns home on Tuesday to host Sam Houston at Blue Bell Park. The game is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch and will be streamed on SEC Network+. It can be heard locally on 1150 AM/93.7 FM The Zone.

GAME SUMMARY
B1 | UK 1, A&M 0
The Aggies left the bases loaded in the top of the first, but Kentucky was able to get a run home in the bottom of the frame. Back-to-back singles by Hunter Gilliam and Emilien Pitre got runners on and a two-out RBI single to center field by Reuben Church plated the first run of the game for the Wildcats.

B2 | UK 2, A&M 0
Kentucky added another run to its tally when Jackson Gray kept a line drive fair to left field for his third home run of the year, a solo shot that upped the Wildcat lead to 2-0.

T3 | UK 2, A&M 1
One inning later the Aggies were finally able to get a run back after a hit batter and singles by Trevor Werner and Austin Bost loaded the bases, setting the table for Jace LaViolette who picked up the RBI by plating Jack Moss from third base with a sacrifice fly.

B5 | UK 4, A&M 1
The bottom of the fifth inning was a frustrating frame for the Aggies as the Wildcats scraped home a pair of runs despite not recording a hit and not getting a ball out of the infield. Three of the first four hitters of the inning reached on a pair of walks and a hit batter, and a wild pitch from reliever Josh Stewart plated the first run. The Aggies then turned to Justin Lamkin from the bullpen and he retired the first hitter he faced when Jase Felker lined out on a bunt attempt, but he then issued a walk to Jackson Gray and uncorked a wild pitch of his own that plated Devin Burkes. Kentucky tried to force in another run on the following batter, but Grant Smith was tagged out by Lamkin at the plate when he tried to come home on a ball in the dirt.

B7 | UK 8, A&M 1
Kentucky broke it open in the seventh, scoring four times, primarily on the back of Gray. A hit batter, single and walk loaded the bases with one out for Gray and the Wildcat center fielder followed that sequence with a triple into the right-field corner to score three runs. He came home to score his second run of the game one batter later on a sacrifice fly by Grant Smith.