Kentucky baseball opens NCAA Tournament play with 4-0 win over Ball State

Kentucky baseball opened NCAA Tournament play in dominant fashion with a 4-0 win over Ball State on Friday to advance to the winner’s side of the double-elimination Lexington Regional.

Sophomore catcher Devin Burkes put the Wildcats ahead with a fourth-inning solo home run then walked as part of a three-run eighth inning that added some needed insurance runs. Reliever Mason Moore pitched five perfect innings to closer down the win in front of 4,935 at Kentucky Proud Park.

Here is what you need to know from the game.

Turning point

In a game dominated by pitching, Burkes gave the Wildcats all the offense they needed with his fourth-inning solo home run. The blast, which just cleared the right-center field fence, came on a 2-2 count. The next half-inning, Moore came on to shut down the Ball State offense for the rest of the game.

On the mound

Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Travis Smith more than held his own in his first career postseason start. Smith showed impressive composure, working around a first-inning jam in which Ball State put runners on second and third with just one out without surrendering a run then settled in. He surrendered three hits and two walks in four scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Mason Moore, who leads Kentucky with four saves on the season, came on with a runner on an no outs in the fifth inning. He quickly induced a double-play and a flyout to right field to silence the scoring threat then added four more perfect innings with two strikeouts.

At the plate

Ball State ace Trennor O’Donnell, who entered the game with a 2.98 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings pitched, shut down the Wildcats’ offense outside of the Burkes home run, surrendering just four hits in 7 1/3 innings. When Ball State was finally forced to go to its bullpen with O’Donnell at 119 pitches, Kentucky’s offense came to life. A single and a walk loaded the bases before senior shortstop Grant Smith scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore second baseman Emilien Pitre then drove home two runs with a line-drive single to center field.

What’s next

Kentucky will face Indiana, which beat West Virginia on Friday, on Saturday at 6 p.m. The fact that the Wildcats won their opener without using their most effective starter (Zach Lee) or multi-inning relief weapon (Darren Williams) is a boost to the coaching staff’s ability to map out an effective pitching plan with at least two more wins needed to advance to a super regional. Moore might even be able to pitch again after throwing just 50 pitches in five innings.

NCAA Tournament Lexington Regional

When: Friday through Monday

Where: Kentucky Proud Park

Tickets: UKBaseballTix.com

Teams: Kentucky, Ball State, Indiana, West Virginia.

Format: Double-elimination

At stake: Winner advances to NCAA Tournament’s 16-team super-regional round next week.

Lexington Regional schedule

Friday

Game 1: Kentucky 4, Ball State 0

Game 2: Indiana 12, West Virginia 6

Saturday

Game 3: Ball State vs. West Virginia, Noon (ESPN Plus)

Game 4: Kentucky vs. Indiana, 6 p.m. (SEC Network)

Sunday:

Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, Noon (TV TBA)

Game 6: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m. (TV TBA)

Monday (if necessary):

Game 7: Same teams as in Game 6, time TBA (TV TBA)

How to watch Kentucky baseball’s Lexington Regional NCAA Tournament games

A 25-year-old pitcher in his 7th college season is key for Kentucky’s NCAA baseball hopes