Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky held off Indiana State in both games of Saturday's doubleheader as the Sycamores fell to the host Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Field by scores of 4-2 and 5-4.
 
Parker Stinson and Mike Sears both homered for the Sycamores (2-8) to highlight the ISU offense, while Luis Hernandez and Randal Diaz both added RBI hits on the afternoon against UK (8-2).
 
The Sycamores' bullpen put on a dominant display on the afternoon as ISU's relievers combined to go nine scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts.
 
Game One: Kentucky 4, Indiana State 2
Kentucky scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning and held off the Indiana State offense to take the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at Kentucky Proud Park.
 
Parker Stinson homered to lead the Sycamores, while Cameron Holycross went a career-high 5.0 innings in a scoreless relief stint to pace Indiana State in the game. Luis Hernandez added an RBI double scoring Randal Diaz to cap the ISU scoring.
 
Kentucky took the 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second highlighted by a Grant Smith two-run single as the Wildcats took advantage of four of the first five batters reaching base in the frame to take the early lead.
 
The Sycamores battled back with Hernandez's RBI double in the top of the third and Stinson's first home run of the 2023 season in the fourth inning, but ISU was unable to connected against UK reliever Darren Williams (1-0) to mount a rally.
 
Indiana State put one on with one out in the top of the ninth inning as Stinson was hit by a pitch. Mike Sears followed with a single to left center, but the relay back to the infield caught Stinson at third base as UK was able to hold off the rally and close out the win.
 
Brayden Lybarger (1-1) took his first loss of the season after going the first two innings allowing all four UK runs. Aaron Moss recorded all three outs in the third inning before turning the ball over the Holycross in the fourth. The redshirt junior went the rest of the way scattering three hits and walking one while striking out five in the career outing.
 
Ryan Waldschmidt led UK with two of the Wildcats' seven hits in the game. He added Kentucky's lone extra-base hit, a one-out double in the sixth.
 
Williams went the final five innings in relief for Kentucky in earning his first win of the season. The reliever allowed the Sears single in the ninth while striking out two in support of starter Logan Martin (ND, 4.0 IP).
 
How They Scored

• Kentucky opened the scoring with a four-run second inning as the Wildcats went ahead 4-0 early. Ryan Waldschmidt connected on an RBI single for the first run, while Grant Smith highlighted the frame with a two-run single to put UK ahead.
• Luis Hernandez put Indiana State on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning as the sophomore connected on an RBI double down the left field line scoring Randal Diaz to cut the margin down to 4-1.
• Parker Stinson put the second ISU run on the board with a one-out solo home run to right centerfield putting the score at 4-2.

Game Two: Kentucky 5, Indiana State 4
Kentucky held off a late Indiana State rally courtesy of a Mike Sears three-run home run as the Sycamores fell in the nightcap at Kentucky Proud Field, 5-4.
 
With runners on first and second, Sears connected on an 0-2 pitch driving the ball over the left field fence and into the Kentucky bullpen to cut a 5-1 deficit down to a one run game. The blast was his team-leading third of the season and brought the Sycamore dugout to life late against the Wildcats.
 
Indiana State's relievers in the game combined to go three scoreless innings late to give the Sycamores a chance. Simon Gregersen fielded a popped-up bunt and turned it into an inning-ending double play in the seventh, while Jared Spencer struck out the final two Wildcat batters to give ISU a chance in the ninth.
 
The Sycamores put two on with two out in their final at-bats as Randal Diaz worked a full-count walk. Josue Urdaneta followed getting hit by a pitch, but the rally stalled as Luis Hernandez's fly ball down the right field line was hauled in for the final out to close out the contest.
 
Sears' home run highlighted Indiana State's six hits in the game, while Randal Diaz added an RBI single in the top of the fifth in the loss.
 
Matt Jachec (0-2) took the loss on the mound after surrendering eight hits and five runs over 5.0 innings. Jacob Pruitt added three strikeouts in relief.
 
Jackson Gray, Emilien Pitre, and Hunter Gilliam all posted multi-hit games as Kentucky connected on three triples in the contest. Gilliam added three RBI in the win.
 
Tyler Bosma (2-1) recorded the win after going 5.0 innings and allowing four hits and one run while striking out seven. Mason Moore (S, 2) added his second save of the year after closing out the eighth and ninth frames for UK.
 
How They Scored

• Kentucky took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Emilien Pitre connected on a leadoff triple before coming around to score on Hunter Gilliam's RBI single.
• The Sycamores tied the game up in the top of the fifth as Randal Diaz connected on a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield scoring Henry Brown to knot the game up at 1-1.
• Kentucky scored four in the bottom of the frame with Gilliam again providing the big hit with a two-run single through the right side scoring Devin Burkes and James McCoy to give the Wildcats the 5-1 lead.
• Mike Sears crushed an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence and into the UK bullpen for a three-run home run as the Sycamores cut the lead down to 5-4 in the top of the eighth. His blast followed a leadoff Josue Urdaneta walk and a Luis Hernandez hit-by-pitch to narrow the lead.

News & Notes

• Parker Stinson became the sixth Indiana State player to homer in the 2023 season as the redshirt sophomore went deep in the first game of the day.
• Mike Sears connected on his team-leading third home run in the nightcap and cracked double-digit RBI (11) on the season following his three-run blast.
• Josue Urdaneta and Seth Gergely continue to get on base as the duo have reached safely in all nine Indiana State games in the 2023 season.
• Gergely boasts a 16-game on-base streak dating back to the end of the 2022 season.
• Cameron Holycross became the second ISU reliever to post at least a 5.0-inning relief stint this year joining Connor Fenlong (5.2, Feb. 17 vs. Iowa).

Up Next
Indiana State and Kentucky close out the weekend series tomorrow at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live via SEC Network Plus.
 
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