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The Kentucky Wildcats are back in the win column, as they picked up a road win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers by a score of 15-4.
It didn’t take the Cats long to strike, as in the top of the second inning, Marshall Gei ripped a triple to score Cam Hill and put Kentucky on-top 1-0.
The Cats would strike again in the top of the third, as Ryan Johnson hit his first home run of the season, going opposite field to put Kentucky up 2-0.
With the score 2-1 in the top of the fourth, the Cats got the long ball working yet again as for the second straight game Zeke Lewis went deep for his second carer college home run, extending the Cats lead to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth, it was Johnson for the second time, this time a solo shot over the right-field bullpen and out of Bowling Green Ballpark to extend Kentucky’s lead.
Up 5-1 in the top of the sixth, it was again Johnson at the plate, and for the third straight at-bat, the Kentucky lead-off hitter produced the same result, as he slugged his third solo home run of the game adding onto his historic night.
ONCE, TWICE, THRICE IS NICE!!!
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 24, 2019
This is not a re-post... Ryan Johnson has homered in three consecutive at bats!!!
Yes, three!! Unbelievable! #DingerSZN #WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/bd98Ch7nrP
After five strong innings from starter Dillon Marsh, Kentucky turned to their bullpen in the bottom of the sixth.
For the Hilltoppers, seeing the Kentucky bullpen was a welcome sight, as the struck for tw runs, cutting Kentucky’s lead in half at 6-3.
Luckily for the Wildcats, the home run party continued, as Austin Schultz slugged a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, putting Kentucky up 8-3.
The home run party would continue in the top of the eighth, as Ryan Shinn hit his team-leading 12th home run of this season with a three-run shot to push the Cats lead to 11-3.
SHINNY!!!!!!!!!!@TheRealShinny GETS SHINNY WITH IT for the 12th time this season! A three-run #BigBlueBomb that is absolutely pulverized to LCF. #Dinger#WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/pbgNOIV84l
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 24, 2019
Both teams would score late-inning runs, but none affected the end result, as the Wildcats rolled to a 15-4 win.
With the win, Kentucky swept the two-game season series with the Hilltoppers as they also defeated WKU on March 13th at Kentucky Proud Park.
In the two games combined Kentucky outscored Western 30-4.
Kentucky (21-20) will resume conference play this weekend as they head to Gainsville to take on the Florida Gators for a three-game series. Friday and Saturday’s games can be watched on SEC Network + while Sunday’s ball-game will be televised on ESPN2.