Observations: Kentucky falls in another rubber match

Kentucky battled until the final out against No. 2 Texas, but it was a familiar result in another SEC rubber match.

Photo by Tyler Ruth of UK Athletics

For the fourth time in the past five weekends, Kentucky headed to the final game of an SEC series with a chance to secure the series. This opportunity against Texas, the nation’s No. 2 ranked team by D1baseball.com, came after the Wildcats outlasted the Longhorns 5-4 in 15 innings in one of the longest games Kentucky’s played in recent memory.

But like last weekend against Ole Miss, Kentucky put itself in a position to come away with the series win but ultimately came up short. The Wildcats brought the winning run to the plate with no outs in the ninth inning, but a sacrifice fly and game-ending double play gave Texas the 5-4 victory at Kentucky Proud Park.

For Kentucky, it’s another close game that ends in bitter defeat. Earlier in the week, the Wildcats took a 3-2 lead in extra innings against rival Louisville before the Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the frame for the walk-off win. On Friday night, Kentucky held a 3-2 lead over Texas going to the late innings, only for the Longhorns to score three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to seize control en route to a 6-3 win. After the 5-4 thriller on Saturday, Kentucky had one last shot on Sunday to secure what would have been a monumental win for the NCAA Tournament resume.

Now sitting at 6-9 in the league, Kentucky will host Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday night before traveling to Knoxville for a three-game set. Here are three observations from the series against Texas.

One situation on Saturday that said a lot about UK’s offensive approach

Kentucky plays an offensive style of baseball that’s unconventional to the rest of the SEC. At its best, it maximizes pressure on opposing defenses to make plays. Anyone, at any time, may be asked to lay down a bunt to advance runners on base. Kentucky will use both straight steals and delayed steals on the basepaths, and at the plate, players have a knack for reaching base via hit-by-pitch. The Wildcats entered Sunday with an SEC-leading 96 at-bats that ended in HBP, and two more players were hit in Sunday’s series finale. Last year’s team, in particular, added a power element to this equation, though this year’s team does not have anyone who would be characterized as a bopper.

When the offense thrives, Kentucky can be defined as “aggressive.” It can manufacture runs in different ways, and most of the time, it probably gives Kentucky more offensive production than it would otherwise if the players were asked to go to the dish and slug their way to victories.

Griffin Cameron bunts. Photo by Tyler Ruth of UK Athletics

But there’s a downside to playing this way. What can be described as aggressive when it works turns into recklessness when it does not. Outs are so precious in SEC play, and too often this weekend I thought Kentucky minimized its chances of scoring runs because of its approach.