LEXINGTON, Ky. – Playing in front of a record crowd, the UK baseball team fell into the losers bracket of its NCAA Tournament regional with a 5-4 loss to NC State.
Kentucky jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly from second baseman Riley Mahan in the top of the first inning, but NC State immediately answered with back-to-back home runs from first baseman Stephen Pitarra and center fielder Josh McLain to open the bottom of the first for a 2-1 lead.
The Wildcats tied the game at two in the third with a solo home run from right fielder Tristan Pompey, but after pitching in and out of trouble for much of the game, starter Justin Lewis surrendered three two-out runs in the fifth inning, giving NC State a 5-2 lead.