Harmon Powers Kentucky

Trae Harmon produced a laser show, smacking line drives all over Kentucky Proud Park as the Kentucky baseball team defeated Western Kentucky, 6-5, on Tuesday. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Wildcats over their neighbors from Bowling Green.

Harmon, a junior first baseman/designated hitter making his first start of the season, went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, delivering a go-ahead double in the sixth inning and the game-winning RBI single in the seventh after WKU had tied the game. Even Harmon’s two outs were loud – a self-defense catch of a line drive back at him by the pitcher and a deep drive to the gap that was run down by the centerfielder.

The Cats (8-2) didn’t make it easy on themselves but showed winning resolve, rallying from several deficits before taking the lead for good in the seventh. Senior right-hander Daniel Harper earned the win after extricating the team from a jam in the top half of the inning before giving way to freshman righty Austin Strickland (two strikeouts) in the eight. Senior right-hander Sean Harney came on in the ninth and worked around a leadoff double on a flare to left field, striking out two to pick up his fourth save of the season.

UK also got productive efforts from sophomore outfielder John Rhodes, whose first inning RBI double opened the scoring and extended his hitting streak to nine games, a new career-long, and junior utility man Austin Schultz, who drove in a pair of runs. Freshman infielder Reuben Church had two hits, giving him base knocks in each of his first nine collegiate games.