Tuesday Recaps; UK Beats Louisville; Injury Updates

The SEC posted an 8-3 record on Tuesday, highlighted by Ryan Ritter’s six-RBI game Kentucky’s 11-7 road win at Louisville. There is updated injury info on Ole Miss third baseman Kevin Elko and LSU pitcher Jaden Hill.

RITTER LEADS CATS PAST CARDS:

Kentucky shortstop Ryan Ritter drove in six runs with a three-run home run and three double in his first two at-bats, to lead UK to an 11-7 win over Louisville at Patterson Stadium. Ritter also made several dazzling plays in the field as UK posed its first road win over a Top 5 team since 2013.

 He gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead with a no-doubt three-run homer to straightaway centerfield and then narrowly missed a grand slam an inning later, settling for a three-run double off the top of the fence to put the Cats up for good. It’s just the seventh time since the beginning of the 2011 season a UK player has driven in at least six runs.

The teams combined for 18 runs, 26 hits and 13 walks in the nearly four-plus hour game. The two teams also combined to use 16 pitchers in the midweek game.

First baseman TJ Collett (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Coltyn Kessler (2-4, R, RBI) and Oraj Anu (2-3, 2 R) all had two hits for the Wildcats.

ELKO SUFFERS TORN ACL:

Ole Miss third baseman Tim Elko suffered a knee injury in Monday’s win over North Alabama.

On Tuesday, head coach Mike Bianco confirmed on the Ole Miss Baseball Network pregame show that Elko suffered a torn ACL and would require at some point, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.  In the meantime, Elko will rehab and take anti-inflammatory medication to try to reduce the swelling. Elko could return to the lineup of the swelling goes down and he can tolerate the pain. He would also wear a knee brace.

The senior is hitting .340 and with nine home runs and lead the SEC with 36 RBIs this season.

Ole Miss defeated North Alabama 20-6 in seven innings. The Rebels broke the game open with a 9-run second inning. Left fielder Kevin Graham (2-3, 2 R, 5 RBIs) and catcher Knox Loposer (3-5, 2 R, 3 RBIs) combined for eight RBIs in the win.

The Rebels scored six runs in the sixth inning to defeat Alcorn State 8-1 on Tuesday. Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez and centerfielder T.J. McCants both had three hits. The Ole Miss bullpen tossed five scoreless innings in the win.

HILL OUT FOR SEASON: DIGIACOMO RETURNS:

LSU junior pitcher Jaden Hill will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2021 season due to a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow. Hill suffered the injury in Friday’s game versus Vanderbilt, and the diagnosis was confirmed Monday after team doctors conducted an examination of the elbow.

The news was not all bad for the LSU this week as centerfielder Giovanni DiGiacomo returned the lineup on Tuesday, helping the Tigers to 14-1 win over McNeese State. DiGiacomo finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Tigers. The junior suffered a hamstring injury against Miss. State on March 21 and had missed the Tigers last eight games.

LSU scored five runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead. The Tigers added five more runs in the eighth inning.

Third baseman Cade Doughty had a big night at the plate, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Right fielder Dylan Crews and backup right fielder Mitchell Sanford both had one hit and two RBIs.

Garrett Edwards and Will Hellmers made a push to replace Hill in the weekend rotation. Edwards fired two scoreless innings and allowed two hits and struck out three batters. Hellmers added two hitless frames with two walks and three strikeouts.

AROUND THE SEC:

Arkansas scratched out 7-2 win over in-state foe Little Rock at Baum Stadium. Second baseman Robert Moore and centerfielder Christian Franklin both had two hits. Right fielder Cayden Wallace got the scoring started with a solo home run in the first inning. The Razorbacks used four pitchers and Ryan Costeiu posted his fourth win with a 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Florida held off a late rally by Stetson to defeat the Hatters 7-6 in Gainesville. Stetson scored two runs in the eighth and ninth innings off Brandon Sproat to cut the lead to one run. Franco Aleman came on and got the final three outs for his fourth save. Garrett Milchin worked five innings for the win. Second baseman Josh Rivera and centerfielder Jacob Young provided the offense for the Gators. Rivera had three extra base hits and two RBIs in the win. He stroked an RBI double in the fourth and tacked on a solo home run in the eighth. Young was 2-for-4 and scored two runs.

Georgia managed only four hits in 2-1 home loss to Georgia Southern. The bullpen duo of Braden Hayes and Nick Jones held the Bulldogs hitless over the final 4 1/3 innings. Shortstop Cole Tate had two hits and drove in the Bulldogs lone run with an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Mississippi State posted a lopsided win over Southern at Dudy Noble Field, but the highlight of the night was a breakout game by Rowdey Jordan. The Bulldogs centerfielder and leadoff hitter, mired in a slump, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the 15-1 win over the Jaguars. Second baseman Tanner Leggett had two hits and two RBIs. First baseman Brandon Pimentel came off the bench and collected two hits and scored two runs. MSU used nine pitchers for one inning each in the win. The Bulldogs combined for 15 strikeouts.

South Carolina and North Carolina played a NCAA Tournament-type game in Charlotte on Tuesday. The Tar Heels pulled out a 3-2 win in 10 innings. UNC got three straight hits in the 10^th inning of Julian Bosnic for the win. South Carolina was held to three hits in the loss. Left fielder Josiah Sightler homered for the Gamecocks.

Tennessee scored four runs in the first inning and cruised to 10-1 win over Eastern Kentucky. Shortstop Logan Steenstra, third baseman Trey Lipscomb and right fielder Jordan Beck all recorded multiple RBI games. Steenstra went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Lipscomb was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Beck added two RBIs. The Volunteers used nine pitchers in the game and they all threw one inning each. The Vols have two midweek wins over EKU this season. UT won the earlier meeting 13-5 on March 23.

Texas A&M dropped an 8-6 game at Sam Houston State. The Aggies lead 5-1 in the second inning but the Bearkats rallied for the win. Since its season-high 11 game winning streak, Texas A&M is 3-9 in its last 12 games with a three-game losing streak. Centerfielder Ray Alejo (3-4, R) and right fielder Logan Britt (2-4, 2 R, RBI) combined for five hits.

Vanderbilt posted its 23^rd straight midweek win with a 5-4 comeback victory over UT Martin. The Commodores have won nine straight games, the longest current streak in the SEC. Reliever Chris McElvain picked up his first win of the season with two hitless innings. He struck out four of the six batters he faced to stabilize the game.  Luke Murphy earned his sixth save of the season, striking out the side in the ninth to help the Commodores clinch the victory. Vandy scored two runs in the sixth inning one bases-loaded hit by pitch and walk put the Commodores ahead to stay.