Kentucky boots LSU 7-2, rolls into SEC semifinals

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Bosma struck out 10 and allowed just one hit in six innings, Jacob Plastiak and Adam Fogel hit solo home runs and No. 12 seed Kentucky rolled to a 7-2 victory over No. 4 seed LSU in the SEC Tournament on Saturday.

Kentucky (33-25) advances to play top-seeded Tennessee later Saturday in the semifinal nightcap. The Wildcats, who went 12-18 during the conference regular season, have won three elimination games in the tourney and have won multiple games at the event for the first time since 2014.

Kentucky chased LSU starter Jacob Hasty (2-1) with a two-run first inning. John Thrasher led off with a single and moved up two bases on a wild pitch and a catcher-to-first base putout on a strikeout. Daniel Harris followed with an RBI single before stealing second. Chase Estep walked and Harris stole third. Ryan Ritter walked to load the bases before Harris scored on a wild pitch for the second run. Oraj Anu walked to reload the bases, ending Hasty’s day. Eric Reyzelman got the final two outs to end the threat.

Plastiak homered in the second to make it 3-0 and the Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth on Hunter Jump’s sacrifice fly and an RBI ground out by Estep to go up 5-0.

Kentucky scored its final two runs in the fifth on Fogel’s homer and a run-scoring single by Jump.

LSU (38-20) chased Bosma in the seventh after Morgan reached on an error by Harris and came around to score on a triple by Tyler McManus. Wyatt Hudepohl entered and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Gavin Dugas for the Tigers’ first run. Brayden Jobert followed with a walk and Drew Bianco singled with two outs.

Daniel Harper — making his 100th career appearance, second most in program history — took over for Hudepohl and ended the threat by inducing leadoff batter Dylan Crews to ground out to second. Harper didn’t allow a hit in retiring the final seven batters to wrap up the victory.

Bosma (4-3) allowed two runs — one earned — and two walks.

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