LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky clubbed three home runs and watched ace Zack Thompson do what he does best on the mound to split Sunday’s doubleheader with No. 5 Arkansas at Kentucky Proud Park and claim a fourth win over a Top 10 opponent this season.
The Wildcats saw Coltyn Kessler and Ryan Shinn hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning of game two to take a lead it would not relinquish while holding off the high-powered Razorbacks, 4-3. Sophomore right-hander Carson Coleman induced a game-ending double play grounder to save Thompson’s victory and keep the Cats right in the thick of a three-way race for a berth in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Thompson, who struck out 11 in 6.1 innings while allowing three runs, moved into sixth on the career strikeout list with 251 and his 113 this season are just two shy of fifth all-time and the most for a left-hander, set by James Paxton in 2009.
UK (23-24, 6-18) have played 30 games against the RPI Top 30, the most in the country but now have four wins against Top 10 teams and two against top five foes, which also includes a win over then-No. 4 Georgia.
The Cats host No. 19 Indiana on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network before traveling to South Carolina for a three-game series beginning Friday night in Columbia.
