Ethan Walker’s strong bullpen outing leads Kentucky past USC Upstate 7-3 at the Clemson Regional

By AP News Published May 31, 2025 01:12 pm

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Luke Lawrence went 3 for 4 with a run scored, Ethan Walker only allowed one hit in five innings of relief and Kentucky beat USC Upstate 7-3 on Saturday at the Clemson Regional.

Kentucky (30-25) moves on to take on the loser of the Clemson-West Virginia matchup in an elimination game on Sunday. The first trip to the NCAA Tournament for USC Upstate (36-25) came to an end.

Kentucky starter Nic McCay allowed three earned runs in the fourth as USC Upstate tied it at 3.

Walker (2-1) struck out the side in the sixth and Kentucky retook the lead in the bottom half on a bunt by Patrick Herrera for a well-executed squeeze play.

Kentucky added three runs in the eighth. Lawrence singled for the third time, stole second and scored an insurance run on Cole Hage’s single through the left side. Then Hudson Brown singled with the bases loaded to score two on his first hit of the tournament.

Walker did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the ninth. He finished with seven strikeouts, two in the ninth, and only allowed three base runners.

Carson Hansen hammered an opposite field three-run homer in the first for Kentucky. James McCoy went 2 for 2 to tie his career-best eight-game hit streak.

Upstate reliever Darin Kuskie (5-2) allowed three earned runs in two innings.

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