Vicky Graff Photo
Trey Pooser allowed just five hits and one run in seven innings for Kentucky Saturday as No. 2 UK beat Illinois 6-1 to advance in the NCAA Lexington Regional.
Kentucky (42-14) will face the Illinois-Indiana State winner tonight at 6 with a chance to win and advance to a Super Regional that it would host.
Pooser walked two and struck out seven to earn his sixth win of the season in his career-tying seven innings. Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said Pooser was “unbelievable in so many ways” Saturday.
“Landing multiple pitches for a strike, moving the fastball in and out, threw it up and down. He was very, very special,” Mingione said. “I thought our defense played a major part in this game. Our ability to make plays all over the infield was crucial, and obviously we got some timely hitting.”
Pooser admitted he felt like he was “filling up the zone” against Illinois.
“I was trying to get ahead as much as possible, and fastball changeup combo was working really well today. Didn’t really have a feel for my curveball as much, but the fastball changeup really played today,” he said.
He said it was “awesome” to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning.
“The defense behind me, thankfully they were there to help me. I don’t remember exactly what happened in that inning, but I was glad we got out of that,” he said.
A leaping catch and double play by Emilien Pitre extinguished another potential threat.
“Just a really athletic play from Pitre. He’s been making those plays — I think he’s made quite a few of them over the course of the season,” UK’s Ryan Nicholson said. “Just something like that really at the start of I think it was the top of the inning really can give our team and Pooser a lot of momentum going forward.
“It can suck the life out of the other team offensively, so I think that was just a big momentum swing, and that got a lot of boys going there.”
Pooser said he had to get ahead in the count against Illinois’ aggressive hitters.
“It’s attacking hitters from pitch one and trying to get that lead up,” the UK pitcher said.
Pooser started the season in the bullpen but has turned into UK’s most effective starter.
“You always want to do good. You don’t ever know exactly how it’s going to go and everything doesn’t always go as planned, but I’m glad it has gone the way it has, and just keep rolling. Just got to keep going,” he said.
Pooser had started college experience when he came to Kentucky from the transfer portal.
“I remember having my first conversation with Trey and asking him what’s important to you, and he’s like, ‘I want to win. I want to go somewhere I can win and develop,’ and I said, all right, congratulations, you said Kentucky,” Mingione said.
“Just super proud of him for doing this in this environment. If you told him at this time last year you’re going to pitch in front of — how many people did we have today? 6,000, people you’re going to pitch in front of over 6,000 people to keep your team in the winner’s bracket to put you one win away from a super, like man. But to his credit he has shown up every day and done everything he can to get better and help Kentucky win.”
So is Pooser now UK’s ace?
“You look at Mason Moore. What is he, 8-3? He’s got beat by the same team. Twice. Two of his three losses are from the same team. That guy could be sitting at 8-1. But I’ll let you guys decide what title or label you want to put on him,” Mingione said in his postgame press conference. :I like to think our ace — I like the thought that the most important pitcher on our team is whoever is on the mound at that time. That’s the most important pitcher. They’re our ace.
“So whoever is on the mound at that time, that mentality needs to be you’re the most important pitcher because you’re the one pitching at that time, in that moment. All pitches and innings aren’t created equal, but that mentality of you being the most important pitcher on the team at that time because you’re on the mound is really important. But if you want to call him an ace — I know he won’t argue with you if you call him our ace.”
Kentucky-Illinois Baseball
Photos by Vicky Graff
