Dietz’s Quality Start Spoiled in Series-Opening Loss in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Hunter Dietz’s team-leading ninth quality start of the season went to waste in No. 12 Arkansas’ (34-19, 15-13 SEC) 4-3 series-opening loss against Kentucky (31-18, 14-15 SEC) Thursday night at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Razorbacks suffered a loss with their ace on the mound for the first time since against Florida on March 28 and lost a series opener for the first time since at Auburn on April 2. Arkansas will look to even the series against Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, on SEC Network+ with Dick Gabriel (play-by-play) and Doug Flynn (analyst) on the call.

Dietz fired six innings of four-run ball (three earned) with nine punchouts in Thursday night’s series-opening loss to log his ninth quality start of the year. The left-hander increased his SEC-leading strikeout total to 117, moving into 10th in program history for single-season strikeouts by surpassing LHP Drew Smyly’s mark of 114 set during the 2010 campaign.

Kentucky opened the scoring with a two-out, two-strike two-run homer in the bottom half of the first inning. Arkansas got a run back in the top half of the third on a two-out wild pitch, which brought TJ Pompey home from third base.

The Wildcats extended their lead to three in the fourth inning, scoring a run on a double play before taking advantage of a two-out error by the Razorbacks to open a 4-1 advantage. Arkansas’ offense, which finished Thursday 2-for-15 (.133) with runners on and 1-for-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position, struggled to find its rhythm against the Kentucky pitching staff, led by starter Nate Harris’ three no-hit innings and the bullpen’s six combined frames of two-run ball.

Ryder Helfrick’s two-out RBI single in the seventh inning, and Zack Stewart’s leadoff solo shot in the ninth brought the Hogs within a run, but the Wildcats held off the late comeback to seal their 4-3 series-opening win. Kentucky turned to Jaxon Jelkin, the announced starting pitcher for game three of the series, to record a two-inning save in relief.

In relief of Dietz, James DeCremer (0.2 IP, 2 SO) and Parker Coil (1.1 IP, 1 SO) combined for two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Offensively, Arkansas mustered just four hits, including Stewart’s ninth homer of the year in the ninth.

The Razorbacks will give the baseball to Gabe Gaeckle (5-3, 4.47 ERA) tomorrow night. The right-hander will go up against Kentucky left-hander Ben Cleaver (2-3, 3.57 ERA) with an opportunity to even the series at one game apiece.

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