Loss puts UK on the brink

Special to the Herald-Leader

The Kentucky baseball team lost 10-3 in Florida on Thursday night, leaving the Cats in need of two wins and two Vanderbilt losses this weekend in order to make the SEC Tournament.

The two teams are vying for eighth place in the league and the final spot in the conference tournament. Vanderbilt (31-22, 12-15) lost 8-6 to Tennessee on Thursday. UK wins the tiebreaker if the teams finish with the same record.

Tied 2-2 after four innings, No. 11 Florida used a three-run fifth inning and a five-run sixth to put away the Cats (27-25, 11-17), who only got 51⁄3 innings out of usually reliable starter James Paxton. Paxton struck out six and allowed 11 hits and nine runs.

UK's Marcus Nidiffer hit a two-run homer to get the Cats on the board in the top of the second inning. The catcher ripped a low inside pitch over the right-field wall for his eighth shot of the year.

A sacrifice fly by Chris Bisson scored Cory Farris in the eighth inning to complete the scoring for the Cats.

The Gators were led by left fielder Avery Barnes, who went 4-for-5 and scored three runs and second baseman Josh Adams, who was 3-for-5 with four RBI.