He could have been a Cub. Now he’s helping Kentucky instead.
Ryan Ritter was drafted by the Chicago Cubs after an all-state high school senior season in Illinois in 2019.
Ritter’s decision to turn down a contract with the home-state franchise and opt for some collegiate seasoning worked in Kentucky’s favor Tuesday night.
The Wildcats sophomore sparked Kentucky to a fast start with a three-run homer in the second inning and smacked a three-run double off the top of the fence in the third to lead UK to an 11-7 victory over 10th-ranked Louisville at the Cardinals’ Jim Patterson Stadium.
The win was Kentucky’s first in Louisville since 2014 and extended the Wildcats’ edge in their all-time series against the Cardinals to 72-47-1
As good as he was offensively, Ritter may have been even better defensively. He ranged to the opposite side of second base on a ground ball in the fifth and threw out one of the fastest runners in college baseball — Louisville’s Levi Usher — to save a pair of runs. He also made a sliding stop and throw on a ball deep in the hole and leaped to snare a liner in the ninth that saved another two runs.
Ritter, who was drafted in the 33rd round by the Cubs in 2019, spent the 2020 season at John A. Logan junior college in Illinois, where he batted .342 with 19 runs, 27 hits, five doubles, two home runs and 19 RBI in a COVID-shortened season before he chose to complete his college career at Kentucky.
Ritter finished Tuesday night 3-for-4 with six RBI to lead a 15-hit Kentucky attack against eight Louisville pitchers. UK sent seven hurlers to the mound itself in a game that lasted four hours and 20 minutes.
Kentucky’s Sean Harney (2-0) earned the win with two-thirds of an inning of relief. Hunter Rigsby picked up his first save. Louisville’s Jack Perkins (1-1) was tagged with the loss, himself pitching only two-thirds of an inning.
Kentucky scored three in the second, five in the third, two in the fifth and one in the eighth. Louisville, which never led, scored three in the second, two in the third, one in the sixth and one in the ninth.
T.J. Collett, Coltyn Kessler, Trae Harmon and Oraj Anu each had two hits for Kentucky. Collett also drove in two runs.
Kentucky (19-7 overall, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) returns home this weekend to host LSU (18-11, 1-8) for three games Friday through Sunday.
Louisville (18-9, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) hosts league rival Florida State (15-10, 10-8) Friday through Sunday.