LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky baseball team continued its string of weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference as Rapid City, S.D., native Matt Robinson has been named the league?s Pitcher of the Week, it was announced Monday by the conference office.

Robinson was outstanding in pitching Kentucky to a series opening victory over No. 19 Mississippi State on Friday night. He worked a career-high 7 1/3 innings while allowing just one hit to improve to 5-1. He struck out a career-high tying seven.

Robinson entered the game in relief of starter Aaron Tennyson in the first inning after Tennyson was struck in the leg by a line drive. Trailing 2-0, when he entered, Robinson worked UK out of a bases loaded jam in the first and did not allow a hit in his first 5 1/3 innings.

His only mistake turned into a solo home run in the seventh inning. However, he settled down to pitch 2 1/3 more innings without allowing a hit to get UK into the ninth inning before turning the ball over to Troy Ragle, who got the final two outs.

The Wildcats went on to sweep the series to clinch a share of the SEC Eastern Division championship and put themselves one win away from the first overall conference championship in school history.

It is the sixth time this year a Kentucky player has been honored by the SEC and the first time as a Pitcher of the Week. Four Wildcat position players have combined to win a conference-record five SEC Player of the Week awards.