Head coach Gary Henderson was forced to play Dorian Hairston.
The junior is swinging a hot bat, and there’s no way he can’t be in the lineup night in and night out.
Friday was Hairston’s 11th consecutive start, and he celebrated it with a three-run home run in the third inning, the eventual game winner in UK’s 6-2 victory over Georgia.
“That’s a phrase that the kids are very familiar with, force me to play you,” Henderson said about Hairston playing his way into the lineup. “Take it out of my hands, make it a no-brainer, you have to play.”
Friday was the 19th time Hairston’s name was listed on the lineup card in UK’s last 21 games. Before that, he started just five times.
The home run was Hairston’s fourth career long ball, all coming this season in conference play. Hairston has plated the game-winning run for the Wildcats in three of their last four wins, two of those coming against top-six teams.
Friday’s blast cleared the fence in left-center came on a 2-1 pitch. A curveball from a righthanded pitcher was not a problem for Hairston tonight.
“That was huge,” Hairston said. “That’s been my big weakness. Since I’ve been here, it’s always been ‘we have to figure out a way to get you to hit the righthanded off-speed breaking pitch. I actually wasn’t even looking for that pitch, I thought he was going to throw a fastball, it’s a 2-1 count, I’m thinking he doesn’t want to get to 3-1. He floats that thing over there and it hangs a little bit. I was able to keep that front shoulder in and turn it around, and now it’s a 3-0 ballgame. That was huge, that was big for my confidence.
“He hung a curveball in my first at-bat, and he hung it again in the second, it was a 2-1 count and I took advantage of it.”
So what has changed since mid-march for the Lexington native?
Confidence.
It began with a start in right field on March 22 vs. No. 20 Mississippi State, where he went 2-4 with two RBI. Three games later, he had two more starts under his belt. After another day off, the stretch of 19 starts in 21 days began.
“Confidence,” Hairston said. “I feel a lot more confident at the plate, I feel like I’m starting to prove myself and show that I’ve earned some playing time. Through that, I feel a lot more comfortable at the plate and I’m finding some success with it.”
In his last 19 games, Hairston has recorded at least one hit in all but five games. He has 12 RBI with seven extra-base knocks.
His confidence is up, but Hairston is also seeing the ball better and picking the right pitches to swing at.
“He’s doing a better job of swinging at strikes, he’s doing a better job of laying off balls out of the strikezone, same thing,” Henderson said. “He’s become much more proficient in clobbering soft stuff that’s a mistake, which is what he got tonight. He’s a good rightfielder, plays smart, he cares. Kids respect him, coaches respect him.”
Swinging a hot bat, Hairston will see plenty more time in the lineup. After all, he has forced his way in.
