Junior Day! Scott Campbell Jr. Shows Out in Saturday Matinee Win
Scott Campbell Jr. hit his second grand slam of the season and threw out a runner at home from his perch in left field, leading No. 22 Kentucky to a 9-2 victory over Missouri on Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Proud Park.
Kentucky now is 23-7 overall and 6-5 in the Southeastern Conference.
Campbell, making his first start since the first game of the Alabama series on March 13, took full advantage of the opportunity. He lifted a grand slam over the UK bullpen in left field in the third inning. It was his second home run of the season, both grand slams.
Later, as the Tigers were trying to cut into the UK lead in the sixth inning, Campbell caught a fly ball at medium depth in left and fired a perfect one-hop throw to catcher Tagger Tyson to complete the double play and end the inning.
A night after UK went just 3-for-18 with runners on base, Tyler Bell decimated a 425-foot two-run home run in the first inning as the Wildcats came out of the gate roaring. Tyson added a two-out RBI single in the fifth to help extend the inning for Campbell’s blast.
NOTES
- Kentucky is 23-7 on the season, 6-5 in SEC play.
- UK is 141-69 since the beginning of 2023.
- UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at the helm and now owns a 316-199 career record.
- Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
- Mingione is 120-129 in SEC games.
- Mingione now is 14-9 vs. Missouri.
- Mingione is 15-9 vs. teams from the state of Missouri.
- The Cats stole six bases and have 11 in the series.
- The UK bullpen threw only 36 pitches in 4.0 shutout innings.
- UK now has four grand slams this season.
- UK scored five runs in the third inning, the 33rd time this season the Cats have scored three or more runs in an inning.
- IF Luke Lawrence has reached safely in 35 consecutive games.
- OF Scott Campbell Jr. went 1-for-3 with a grand slam.
- He now has two home runs on the season, both grand slams.
- He also threw a runner out at home trying to score on a potential SAC fly.
- OF Jayce Tharnish went 3-for-5 with a run, a double and two steals.
- Tharnish now has 15 multi-hit games this season.
- Tharnish now is 23-of-24 on the season in stolen bases.
- That ties for the 3rd most in the Mingione Era in a season.
- He is 4-for-4 in the series.
- IF Tyler Bell went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer, two walks and two steals.
- It was his third home run of the season.
- IF Ethan Hindle was hit by multiple pitches for the seventh time in his career.
- RHP Nate Harris: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, BB, 3 K
ON DECK
UK hosts Missouri on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The game is on SEC Network and the contest can be heard on UK Sports Network/630 WLAP.
