Becker Comes Up Huge in Pinch-Hitting Role

One of the toughest things for a baseball player to do is to be a successful pinch hitter. After sitting on the bench for a period of time, the player is expected to come into the game with little preparation and make something happen at the plate.

Luke Becker didn’t get the starting nod in Friday’s first game of a doubleheader against LSU. But when called upon as a pinch hitter, Becker delivered.

The junior from Fairmont, Minnesota, was brought on to pinch hit for Kole Cottam in the fifth inning. And, for the second time in SEC play this season, Becker delivered a pinch-hit home run to extend Kentucky’s lead to 6-2. Becker had done the same thing in an April 9 game at Mississippi State.

“I was ready,” Becker said. “I don’t mind pinch hitting. Obviously, I want to be starting, but I was ready and it worked out.”

But Becker wasn’t done doing damage. In the bottom of the seventh inning, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed the first pitch of the at-bat over the center field wall for a grand slam that gave the Wildcats an 11-3 lead in a game Kentucky would eventually win, 12-5.

“I got it,” Becker said of his grand slam, his first since doing the same at Northern Iowa Community College. “I was really anticipating a fastball on the first pitch, and I got it and put a good swing on it.”

Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione thought Becker’s grand slam was the clinching factor.

“I thought his second home run sealed the game,” Mingione said. “He did a really nice job off the bench. That was really neat to see.”

Becker gained confidence from his effort in Friday’s first game.

“Yeah, for sure,” Becker said “Obviously, what comes with that is more difficult pitching. Their guy, he has good stuff and I was anticipating it.”

Becker continued a string of hot hitting in Friday’s first game. Over a three-game stretch, Becker went 5-10 at the plate with the two home runs, seven RBIs and five runs scored. That included a 2-4 effort against Louisville on Tuesday night and a 1-3 game at Missouri on Sunday.

The Wildcats dropped the second game of the twin bill, leaving 14 runners on base in a 4-3 loss. But Becker and his teammates will quickly put that behind them and focus on winning the series in Sunday’s 1 p.m. series finale.

“We’re on to Sunday,” Becker said. “We’ve got to win a series on Sunday. We didn’t do enough good things to win (Friday’s second game), but we’re on to Sunday.”

And if Becker can continue to produce as he has lately, he could be key in getting a series-clinching victory on Sunday.