Storming Starkville: Kentucky Looks to Keep Momentum at No. 5 Mississippi State
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With a five-game winning streak in hand, including three Southeastern Conference road games, the Kentucky baseball team travels to No. 5 Mississippi State once again seeking to prove itself as a legitimate contender in the loaded SEC.
Due to the Easter holiday on Sunday the series has been moved up a day. Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will air nationally on ESPNU, while Friday is a 7 p.m. start and will air on the SEC Network. Saturday’s series finale is at 2 p.m. and will be streamed live on SECN+. All three games are available on radio on 630-AM WLAP (Lexington) and 1080-AM WKJK (Louisville) or UKathletics.com.
Less than a week ago the Cats (18-4, 5-1 SEC) completed only their second road sweep in league play since 2008, never trailing in an impressive three-game performance at Auburn. The Cats jumped out to early leads in all three games and answered every Auburn rally with one of their own, securing the program’s first 5-1 start in the SEC since 2017.
On Tuesday night, UK took care of Bellarmine, 4-3, in tidy fashion to keep the momentum going. Sophomore outfielder John Rhodes drove in three runs, including two on a first-inning home run, while sophomore infielders Chase Estep (double, triple, two runs) and Ryan Ritter (two hits, RBI) delivered clutch hits. Freshman right-hander Seth Logue earned his second save of the season with two strong innings of work.
The trip to Starkville always is interesting but even more so with coach Nick Mingione at the helm of the Wildcats. The head man spent eight years as an assistant with the Bulldogs, met his wife, Christen, there and saw his son, Reeves, born in the town. This will be is second trip back, as the 2017 team went 1-2 in the old incarnation of Dudy Noble Field.
SERIES DETAILS
Thursday, April 1 at No. 5 Mississippi State
7:30 p.m. ET; Dudy Noble Field/Polk-Dement Stadium (Starkville, Miss.)
TV: ESPNU; Radio: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK – RHP Ryan Hagenow (1-0, 1.00); Miss. State – LHP Christian MacLeod (2-2, 3.33)
Friday, April 2 at No. 5 Mississippi State
7 p.m. ET; Dudy Noble Field/Polk-Dement Stadium (Starkville, Miss.)
TV: SEC Network; Radio: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK – RHP Cole Stupp (3-0, 1.47); Miss. State – RHP Will Bednar (1-0, 2.12)
Saturday, April 3 at No. 5 Mississippi State
2 p.m. ET; Dudy Noble Field/Polk-Dement Stadium (Starkville, Miss.)
TV: SEC Network+; Radio: UK Sports Network (630 AM, Lexington; 1080 AM Louisville)
Pitchers: UK – RHP Zack Lee (2-1, 3.28); Miss. State – RHP Jackson Fristoe (2-2, 3.28)
