Devin Burkes Has Wright Stuff in Series Win

Devin Burkes is a five-alarm inferno right now.

The sophomore catcher drove in a career-high seven runs as Kentucky won the series over Wright State with a 15-0 victory on Sunday at Kentucky Proud Park. In the three-game series he was 8-of-13 with seven doubles, a home run, five runs, 10 RBI, two stolen bases and had 18 total bases. His 110-mph missile in the first inning gave UK (5-2) a 2-0 lead that set the tone.

Zack Lee was nearly untouchable for the second straight Sunday. He threw six shutout innings and struck out six and now has allowed just five hits and no runs in 12.0 innings this season.

The Wildcats scored four runs in the second and six in the eighth as they just kept piling on the Raiders. Hunter Gilliam blasted his first home run as a Wildcat with a mammoth 431-foot shot off the batter’s eye and Jase Felker had three hits in his first action of the season.

NOTES

• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and now owns a 181-131 career record.
• Kentucky is 114-38 in non-conference games under Coach Mingione.
  • UK is 100-16 vs. non-Power Five opponents.
  • UK is 37-16 in the month of February under Coach Mingione.
• UK pitchers have struck out 76 and walked just 13 through seven games.
• UK was hit by eight pitches in the series.
• A day after all six of its hits went for extra bases, UK added six more on Sunday.
• UK has held its opponents to three runs or fewer in five of six games.
• Catcher Devin Burkes currently has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games dating to the 2022 season.
  • He went 3-for-6 with a run scored, two doubles, a two-run home run and career-high seven RBI.
  • He had two doubles in the game and had seven in the series.
  • All eight of his hits in the series went for extra bases and he had 10 RBI.
  • He had 18 total bases in the series, including two stolen bases.
• First baseman Hunter Gilliam has started 120 consecutive games at the collegiate level.
  • He had his first home run in UK blue with his eighth inning shot.
• Infielder Grant Smith has started all 123 games of his collegiate career.
• Infielder Patrick Herrera had a hit in his first AB as a Wildcat.
• Outfielder James McCoy went 2-of-3 with three runs, three RBI, two walks, a HBP and a double.
• Jase Felker and Reuben Church each earned their first starts of the season and each had hits in their first at-bats.
  • Felker finished 3-of-4 with two runs, an RBI and stand-up triple.
• Senior starting pitcher Zack Lee earned his second won in as many outings this season.
  • He allowed three hits and struck out six in 6.0 shutout innings.
  • He has allowed just five hits and struck out 13 in 12.0 shutout innings this season.

ON DECK

Kentucky will host Morehead State on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET at Kentucky Proud Park. The game will be streamed on SECN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.