Two-Out Damage Leads Kentucky Past Salukis

CARBONDALE, Illinois – Two outs, no problem.

Kentucky flourished with two outs on Saturday, scoring six of its runs in a 7-2 victory at Southern Illinois down to its final out of an inning. The Cats now have won nine straight games overall and two true road series in four weekends after dismantling the Salukis at Itchy Jones Stadium on a raw, windy day in the Midwest.

The Cats (13-2) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Emilien Pitre delivered a two-strike, two-out RBI single and later scored on a wild pitch. UK added four runs in the fourth and cruised from there.

Outfielder Jackson Gray reached base in five consecutive trips the plate, including four straight singles and first baseman Hunter Gilliam had three more hits to give him 10 for the week. Starting pitcher Tyler Bosma picked up his third win with five innings of quality work.

NOTES

• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and now owns a 189-131 career record.
• Kentucky is 122-38 in non-conference games under Coach Mingione.
  • UK is 108-16 vs. non-Power Five opponents.
  • UK is 75-33 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
• UK pitchers have struck out 154 through 15 games.
• UK has held its opponents to three runs or fewer in 11 of 15 games.
• The Cats were a terror with two outs: 11-of-20, eight singles, two doubles, a triple, six walks and six of the seven runs.
• First baseman Hunter Gilliam has started 128 consecutive games at the collegiate level.
  • He has reached safely in all 15 games this season and owns a nine-game hit streak.
  • He has a team-high seven multi-RBI games and six multi-hit games.
  • He has 10 hits in four games this week.
• Infielder Grant Smith has started all 131 games of his collegiate career.
• Infielder/Outfielder Jase Felker has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games.
• Infielder Emilien Pitre has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games.
  • He went 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and a double.
• Outfielder Jackson Gray went 4-for-5 with a run, a RBI, an HBP and steal.
  • He set a new career-high for hits.
  • He had hits in four straight at bats, all singles.
  • He reached base five consecutive times.
• Pitcher Tyler Bosma pitched 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
  • He induced nine groundball outs.
• Pitcher Jackson Nove had2 scoreless innings.
  • He pitched 5.2 scoreless innings in two appearances this week.

ON DECK

Kentucky and Southern Illinois will meet again on Sunday as the Cats seek a sweep. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.