Blown Away: No. 16 Kentucky Run Rules No. 25 Missouri

Ryan Waldschmidt pulverized a 457-foot three-run home run in the first inning as part of a four RBI night as No. 16 Kentucky run-ruled No. 25 Missouri 12-2 in seven innings on a wild weather night at Kentucky Proud Park.

The Wildcats now are 23-3 overall and 6-1 in the Southeastern Conference. They have won 19 of their past 20 games.

Four different Cats had two hits and four had multiple RBI as infielder Jase Felker delivered a two-run walk-off extra base hit to send everyone to drier, calmer ground on Friday night. First baseman Hunter Gilliam also homered and extended his hit streak to 19 games.

Missouri took a 1-0 lead by taking advantage of an uncharacteristically wild Darren Williams, although he did earn the win by finishing five innings and allowing only two runs on two hits. It didn’t last long when UK put up a five-spot in its half of the first and never looked back, finishing off the Tigers in a wind-blown drizzle.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 30-6 over its last 36 games dating to last season.
• UK is 15-7 in its last 22 games vs. SEC opponents.
• UK now has 15 wins vs. the RPI Top 100 and eight vs. the Top 50.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and now owns a 199-132 career record.
  • UK is 85-34 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • UK finishes this March at 17-1.
  • Mingione is 9-7 vs. Missouri.
  • Mingione is 87-43 at Kentucky Proud Park.
• UK has scored in 325 of 331 games under Coach Mingione.
• The Cats stole one base and now are 49-of-63 on the season.
• UK scored five runs in the first inning, the 22^nd time it has scored four or more in an inning this season.
• Kentucky is 20-4 all-time in its cream uniforms, 4-0 in 2023.
• The 12 runs scored by UK are the most Missouri has given up this season.
• First Baseman Hunter Gilliam ran his hit streak to 19 games and he now has reached safely in all 25 games in which he’s played.
  • The streak is the 5^th-longest at UK since 2005.
  • He had a two-run single in the first inning.
  • He hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his sixth.
  • He had his 13^th multi-RBI and 12^th multi-hit game of the season.
• Catcher Devin Burkes has reached safely in 15 consecutive games.
  • He had his ninth multi-hit game of the season.
• Outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt
  • He blasted a 457-foot three-run home run in the first inning.
  • He has reached base safely in 14 straight games.
• Infielder Emilien Pitre went 2-for- with two runs, two RBI, two walks and a double.
  • He now has eight multi-RBI and nine multi-hit games this season.
• Outfielder Jackson Gray has reached safely in 17 consecutive games.
• Infielder Jase Felker went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI , two steals and a double.
  • He delivered his second walk-off of the season.
• Infielder Grant Smith has started all 142 games of his collegiate career.
  • He has reached in 14 straight games.

 ON DECK

Kentucky faces No. 25 Missouri at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. It will be streamed on SECN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network (630 AM WLAP, locally).