Mason Moore Sparkles, No. 25 Kentucky Defeats Kennesaw State, 5-2

No. 25 Kentucky rebounded from its first losing streak of the season, defeating Kennesaw State, 5-2, in the series finale. Junior Mason Moore was exceptional for the Wildcats, pitching a career high 7.0 innings, recording the first 19 outs before allowing a hit.

The Morehead, Ky. native finished the day allowing one hit, one run, zero earned runs, three walks, and striking out three. He is the first Wildcat since Zack Lee in 2021 to pitch at least seven innings allowing one hit or less and only the second to do so since Justin Lewis pitched eight innings of one-hit ball against Florida in 2018.

Offensively, the Cats (13-3, 0-0 SEC) turned in multi-hit days from Émilien Pitre and Devin Burkes, helping Kentucky plate a series-high five runs. Mitchell Daly also added a two-RBI performance on the day, as the Wildcats were able to bounce back from the first two games on the series.

On the mound, Moore was relieved by Evan Byers and Trey Pooser, who helped limit the Owls, who scored 23 combined runs in the first two games, to just two runs. Pooser earned the save, his second of the season, as he struck out three batters in 1.1 innings, including escaping an eighth-innning jam that saw the go-ahead run come to the plate.

The Wildcats were able to open the scoring for the first time this weekend, plating a first inning run after back-to-back two-out doubles from Nick Lopez and Pitre. In the third, the Owls would tie the game at one, as a two-base error to lead off the inning came home on a sacrifice fly.

Kentucky put up three runs in the fourth to take the lead for good, as the Wildcats scored multiple runs in an inning for the first time in the series. After Pitre and Burkes were issued back-to-back free passes, Patrick Herrera drove in the go-ahead run, scoring Pitre from second. An error in the outfield advanced the runners to second and third, allowing Daly to drive in the eventual game winner on a sacrifice bunt. Ryan Nicholson followed with a sacrifice bunt of his own to bring the score to 4-1 after four.

This score held until the eighth, with the Owls pulled within two on a two-out RBI double. Kennesaw State had the go-ahead run at the plate, but a looking strikeout from Pooser ended the treat. In the bottom of the innings, the Wildcats added an insurance run, as singles from Pitre and Burkes, followed by a walk to Herrera loaded the bases for Daly, who earned his second RBI of the day on a groundout. A leadoff single in the ninth would be no problem for Pooser, who struck out the final two batters of the game to finish off the win.

NOTES

• Kentucky now is 13-3 in 2024.
  • Kentucky is 11-3 in day games.
  • Kentucky is 7-2 at home.
  • Kentucky is 2-1 following a loss.
• Kentucky is 38-7 vs. non-conference foes (including the Lexington Regional) since the beginning of the 2023 season.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 229-153 career record.
  • Mingione needs 29 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 91-36 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 146-43 in non-conference games overall.
  • Mingione is 127-18 vs. non-Power Five opponents.
• Kentucky is 2-1 in 2024 in three-game series.
  • The Wildcats swept USC Upstate and Lipscomb before going 1-2 against Kennesaw State.
• Kentucky started at least three freshmen for the fifth time this season.
  • Kentucky is 5-0 in those games.
• The Wildcats smacked three doubles today.
  • It was the sixth time this season the Cats hit at least three doubles.
• Three Wildcats were hit by a pitch.
  • They were the first hit batsmen in the series for the Kentucky offense.
  • Today was the seventh time Kentucky has earned at least three HBP in a game this season.
• Junior RHP Mason Moore earned the win on the mound, pitching 7.0 innings, allowing one hit, one unearned run, and a walk, while striking out three.
  • Moore took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, allowing a one-out double to Jackson Chirello.
  • Moore’s seven innings pitched is a new career high.
  • Moore is the first Kentucky pitched to throw seven innings with one hit or fewer since Zack Lee in 2021 (Alabama).
• Graduate RHP Trey Pooser earned his second save of the season, tossing the final 1.1 innings.
  • Pooser allowed no runs on two hits, while also striking out three Owl batters.
• Junior INF Émilien Pitre finished 2-for-3, including an RBI double.
  • He also scored two runs, and drew a walk.
  • It was his eighth multi-hit game of the season, and 26^th of his career.
• Junior C Devin Burkes also went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run.
  • He hit his first double of the season in the sixth inning, the 23^rd two-bagger of his career.
  • Today marked his third multi-hit day of the season and 23^rd multi-hit game of his career.
• Junior IF/OF Patrick Herrera went 1-for-2, with an RBI, run, and a walk.
  • Herrera has now reached safely in 14 consecutive games.
• Senior IF Mitchell Daly drove in two runs on a SAC bunt and a groundout.
  • Sunday was his second multi-RBI game of the season.

ON DECK

The Wildcats will continue their season-long eight game homestand on Tuesday night, hosting in-state foe Murray State on March 12. The contest between the Cats and the Racers will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on the SECN+, with radio coverage available on 98.5 FM (Lexington) and UKAthletics.com.