5 x 3: Kentucky Thrashes No. 25 Georgia Behind Trio of Five-Run Innings

No. 25 Georgia came into Lexington with its best start to a season in the modern era and an offense leading the nation in home runs but watched as Kentucky slammed three of its own in a 16-10 comeback victory on opening night in the Southeastern Conference.

Kentucky (15-3, 1-0) saw Georgia (17-2, 0-1) jump out to a 4-0 advantage but for the second time this week went on the offensive and staged a furious comeback comprised of three five-run innings. UK bats clobbered four doubles, including three in a row during one of its rallies, and three home runs on the cool, drizzly night at Kentucky Proud Park in front on 2,040 boisterous fans.

The Wildcats had two players with three hits a piece among the five total with multiple hits. Designated hitter Nick Lopez stayed surface of the sun hot with three more hits, including a home run, and now is 8-of-10 at the plate in two games this week. Nolan McCarthy doubled and homered, Mitchell Daly homered and Ryan Waldschmidt counted two doubles as part of his three hits.

Friday starter Travis Smith had a rocky start in allowing four early runs but gutted out five innings and a career-high 108 pitches before giving way to the bullpen. Georgia’s prolific offense continued to threaten but the Cats held the Bulldogs out of the big inning and righty Johnny Hummel extinguished a seventh inning rally attempt with 2.0 terrific innings that included inducing the nation’s most dangerous hitter, Charlie Condon, into a fly out to end the seventh inning.

NOTES

• Kentucky now is 15-3 in 2024, 1-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
  • Kentucky is 4-0 in night games.
  • Kentucky is 9-2 at home.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 231-153 career record.
  • Mingione needs 27 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 93-36 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • UK now is 92-2 under Mingione when scoring 10 or more runs.
• Kentucky scored five runs in the fourth inning for the second consecutive game, another five in the sixth and five more in the seventh.
  • Kentucky has scored four or more in an inning 14 times this season.
  • Kentucky has scored four or more in an inning 187 times during Mingione’s tenure.
  • UK has erased deficits of 6-0 and 4-0 the past two games.
• Junior Ryan Waldschmidt went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, two doubles and a walk.
  • It was his third multi-hit game of 2024 and 15^th
  • It was his third multi-RBI game of the season and 14^th
  • He has five doubles this season.
• Graduate IF Nick Lopez went 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI and a home run.
  • Lopez is 8-of-10 this week.
  • It was his second HR of the season, one each left-handed and right-handed.
  • It was his eighth multi-hit game of 2024.
  • It was his fifth multi-RBI game of 2024.
• Senior INF Mitchell Daly went 1-for-4 with two runs, a walk and a two-run HR.
  • It was his second home run of the season.
  • It was his fourth multi-RBI game of the season.
• Junior OF Nolan McCarthy went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, a walk, a double and a home run.
  • It’s his first multi-hit game of the season and ninth career.
  • It was his second multi-RBI game if the season and 10^th

ON DECK

The Wildcats will try to win its SEC opening series on Saturday against Georgia. The contest between the Cats and the Bulldogs will begin at 2 p.m. ET on Friday night and will be streamed on the SECN+, with radio coverage available on 98.5 FM (Lexington) and UKAthletics.com.