No. 21 Kentucky Deals the Aces 11-3 Defeat Behind Pitre’s Big Night

Emilien Pitre notched his 100^th career hit (and 101 and 102) in just his 93^rd career game and knocked in four runs to lead No. 21 Kentucky to an 11-3 comeback victory over Evansville on a blustery Tuesday night at Kentucky Proud Park.

UK (18-3) scored 11 unanswered runs over the final five innings after falling behind 3-0 in the top of the fifth. It is the third time in the last five games the Wildcats have score 10 or more unanswered runs. The Cats next travel to Missouri for a series that begins Friday night in Columbia, Missouri.

Pitre pulled a hard grounder through the infield in the first inning for his 100^th hit, then added a booming double and another single later to finish the night 3-for-4 with a walk. He also stole three bases, the first UK player to do that since Cam Hill vs. Florida in 2021.

James McCoy also drove in a pair of runs with as part of a seven-run sixth inning and Nolan McCarthy added an RBI double off the left field wall.

On the mound, freshman lefty Ben Cleaver earned the win in relief behind a solid outing from starter Drew Lafferty (4.1 innings, one run). Cleaver, Robert Hogan, Cooper Robinson and Johnny Hummel allowed just two hits and struck out six over the final four scoreless innings.

NOTES

• Kentucky now is 18-3 in 2024, 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
  • Kentucky is 5-0 in night games.
  • Kentucky is 12-2 at home.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 234-153 career record.
  • Mingione needs 24 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 96-36 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
• Kentucky has won 18 of its last 19 midweek contests dating to 2022.
• Kentucky scored seven runs in the sixth inning.
  • It is the 8^th time in the last five games UK has scored 4+ runs in an inning.
  • It is the 17^th time it has scored 4+ in an inning this season.
  • It is the 191^st time UK has scored 4+ in an inning in Mingione era.
• UK scored 11 unanswered runs after scoring 12 unanswered on Sunday and 10 unanswered last Tuesday.
• UK stole five bases and now is 49-of-56 on the season.
• Junior OF Nolan McCarthy went 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and a double.
  • It was his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
• Junior INF Emilien Pitre went 3-for-4 with a run, four RBI, two steals, a double and a walk.
  • It was his 12th multi-hit game of the season and 30^th
  • It was his fifth multi-RBI game of the season and 20^th
  • He set a new career high with four RBI.
  • His three steals made him the first UK player with three or more steals in a game since Cam Hill in 2021.

ON DECK

The Wildcats hit the road for a SEC weekend series at Missouri that opens Friday night. The contest between the Cats and the Tigers will begin at 7 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.