Free Space: No. 15 Kentucky Takes Advantage of 19 Free Bases in Win

On a night when it drew 14 walks and five hit by pitch, No. 15 Kentucky finally broke the dam in a six-run seventh inning on the way to a 9-5 victory over Miami University at Kentucky Proud Park on Tuesday.

The Wildcats moved to 21-4 on the season.

It was a strange evening, as UK left 10 runners on base through five innings and finished the game just 2-for-15 at the plate with runners in scoring position but drew five straight walks or hit by pitch with two outs in the seventh before Nick Lopez broke the game open with a two-run single, turning a three-run deficit into an 8-5 advantage.

UK now has scored at least seven runs in eight of the past nine games, including nine or more seven times.

The Cats will travel to Oxford, Mississippi this weekend to take on No. 22 Ole Miss.

NOTES

• Kentucky now is 21-4 in 2024, 5-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
  • Kentucky is 7-0 in night games.
  • Kentucky is 13-2 at home.
  • Kentucky is 16-3 in non-conference games.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 237-154 career record.
  • Mingione needs 21 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 99-37 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • UK is 149-43 in non-conference games under Mingione.
  • UK is 130-18 vs. non-Power Five opponents under Mingione.
• UK has won 19 of its last 20 midweek games dating to 2022.
• UK drew 14 walks and were hit by five pitches.
  • It’s the first time UK has walked 10 or more times in a game since drawing 10 at Southern Illinois on March 10, 2023.
  • It’s the second-most in a game since UK drew 15 vs. Tennessee-Martin in 2007.
• Kentucky scored six runs in the 7th inning.
  • It is the 10^th time in the last nine games UK has scored 4+ runs in an inning.
  • It is the 19^th time this season UK has scored 4+ runs in an inning.
  • It is the 193^rd time in the Mingione Era.
• Kentucky has scored at least seven runs in eight of the past nine games, including nine or more seven times.
• Junior Patrick Herrera did not have an official AB but reached safely in all six of his plate appearances due to four walks and two HBP.
  • He’s the first UK player to draw four walks in a game since Ryan Johnson in 2019 vs. Indiana.
  • He scored two runs and was credited with an RBI.
• Senior Nick Lopez went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
  • It was his 7th multi-hit game of the season.

ON DECK

The Wildcats hit the road for a SEC weekend series at No. 22 Ole Miss that opens Friday night. The contest between the Cats and the Rebels will begin at 7:30 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.