Road Dogs: No. 15 Kentucky Scores 17 Runs, Wins Series at No. 22 Ole Miss

OXFORD, Miss. – The skeptics keep doubting Kentucky and in response the No. 15 Wildcats just keep silencing them.

UK (23-4, 7-1 SEC) became to only team in the conference to score 16 or more runs twice in a league game, bashing No. 22 Ole Miss 17-9 in a relentless offensive display up and down the lineup, including four home runs. Outfielder Nolan McCarthy hit two home runs and drove in a career-best six runs as UK pounded out a SEC-high 18 hits to throttle the Rebels in front of 10,149 sun-splashed fans at Swayze Field.

UK now has two of the four road series wins in league play by a conference team.

James McCoy went 4-for-4 with a home run off the bench, Emilien Pitre homered for the second consecutive day and Nick Lopez had three more hits as nine of the 10 position players who had an at-bat also had at least one hit. Despite not having his best command or stuff, lefty Dominic Niman finished six innings to earn his fifth win of the season.

The Cats drew 10 walks, stole six bases and were hit by three pitches.

NOTES

• Kentucky now is 23-4 in 2024, 7-1 in Southeastern Conference play.
  • Kentucky is 15-4 in day games.
  • Kentucky is 8-1 in true road games and 10-2 away from Lexington.
  • Kentucky is 5-2 on Saturday.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 239-154 career record.
  • Mingione needs 19 victories to become the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 101-37 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
• Kentucky scored four runs in the third, sixth and ninth innings.
  • It is the 13^th time in the last 11 games UK has scored 4+ runs in an inning.
  • It is the 22nd time this season UK has scored 4+ runs in an inning.
  • It is the 196th time in the Mingione Era.
• Kentucky’s eight road wins are the most of any team in the SEC.
• Kentucky owns two of the four road series wins by SEC teams in league play.
• Kentucky is the only team that has scored 16 or more runs twice in SEC play.
• Kentucky’s 18 hits are the by a team in a SEC game this season.
• Kentucky stole six bases (it was caught twice on pickoffs) and now is 65-of-75 on the season.
• Kentucky drew at least 10 base on balls for the second in the last three games.
• Junior Emilien Pitre went 2-for-4, two runs, two RBI with a solo home run and stolen base.
  • It was his third home run of the season.
  • He now is 14-for-17 on stolen base attempts.
  • It was his 13^th multi-hit game of the season and 31^st
  • It was his eighth multi-RBI game of the season and 23^rd
• Graduate Nick Lopez went 3-for-4 with four runs, an RBI, a walk, a HBP and a double.
  • He now has 12 doubles on the season.
  • It was his 11^th multi-hit game.
  • The four runs scored are a career high.
• Junior Nolan McCarthy went 3-for-6 with four runs, six RBI and two home runs.
  • He blasted a no-doubt two-run home run in the 3^rd
  • He added a three-run opposite field shot in the 6^th
  • He set a new career high with six RBI, besting the five he had in his first career game in 2022 at Jacksonville State.
  • The four runs set a career high and he tied his career best with three hits.
  • It was his 3^rd multi-hit game of the season and 11^th
  • It was his 4^th multi-RBI game this season and 12^th
• Sophomore James McCoy went 4-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a home run and stolen base.
  • He hit an opposite field two-run homer in the fifth inning.
  • It was his 3^rd multi-hit game of the season and 9^th
  • It was his 3^rd multi-RBI game of the season and 9^th
• Junior Devin Burkes went 2-for-4 with two runs, a double, two walks and a steal.
  • His double was his 100^th career hit.

ON DECK

The Wildcats will try to and sweep a road series at No. 22 Ole Miss on Easter Sunday. The contest between the Cats and the Rebels will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on the SECN+, with radio coverage available on 630-AM WLAP (Lexington) and UKAthletics.com.