No. 20 Kentucky Splits Season-Opening Doubleheader

NASHVILLE – No. 20 Kentucky opened its encore season after last year’s trip to the College World Series by splitting a season-opening doubleheader on a raw, windy day at Lipscomb. The Wildcats scored a run-rule 11-0 affair in the first game but were stifled in a 3-1 defeat in the second game.

GAME 1 – UK 11, Lipscomb 0 (7 innings)

UK came out firing on all cylinders in the opener, scoring a three-hit shutout. Senior righty Nic McCay was as good as advertised, throwing nine of 10 first inning pitches for strikes to set the tone on his way to earning his first victory in blue. McCay allowed just two hits and struck out four in 5.0 innings before giving way to Scott Rouse, who pitched the final two innings.

Offensively, senior Cole Hage had four hits and clubbed a three-run home run. Patrick Herrera and Luke Lawrence both drove in three as well. The Cats scored three runs in the third inning and five in the fifth to blow the came open. Junior James McCoy also added a pair of hits.

GAME 2 – Lipscomb 3, UK 1

The bats cooled significantly in game two as the Cats had nothing to show for several hard-hit balls and were done in by a three-run Lipscomb fourth inning where they did not help itself with walks and wild pitches.

The Cats left seven men on base and saw Raphael Pelletier’s potential game-tying home run in the ninth inning fall just short on the warning track in right field. Sophomore lefty Ben Cleaver looked mostly terrific striking out five in 3.2 innings but it was a leadoff walk in the ill-fated fourth that short-circuited his first collegiate start on the mound.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 1-1 on the season.
• This is Kentucky’s first shutout in a season opener since 2006
• This is Kentucky’s first time scoring at least 11 runs in back-to-back season openers since 1981-1982
• This is Kentucky’s largest win in a season opener (11 runs) since 2007 vs. Furman (11 runs, 12-1)
• This is Kentucky’s second largest shutout win in a season opener in program history (beat Georgetown College 19-0 in 1946)
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 263-167 career record.
  • Mingione now is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 47-18 in the month of February under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 6-3 in season openers.
  • Mingione is 152-46 in non-conference games overall and 132-20 vs. non-Power Five opponents.
  • Mingione now is 5-0 vs. Lipscomb.
• Senior Cole Hage had five hits on the day, going 5-of-8 with four runs, three RBI and a home run.
  • He is the first Wildcat to homer in his UK debut since Lukas Schramm and Eli Small on opening weekend in 2024.
• Junior Luke Lawrence had two hits and three RBI.
• Senior Patrick Herrera went 2-of-2 with a run, three RBI, a sac bunt, a walk and a hit by pitch.
• Senior Raphael Pelletier had a double, his 100^th career collegiate hit.
• Junior James McCoy had a pair of hits in game one and now has 15 career multi-hit games.
• Senior Dylan Koontz went 2-for-4 with a RBI in game two.
• Senior Nic McCay earned his first win for UK.
  • His final line: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
  • He picked up his 250^th career strikeout.
• Sophomore Ben Cleaver made his collegiate start on the mound.
  • He pitched 3.2 IP, gave up four hits, three runs, walked three and struck out five.
• Senior Jackson Nove tied his career high with 3.0 innings and five strikeouts.
• The following Wildcats made their debut in blue: Tyler Bell, Simon Gregersen, Cole Hage, Dylan Koontz, Luke Lawrence, Will Marcy, Nic McCay, Shaun Montoya, Raphael Pelletier and Scott Rouse.

ON DECK

Kentucky closes the series at Lipscomb on Sunday, February 16 at 2 p.m. ET/1 CT. It will stream on ESPN+ and there will be live radio on the UK Sports Network.