No. 23 Kentucky Opens Wofford Series With Resounding Victory

No. 23 Kentucky scored four runs in the first inning, Dylan Koontz drove in four runs with a double and home run and the Wildcats run ruled Wofford 12-2 on Friday for their 10 straight victory.

The Wildcats moved to 11-1 on the season while Wofford dropped to 11-3.

Koontz delivered two of the big hits, slamming a two-run, opposite field double in the first and a two-two blast over the Terriers’ bullpen in a five-run sixth inning. Cole Hage also homered and drove in three while going 2-for-2 and stealing a pair of bases in reaching safely all four times he came to the plate.

Meanwhile, senior righty Nic McCay (3-0) did not have his best stuff but still delivered a healthy stat line in matching his season high with six innings pitched. He allowed just one run on three infield singles and struck out three.

UK secured its fifth run rule victory in just 12 games and now has outscored its opponent 43-5 the past five games.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 11-1 on the season and has won 10 straight games.
• UK has 97 wins since the beginning of the 2023 season (97-38).
• UK was hit by two pitches and now has been hit 13 times in the last three games.
• UK has outscored its opponents 116-23 on the season.
  • UK has done so 43-5 its past five games.
• In 12 games, UK has five run rule victories and three shutouts.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 273-167 career record.
  • Mingione now is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 106-37 in the month of March under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 162-46 in non-conference games overall and 142-20 vs. non-Power Four opponents.
  • Mingione now is 2-0 vs. Wofford.
• Senior RHP Nic McCay tied his season best with 6.0 innings pitched.
  • He allowed one run on three hits, all infield singles.
• Freshman INF Tyler Bell and senior INF Patrick Herrera each have reached base safely in all 12 games this season.
• Senior INF Dylan Koontz went 2-for-4 with two runs, four RBI, a double and a home run.
  • He has three multi-hit and three muti-RBI games.
• Senior OF Cole Hage went 1-for02 with three runs, three RBI, a walk, an HBP, two stole bases and a home run.
  • He has six multi-hit and four multi-RBI games this season.
  • He joins Carson Hansen as the Cats who each have had back-to-back games with a home run this season.
• Sophomore INF Ethan Hindle went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a double and a SAC fly.
• Senior Patrick Herrera went 2-for-2 with a run and a walk.
  • He now has three multi-hit games this season.

 ON DECK

Kentucky hosts Wofford in the middle game of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. It will be streamed on SECN+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.