Kentucky Splits Twin Bill With Top Ten Ole Miss Club

Kentucky and No. 9 Ole Miss landed back at even after seven hours and 19 innings of baseball at Kentucky Proud Park on Friday. The Cats won the opener of the doubleheader 5-4 in 10 innings while the Rebels took game two 3-1.

GAME ONE

Kentucky had to wait an extra day and play extra innings but delivered a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings in the opener on Devin Burkes’ game-winning line single into left to score Kyuss Gargett.

The Cats took a 4-0 lead after three innings via a patient approach at the plate and four hit by pitch, two in the helmet. Freshman Nate Harris made his SEC debut with the start on the mound and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings.

Ole Miss began its comeback with a two-run fifth inning and added single runs in the seventh and eighth as reliever Mason Morris stifled the Cats’ offense. The Rebels also had the go-ahead run on third in both the ninth and 10^th but James McCoy stranded them there.

Patrick Herrera opened the 10^th with a HBP and Gargett pinch ran for him. A balk moved him to second and he stole third in front of a walk by Griffin Cameron. After Cameron stole second, Burkes lined a 0-1 pitch over the shortstop for the winner.

GAME TWO

The nightcap turned into a pitchers’ duel where a pinch hit, ninth inning home run turned out to be the difference. Campbell Smithwick lifted Nile Adcock’s hanging breaking ball into the Rebels bullpen for a two-run shot that gave them a 3-1 victory.

The Cats opened a 1-0 lead in the second on Burkes’ RBI single before a fourth-inning sacrifice fly evened things. Things were quiet for both clubs after that before Smithwick, who came into game hitting under .200, connected. The Cats saw 20 of their last 21 batters retired in the contest.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 18-10 (5-6 SEC) on the season.
  • UK is 2-3 in SEC home games.
• UK has held a lead in each of its 11 SEC contests.
• UK was hit by six pitches.
  • UK has been hit by a pitch 63 times in the last 18 games.
  • UK entered the day third nationally with 79 HBP.
• UK won the opening game in walk-off fashion in 10 innings, 5-4.
  • Devin Burkes delivered the game-winning hit.
  • UK is 1-1 this season and 15-8 overall in extra inning games in the Mingione era.
  • It was Kentucky’s 20^th walk-off victory in the Mingione era.
    • The first this season.
    • Each of UK’s last three walk-off victories have been by the score of 5-4 and in 10 innings.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 281-174 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 59-60 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione now is 9-5 vs. Ole Miss.
• Senior C Devin Burkes went 3-for-7 with three RBI, a walk and stolen base.
  • He had the game-winner in game one and the only RBI in game two.
  • He has seven multi-hit games this year and 39 career.
  • He has seven multi-RBI games this year an 29 career.
  • He now has 153 career hits, tied for 31^st place on UK’s all-time list.
  • He now has 33 career stolen bases.
• Freshman IF Tyler Bell’s reached base streak ended at 27 games.
• Junior RHP/INF James McCoy earned the victory in the opener.
  • He pitched 2.0 innings, allowing no runs on two hits.
  • He stranded the go-ahead run at third in both innings.
  • He now is unscored upon in 13 of 14 career outings and has allowed one run.
• Freshman RHP Nate Harris made his first career SEC start and appearance in the opener.
  • His final line: 3.2 innings, 3 hits, no runs, two walks, three Ks.
  • He struck out two in the first inning.
• Senior RHP Nic McCay started game two and allowed one run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
  • Four of his strikeouts were looking.

ON DECK

The Cats host Ole Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Thursday will air on the SEC Network+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.