Hometown Stars Lead No. 22 Kentucky to Victory

Freshman Owen Jenkins turned in a career-best four hits to lead a 20-hit attack as No. 22 Kentucky downed Western Kentucky 13-9 at Kentucky Proud Park on Wednesday.

The Cats (6-2) jumped all over the Hilltoppers with a four-run, seven-hit opening inning and led 8-2 before the game turned into a slugfest that saw UK put it away with a three-run seventh. Jenkins and pitcher Burkley Bounds (2.2 IP, 0 R, 4 K), both Lexington natives, would not lose to another in-state opponent as the Cats did Morehead State a week prior.

Seven different Wildcats had multiple hits, Ethan Hindle and Jayce Tharnish each homered and Jenkins added a career-high three RBI. Hindle took the first pitch he saw in the first inning out to left field to get things started.

On the flip side, Chase Alderman was much improved in his second start before running out of gas in the fifth inning. He allowed two run in four-plus innings and the Cats were cruising until things tightened with a five-run WKU sixth inning. Bounds entered with the bases loaded to get the final two outs of the seventh and shoved the last two innings to earn his first win in blue.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 6-2 on the season.
  • UK is 123-65 since the beginning of 2023.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at the helm and now owns a 299-194 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 59-20 in the month of February under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione is 175-54 in non-conference games.
    • He is 154-25 vs. non-Power Four opponents.
  • Mingione now is 10-2 vs. Western Kentucky.
  • Mingione is 43-17 vs. teams from Kentucky.
• Kentucky had a season-high 20 hits, including seven extra base knocks.
• Kentucky twice scored three or more runs in an inning and now already has done that eight times this season.
• Freshman Owen Jenkins set a new career high with four hits and three RBI.
  • He finished 4-for-5 with a run, three RBI, a double and stolen base.
  • He already has games of three hits and four hits in just eight college games.
• OF Jayce Tharnish went 3-for-6 with three runs, a RBI, a homer and steal
  • He hit his second home run of the season.
  • He now is 7-for-7 on stolen bases.
• IF Luke Lawrence had three hits and now has 199 for his career.
• IF Hudson Brown went 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, a double and a walk.
• IF Tyler Cerny got hit by two pitches.
  • He now has been hit by at least two pitches in a game 11 times in his career.
  • He now has 53 HBP in his career.
• RHP Burkley Bounds pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to pick up the win.
  • He struck out four and now has 14 in 6.2 IP this season.

ON DECK

UK hosts St. John’s on Friday at 4 p.m. ET. The game is on SECN+ and the contest can be heard on UK Sports Network.