Kentucky finishes off sweep of Ole Miss with 15-1 victory
Fueled by big innings, No. 24 Kentucky run-ruled Ole Miss 15-1 on Sunday to finish off the weekend sweep of the Rebels.
Sunday marked Kentucky’s third run-rule victory of the season.
The Cats notched 12 hits and were gifted eight free bases by the Rebel pitching staff. Ole Miss pitchers walked 18 total batters over the span of Saturday and Sunday.
Kentucky came into Oxford and completely dominated the Rebels, outscoring them 37-13 over the weekend. Its 8-1 start in SEC play is its second best start to conference play in the Nick Mingione era.
With a win in their series opener against Alabama next Friday, the Cats would tie their best start (9-1 in 2023) under Mingione.
The Bat Cats improve to 24-4 (8-1) with the sweep.
Players of the Game
- RF James McCoy: McCoy continued his stellar play this weekend, going 3-4 at the plate on Sunday with a a double, a solo home run and three RBI. He fell a triple short of the cycle.
- 1B Ryan Nicholson: Nicholson’s bases clearing double in the fourth inning capped off Kentucky’s second five-run frame of the game.
- DH Nick Lopez: Nick Lopez continues to be a base hit machine for the Cats, going 2-4 at the plate with two RBI.
- RHP Mason Moore: Moore went five innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out two batters.
First inning “Biggie Box” for the Cats
Kentucky picked up right where it left off in Saturday’s 17-9 victory, putting five runs on the board in the first inning on Sunday.
For the first time this weekend, Ryan Waldschmidt was not plunked on the first pitch of the game. Instead, Waldschmidt opened play with a double down the left field line, his sixth of the season.
Émilien Pitre walked, putting runners on first and second with no outs for the Cats. Waldschmidt and Pitre moved up a base on a double steal, putting Devin Burkes in prime position to get the Cats on the board first.
That he did, as Burkes lifted an RBI-sac fly to center field, scoring Waldschmidt from third. The runs didn’t stop there, as Nick Lopez snuck an RBI-single to left field to score Pitre.
Nolan McCarthy remained scorching hot at the plate, lifting a line drive into left field to score Lopez from second base. Lopez would have been out by a mile if the throw was on target, but Ole Miss left fielder Ethan Lege botched the throw home.
James McCoy capped off the big opening frame for the Bat Cats, roping an RBI-double into the right center field gap.
McCoy’s fifth hit of the weekend extended Kentucky’s early lead to five before Ole Miss even had an at-bat.
Kentucky’s second five-run frame blows game open
As if five runs in the first inning wasn’t enough, the Cats put up another five-run inning in the fourth to completely blow the game open.
Ole Miss’ pitching fell apart in the inning, as they walked a total of five batters. Rebel pitchers Josh Mallitz and Mason Nichols walked the bases loaded, bringing home Grant Smith from third on their fourth consecutive walk.
Nick Lopez notched his second RBI of the game on an RBI-groundout, scoring Ryan Waldschmidt from third. After yet another drawn walk by the Cats, Ryan Nicholson put the Rebels hopes a comeback win six feet under.
On a 3-1 count, Nicholson cleared the bases with a double off the left field wall. Suddenly, the Cats held a dominant 10-0 lead in just the fourth inning.
Mason Moore continues to shove
Junior right-handed pitcher Mason Moore made his seventh start of the season on Sunday and completely shutdown an Ole Miss offense that scored nine runs on Saturday.
Moore pitched five innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out two batters.
The righty took a line-drive comebacker off his right forearm to open the game, but he stayed in and pitched well once again.
He improves to a perfect 6-0 this season and lowers his ERA to 2.87.
Wildcats finish off the sweep
James McCoy’s second home run of the weekend propelled the Cats back ahead by 10 after Ole Miss put across a run, putting the run-rule in effect.
Kentucky capped off its big weekend with a four-run seventh inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from Grant Smith, his first of the season.
Left-handed pitcher Jackson Nove finished things off in the seventh for the Cats, allowing just two hits in relief. Nove forced a flyout to cement the victory and finish off the Easter weekend sweep.
What’s next for Kentucky?
The Bat Cats and Louisville will reignite the Battle of the Bluegrass on Tuesday in Lexington. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.
Louisville won last season’s lone meeting 7-0 at Kentucky Proud Park, where Kentucky set the regular season attendance record at the park (5,292 fans).
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