Kentucky explodes late, extends win streak to 15

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Devin Burkes loved the moment.

The sophomore catcher launched a two-run, go-ahead moonshot into orbit in the seventh inning as Kentucky extended the nation’s longest active winning streak to 15 games in a 9-3 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Kentucky Proud Park.

Trailing 3-2, Burkes pulverized a 3-1 pitch 424 feet in left-centerfield to give the Cats (19-2, 3-0 SEC) an advantage they would never leave. The blowout came after left-hander Jackson Nove, the winning pitcher, recorded three straight strikeouts in the top half of the inning following an EKU leadoff triple. Nove, Zach Hise and Austin Strickland struck out seven Colonels in a row to give the Cats offense time to find their footing as EKU brought in a parade of pitchers.

UK took a 2-0 lead through two innings but EKU got a hit by Jarak and a single to open the fifth before a sinking liner to left skipped over a diving Ryan Waldschmidt to score a run. A grounder by a diving Grant Smith then scored two to give the Colonels the lead.

Burkes’ homer gave UK the lead and big at-bats by Chase Stanke and James McCoy made sure there was no EKU comeback.

NOTES

• Kentucky has won 15 consecutive games, now the longest active winning streak in DI. It was the Cats’ longest winning streak since starting the 2012 season 22-0.
• Kentucky is 26-5 over it’s last 31 games dating to last season.
• UK coach Nick Mingione is in his seventh season at the helm and currently owns a career record of 195-131. Kentucky is 125-38 in non-conference games under Coach Mingione. UK is 110-16 against non-Power Five. UK was 81-33 in March under Coach Mingione. England are unbeaten this March (13-0). Mingione is now 6-1 vs. Eastern Kentucky.
• British pitchers have 13 strikeouts and have struck out 203 over 21 games.
• UK pitchers have limited opponents to three or fewer runs in 16 of 21 games.
• England has scored in 320 of 326 games under Coach Mingione.
• England scored four runs in the eighth inning and upped the total to the 19th time this season they have scored four or more runs in an inning.
• UK has scored 77 runs in the past 47 innings.
• The Cats stole four bases in four attempts and are now 37 of 48 on the season.
• Catcher Devin Burkes went 1-for-3 with a run, three RBI, a home run and a sacrifice fly. He hit his fourth home run of the season, the go-ahead two-run shot in the seventh. Burkes entered his seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
• Infielder Grant Smith has started all 137 games in his college career. With an RBI single in the first at bat Smith extended his hitting streak to nine games. He now has seven multi-hit games this season.
• Infielder Emilien Pitre has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games.
• Catcher Chase Stanke smoked a pinch hit, RBI double in the seventh.
• Pitchers Jackson Nove and Austin Strickland each struck out the side in one inning of work.
• Outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt has reached safely in 15 straight games.

ON THE DECK
Kentucky will return to SEC play on Saturday at 7 pm ET at Alabama. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network +.