Kentucky baseball kept things rolling with a commanding 9-2 win over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night at Kentucky Proud Park. The Wildcats improved to 13-2 on the season, showing off their depth and resilience before heading into a tough SEC slate.
The Wildcats jumped out to a fast start, putting three runs on the board in the first inning and never looking back. Devin Burkes continued to impress, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks, and a double. His leadership on the field has been vital, and head coach Nick Mingione made sure to emphasize his importance.
“Huge. He’s one of very few people in our program that have SEC playing experience,” Mingione said about Burkes. “His leadership has been great, great at-bats. We’re going to need him.”
Nate Harris led the way on the mound, pitching five innings and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out two. Harris improved to 3-0 on the season and continued to provide much-needed consistency for the Wildcats’ pitching staff.
With SEC play on the horizon, Mingione hopes his team will take the same approach that’s gotten them this far.
“What I hope our guys do is, yeah, it’s SEC play, but you’ve got to approach it like we’ve approached every other game,” Mingione said. “Hopefully, we’ve done a good job as coaches training our players. We’re not competing against our opponent, we’re competing against the game. They need to do that same thing.”
The Wildcats’ bats were active throughout the game, with contributions from multiple players. Luke Lawrence, a transfer from Illinois State, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Lawrence is ready to embrace the SEC challenge, expressing his excitement for the weekend series against Georgia.
“Definitely, I’m really excited to go into SEC play,” Lawrence said. “I think everybody is pretty pumped up. Get to Athens, take it one game at a time and hopefully stack wins.”
The Wildcats' pitching staff kept Northern Illinois in check after Harris’ departure, with five more pitchers combining for just one run over the final four innings. Kentucky's bullpen depth could prove critical as they head into what promises to be a grueling SEC schedule.
Kentucky now turns its attention to Georgia, a team ranked in the top 5 nationally. While the challenge is steep, Mingione believes the key will be focusing on what Kentucky does well rather than worrying about the opponent.
“That’s the one thing that I’ll tell you that our guys have done a good job of in recent years,” Mingione said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, with all due respect, we respect every opponent and they’re a great team. But our focus needs to be on us and what we do. And I feel confident that, as long as our focus is on what we can control, then there’s a chance we’re going to get the results we want.”
Kentucky’s mindset will be put to the test this weekend as they begin SEC play against Georgia. With players like Devin Burkes and Luke Lawrence stepping up, the Wildcats are determined to prove they belong among the SEC’s best again this year.
The first game of the series is scheduled for Friday night in Athens. Kentucky will need to bring their best effort if they hope to continue their strong start to the season.