Split Decision: Kentucky and South Carolina Play for Series on Sunday

Kentucky split its third doubleheader of the season on Saturday, winning the opener 7-3 over South Carolina before falling 5-4 in the nightcap on a late two-run home run.

The Wildcats (24-16, 9-11 Southeastern Conference) also split DHs with Lipscomb and Ole Miss earlier this season.

GAME ONE

Nate Harris turned in the best pitching performance by a UK freshman in an SEC start in a dozen years and the Cats took control over the back half of the game, claiming a 7-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.

Harris pitched a career-high 7.0 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits before giving way to Jackson Nove and Simon Gregersen. Harris struck out seven, walked one and did not allow a hit to the final 16 batters he faced. You have to go back to former big leaguer Kyle Cody in 2013 to find a freshman who completed seven innings for the Cats against a conference opponent.

Outfielder Carson Hansen hit a two-run home run in the first inning and the Cats scored in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings to keep the Gamecocks at bay.

GAME TWO

On the verge of being swept on the day, South Carolina got a two-run home run from Will Tippett, his first of the season, in the eighth inning to escape with a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.

UK led 3-1 after two innings on home runs by Tyler Bell and Cole Hage before South Carolina tied it with a pair of runs off SEC Pitcher of the Week Nic McCay. UK took the lead in the fifth and held it until Tippett’s one-out shot in the eighth.

The loss was UK’s seventh by one or two runs in SEC play.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 24-16 (9-11 SEC) on the season.
• UK was hit by seven pitches in the doubleheader and now have been hit 117 times in 2025.
  • It entered the game with 110 on the season, which ranked third nationally.
  • Devin Burkes became the fifth UK player to have at least one game this season with two or more HBP (10 total games).
• UK now is 4-7 in SEC home games this season.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 287-180 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • UK is 65-66 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.
  • Mingione now is 12-14 vs. South Carolina.
• INF Tyler Bell now has reached base safely in 39 of 40 career games.
  • Bell has 22 extra base hits this season (16 2B, 6 HR)
  • That ranks fourth in UK history for a freshman.
• OF Carson Hansen hit his sixth home run.
• C Devin Burkes stole two bases and now has 36 career steals.
• OF Cole Hage had four hits on the day, including his 200^th career hit.
• RHP Nic McCay recorded his 300^th career strikeout.
• RHP Nate Harris had a career game in the DH opener.
  • He went 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out seven.
  • The innings and strikeouts both were season highs.
  • He claimed his first career SEC victory.
  • He did not allow a hit to the final 16 batters he faced.
  • He is the first UK freshman pitcher to start and pitch at least 7.0 innings in an SEC game since Kyle Cody vs. Arkansas in 2013 (7 IP, 7 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K).

 ON DECK

The Cats play another series rubber game on Sunday, as it wraps one with South Carolina. The game is at 1 p.m. ET. It will air on the SEC Network+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.