Blast(iak) Off: Jacob Plastiak’s Two Homers Power Kentucky Over No. 9 Ole Miss

Kentucky wins fifth over top 10 foes this season, 2,000 all-time game in program history

LEXINGTON – April 2, 2022

Jacob Plastiak belted a pair of late-inning home runs to centerfield and Kentucky defeated No. 9 Ole Miss, 9-2, on Saturday at Kentucky Proud Park. It was the fifth victory this season over a top 10 opponent and the 2,000^th all-time win in program history.

Kentucky (18-10, 3-5 SEC) set up a series rubber match on Sunday with the win. It was the eighth come-from-behind win for the Wildcats this season.

Ole Miss (18-8, 3-5) took a 2-0 lead in the first but UK held the Rebels to one hit over the final eight innings and scored nine unanswered runs. Plastiak turned a taut game into a laugher with a pair of majestic blasts in back-to-back innings to put the game out of reach. He finished with four RBI in the game and started Darren Williams was sensational in 6.1 innings of work to earn the win. Daniel Harper picked up the save with 2.2 hitless innings of relief.

NOTES

·         Kentucky has 2,000 all-time victories.

·         UK has scored in 271 of 274 games in Mingione’s tenure.

·         Mingione has 161 wins, fifth on UK’s all-time list. He needs four wins to move into fourth.

• UK is 33-of-36 on stole base attempts this season.
• The UK pitchers have struck out 304 in 28 games.

• Junior INF Chase Estep has reached base safely in 27 of 28 games this season.
• Senior IF Jacob Plastiak went 2-for-5 with two runs, four RBI and two home runs.
  • He has eight homers this season.
  • He has 10 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games this season.

• Senior OF Hunter Jump had three hits.
• Senior OF John Thrasher tied a career-high with three hits.
• Senior RHP Darren Williams earned the win.
• He pitched 6.1 innings, allowing three hits, two runs and striking out seven.
  • He allowed only one hit after the first inning.
• Senior RHP Daniel Harper earned his first save of the season and third of his career.

ON DECK

Kentucky and Ole Miss meet again on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on the SECN+. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.