Devin Burkes blasts solo home run to put Kentucky up 1-0 over Ball State

Kentucky baseball is on the board to open play in their Lexington Regional against Ball State. After 3.5 scoreless innings combined between the two clubs, Wildcat batter Devin Burkes jolted the Kentucky Proud Park crowd to life in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to right-center field for the first run and home run of the NCAA Tournament for UK.

Take a look at this beautiful swing for Burkes’ seventh homer of the year:

When you need a lift, call @Devin_Burkes!

B4 | UK 1, BSU 0

📺 @SECNetwork | @NCAABaseball pic.twitter.com/pDH6NmNIO7

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) June 2, 2023

That fence-clearer was the only scoring Kentucky could muster in the inning and eventually headed to the fifth with a slim 1-0 lead — but in a defensive game like Friday’s has been, you feel pretty good with a lead, especially as Ball State likely has to sub in a lesser pitcher here shortly. Meanwhile, Kentucky’s own starter, Travis Smith, was taken out in the top of the fifth.

He gave the team four full innings of work, allowing just three hits, two walks and zero runs. You take that every day of the week if you’re Nick Mingione. And judging by his mid-game interview with the SEC Network during the fourth inning, the UK head coach was pleased with what Smith gave him.

“Now, I mean, it’s electric stuff, it’s mid to upper 90s with a really good breaking ball. He moves the fastball, the fastball movement is synched, it’s good. You don’t know a moment that’s too big for him. He’s just uber competitive.”

He’s also just excited to have a full crowd in June for NCAA Tournament play, something the ‘Cats haven’t experienced since the 2017 season.

“Yeah, it’s been good. You know, a lot of guys off that ’17 team texted me and just trying to give them the experience that they had,” revealed Mingione. “But this is pretty awesome. This is what the city of Lexington does, and the Big Blue Nation, they come out to support their teams. So, thankful that we’re in this spot.”

Kentucky looking in control at the moment in a very crucial opening game of their regional. Burkes homer, his seventh of the season, by the way, could prove to be massive as these scoreless innings keep piling up. Even if Ball State cracks a homer or steals a run somewhere, Kentucky at least has some cushion. Now, it’s time to go chase more offense and put this thing as out of reach as possible.