Kentucky rides Burkes to walk-off 5-4 victory over No. 9 Ole Miss

A Devin Burkes walk-off single propelled Kentucky to a 5-4 win over No. 9 Ole Miss Friday night to take game one of the doubleheader. With the win, the ‘Cats improve to 18-9 (5-5) and earn their third ranked win of the season (No. 4 Georgia and No. 20 Auburn).

It marked Kentucky’s first walk-off victory since Mitchell Daly‘s walk-off home run against NC State in the 2024 Men’s College World Series.

The ‘Cats jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first three innings, but were outscored 4-0 over the next five innings to make it a 4-4 game. Devin Burkes‘ walk-off single to left field however gave Kentucky its fifth and deciding run in the bottom of the 10th inning. Although it took the win, Kentucky was outhit 13-6 by Ole Miss.

Freshman right-hander Nate Harris was solid in his first SEC start, but the bullpen once again gave up the lead. The duo of Tommy Skelding and Jackson Nove allowed a combined eight hits and two runs, allowing the Rebels to tie the game. James McCoy however pitched the ‘Cats to victory, as he held Ole Miss scoreless over the ninth and 10th innings.

Taking down the Rebels in the second or third game would be a massive boost to Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament resume, as the ‘Cats were in “The Last Four In” group of D1Baseball’s Midseason Field of 64 Projections.

Nate Harris makes first SEC start

It was announced earlier this week that Kentucky’s game one starter was TBA, with senior right-hander Nic McCay and sophomore left-hander Ben Cleaver tabbed to start in the final two games.

Freshman right-hander Nate Harris was called upon to start the first game on Friday against Ole Miss, earning his first taste of SEC competition. Harris had started five midweek games for the ‘Cats this season, boasting a 3-1 record with a 3.68 ERA and 14 strikeouts. He however had struggled over his last two starts, as he allowed a combined 12 hits and nine earned runs over his last nine innings pitched (Murray State and Xavier).

The Yorkville, IL. native did the opposite of struggle on Friday however, as he looked great in his first career SEC start. In 3 2/3 innings of work, Harris allowed just three hits and no runs while striking out three batters.

M1 | 0-0

The rain has stopped, baseball is being played and @NateHarris1515 struck out a pair in his first SEC career appearance.

📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/0rPrZhPiDh

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 4, 2025

Free bases hand Kentucky an early lead

Following a quick first inning in which both teams went hitless (maybe a bit of rain hangover), Ole Miss loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the second inning. This brought to bat sophomore catcher Austin Fawley, who transferred from Kentucky over the offseason. Unlike Georgia’s Nolan McCarthy, who singled with the bases loaded in his first at-bat against his former team, Fawley grounded into a half-inning inning double play to keep the Rebels scoreless.

Reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Tyler Bell led off the bottom of the second with a double off the right center field fence, keeping his hot streak blazing hot. Following his double, Bell had gone 9-14 at the plate with four doubles, a home run and seven RBI in his prior 14 at-bats. Ethan Hindle was then plunked and Devin Burkes walked to bring up Shaun Montoya with the bases loaded.

Ole Miss left-hander Hunter Elliott pitched to a 3-2 count, putting Montoya on the ropes with three ‘Cats on the bases. Elliott however lost control of the pitch, as it hit him in the helmet to bring home Bell from third base.

After yet another three up, three down inning for Nate Harris in the third, Kentucky tacked on three more runs in the frame. Hudson Brown became the second Wildcat batter of the game to be hit in the helmet, and he was followed by a Patrick Herrera walk and another Ethan Hindle HBP. Three free bases brought up Griffin Cameron, who has continued to hold down the center field position since Will Marcy’s injury.

Cameron converted with ducks on the pond, as he smacked a two-run single into left field to make it a 3-0 lead. Devin Burkes followed him with an RBI-single, propelling the ‘Cats to a 4-0 advantage.

E3 | UK 4, MISS 0@GrifCameron15 with 2-run single. @Devin_Burkes RBI single. Cats have taken 4 HBP in three innings, forced Rebels' SP to throw 64 pitches. pic.twitter.com/0FjVyCseQS

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 4, 2025

Rebels crawl back to tie game at four

Kentucky kept Ole Miss scoreless for four innings, until the Rebels dinged Tommy Skelding for two runs in the top of the fifth.

They quickly put runners on second and third with just one out, bringing third baseman Luke Hill to the plate. Hill capitalized with a two-run single to right field, bringing home the former ‘Cat Fawley and Mitchell Sanford.

Ole Miss then loaded the bases following a single from Louisville transfer Isaac Humphrey and a walk of third baseman Will Furniss. Kentucky left-hander Jackson Nove however got out of the bases loaded jam by forcing a pop-out in foul play, keeping the Wildcat lead at two runs.

7-game hit streak for @Luke_Hill22 as he drives in a pair of Rebs! pic.twitter.com/iEVkhjqBPP

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 4, 2025

Hill’s big game for the Rebels continued in the top of the seventh, as he belted a solo home run to make it just a one-run game. With the Kentucky bats continuing to struggle, Ole Miss would tie the game up in the top of the eighth inning.

Nove struck out back-to-back batters to open the frame, but allowed a double to Austin Fawley to keep the inning alive. He then got to an 0-2 count on DH Hayden Federico, but left a fastball right down the middle that Federico smacked up the middle for an RBI-single. Ole Miss had crawled all the way back to tie the game and seemingly held all the momentum.

Kentucky walks off the Rebels

Kentucky right-hander James McCoy did his job perfectly in the ninth, as he held the Rebels scoreless to bring the ‘Cats back to the plate.

Luke Lawrence continued his hot streak by notching a one-out single, his second of the day. Following a Cole Hage drawn walk, runners were on first and second with two outs for Tyler Bell. Bell just narrowly missed a walk-off single down the left field line as it went just foul, and would eventually pop-out to second base to send the game to extras.

McCoy returned to the mound in the 10th and once again allowed an Ole Miss runner to reach third. However, he got out of the frame unharmed to give Kentucky another chance to walk it off.

Patrick Herrera opened the bottom of the 10th with an HBP, quickly putting a runner on first. Kyuss Gargett pinch-ran for Herrera and was able to advance to second on a balk by Ole Miss’ Mason Morris and third on a failed pickoff attempt by Ole Miss’ Brayden Jones.

With the winning run 90-feet away from home, the Captain delivered. Burkes ripped a walk-off single to left field, bringing Gargett home to give the ‘Cats the series opening win.

What’s next for Kentucky?

Kentucky and No. 9 Ole Miss will regroup and play game two of the doubleheader immediately preceding the series opener.