PREVIEW: Kentucky hosts Hofstra in first home series of season

You’ll have three opportunities to head to Kentucky Proud Park this weekend, as Kentucky hosts Hofstra in its first home series of the 2025 season.

After a questionable loss to Lipscomb to open the season, the ‘Cats have been absolutely dominant. They are outscoring teams 55-11 over their last five games, two of which ended in just seven innings. Both sides of the ball have been thriving, as Kentucky is hitting for a .297 team average with a 1.93 team ERA.

This weekend series will mark the first time ever Kentucky and Hofstra have ever met on the diamond.

Hofstra Pride (3-4, 0-0)

Kentucky will be the second SEC team Hofstra has faced this season, as the Pride opened their season in Knoxville. Reigning National Champions Tennessee absolutely obliterated Hofstra, as the Volunteers outscored them 46-2 over the three-game span. All three games ended in just seven innings.

Following its rough series against the ‘Vols however, the Pride went 3-1 in their last four games with a series sweep over Iona. Hofstra is led by fourth year head coach Frank Catalanotto, who played 13 years in the MLB. Under Catalanotto, the Pride are 83-86 (41-38) with one NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022.

Hofstra is projected to finish second-to-last in the Colonial Athletic Association by D1Baseball.

They are led offensively by junior Dylan Palmer, who was ranked as the 28th best second baseman in all of College Baseball (D1Baseball). Palmer is by far Hofstra’s best player, as his .409 batting average is .123 points better than their second-leading hitter freshman infielder Jake Harring.

Just like its offense, the Hofstra pitching staff is off to a horrific start to the 2025 campaign. The starting trio that Kentucky will face this weekend (LHP Jackson Bauer, RHP Tristan Nemjo and RHP Branden Brown) have given up 35 hits and 33 earned runs in just 21 1/3 innings this season (14.77 ERA).

Kentucky has already mercy-ruled three separate teams this season (Lipscomb, Belmont and Evansville), but the Pride could be the worst of the bunch.

Kentucky Wildcats (6-1, 0-0)

Hofstra is one of Kentucky’s three final mid-major opponents (Hofstra, Eastern Kentucky and Wofford) before it opens SEC play at Georgia on Friday, March 14.

We’ll get another opportunity to see the Wildcat pitching staff this weekend, which has been very good through their first seven games. RHP Nic McCay (who will start on Friday) has yet to allow an earned run in 11 innings and LHP Ben Cleaver (who will start on Saturday) will look to continue his run of dominance, which began when he retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced in last week’s start against Belmont.

Sunday’s start will look to serve as a bounce back start for left-hander Ethan Walker, as he was Kentucky’s lone starter to struggle this season. In 2 2/3 innings pitched against Belmont last Sunday, the Longwood transfer was dinged for six hits and four earned runs.

Along with its pitching, Kentucky’s lineup is really starting to come into its own. Players are rising above others, and lineups are slowly starting to cement themselves.

One of these players who is beginning to look like his old self is catcher Devin Burkes, who is off to a hot start this season. Burkes is hitting for a .316 average with three doubles and five RBI. After undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason, the redshirt fifth year is reverting to the old Devin Burkes that was named to the All-Lexington Regional Team in both 2023 and 2024.

Newcomers shortstop Tyler Bell and left fielder Cole Hage have also emerged as two of Kentucky’s most important players. Bell is 9-17 with four doubles, a home run, and eight RBI in his last four games and Hage has reached base safely in 21 of his 31 at-bats this season (12 hits, seven walks, 2 HBP).

Facing a pitching staff that allowed at least 13 runs in every game against its only other SEC opponent this season, this could be another fun weekend of Kentucky Baseball in Lexington.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tied at 0-0

Friday, February 28, 2025 (Kentucky Proud Park – 4:00 p.m. EST)
UK: RHP Nic McCay (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 IP) vs HOF: LHP Jackson Bauer (0-1, 12.54 ERA, 9.1 IP)
Saturday, March 1, 2025 (Kentucky Proud Park – 1:00 p.m. EST)
UK: LHP Ben Cleaver (1-1, 1.86 ERA, 9.2 IP) vs HOF: RHP Tristan Nemjo (0-1, 15.00 ERA, 6.0 IP)
Sunday, March 2, 2025 (Kentucky Proud Park – 12:00 p.m. EST)
UK: LHP Ethan Walker (0-0, 13.50 ERA, 2.2 IP) vs HOF: RHP Branden Brown (0-1, 15.00 ERA, 6 IP)

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