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Devin Burkes Drives Home Seven Runs, Zack Lee Shuts Down Wright State as UK Wins Rubber Match, 15-0

The Wildcats left nothing in doubt on Sunday, destroying Wright State pitching while receiving another terrific outing from starter Zack Lee.
Hunter Shelton|
Devin Burkes Drives Home Seven Runs, Zack Lee Shuts Down Wright State as UK Wins Rubber Match, 15-0
Devin Burkes Drives Home Seven Runs, Zack Lee Shuts Down Wright State as UK Wins Rubber Match, 15-0

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky baseball is yet to sweep a series in the 2023 season, but it's also yet to lose one. 

After allowing 12 runs in game two of a three-game set on Saturday, the Wildcats' pitching staff — headlined by senior right-hander Zack Lee — blanked Wright State 15-0 on Sunday afternoon to take two of three against the Raiders. 

Lee allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out six in six scoreless innings on Sunday. He kept the Raiders' hitters off balance, collecting a bounty of harmless fly-ball outs.

Across two starts, Lee has allowed no runs and struck out 13 batters in 11 innings of work. Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione tipped his cap to the newfound command of Lee's breaking ball, helping the veteran find a new level in his game.

"He's special. His ability to land his breaking ball has really helped him. He's always had a great changeup, a great fastball, but that command of that third pitch has really helped him." Mingione said.

Lee agreed: "That was the biggest thing I needed improved from last year, just a consistent breaking ball, and I feel like I've gotten there."

At the plate, catcher Devin Burkes annihilated Wright State (2-5) pitching, shellacking a home run and two doubles for a career-high seven RBIs. In the three games against WSU, the Bradenton, Fla. native went 8-for-13, collecting an emphatic seven doubles to go along with his long ball for a whopping 10 RBIs. 

"What a week, and it couldn't happen to a better dude. Super happy for him," Mingione said of his catcher. "The guy's light switch is always on, just really happy for him." 

Kentucky (5-2) totaled a season-high 16 hits in the win, as five Cats had more than one knock in the drubbing. 

The Raiders threatened to score in the top of the first for the third game in a row, as shortstop Justin Riemer worked a nine-pitch walk, followed up by a line drive single to right field from Jay Luikart. 

Lee became the first starter to work out of an early jam for the Cats in the weekend, as he got catcher Sammy Sass to roll into a 6-4-3 double play, then Gehrig Anglin to pop out to center on an 0-2 pitch. 

"I'm just going out there and competing, trying to become consistent," Lee told Wildcats Today after his second win of the season. "I mean, just get outs the best way possible without anyone scoring."

The starter's reward? Getting to come back out for the second inning with a lead of his own. 

After James McCoy sliced a double down the right-field line, Burkes sat on a 3-0 fastball from left-hander Alex Theis, demolishing the heater 416 feet, crushing it off the left-most light pole at Kentucky Proud Park, giving UK a quick 2-0 lead.

The second homer of the season for the UK catcher had a 110 miles-per-hour exit velocity.

After Lee tossed a 1-2-3 top of the second, Kentucky tripled its lead in the bottom, finally cashing in on a bases-loaded opportunity. McCoy singled through the left side, bringing two runs home. Burkes then walloped his sixth double of the series, making it 6-0 Cats. 

Leaving the Raiders in the dust early was on the mind of Burkes and the entire dugout after their comeback bid fell short the game before in a 12-9 loss.  

"We talked yesterday, we fought back pretty hard. I mean we just didn't have enough," he said. "We just talked about it today, like let's just get that extra spark and just put them away." 

"Even yesterday, you can kind of see the fight in our guys," Mingione said. "We were down, but we didn't quit. We came right back and we're a swing away in the eighth from tying that game up. So, love their fight, love their resiliency. We've had some really good at-bats, and we need those to continue."

Wright State starter, left-hander Alex Theis, couldn't make it through the second inning, as skipper Alex Sogard made the call to the bullpen with just four outs recorded. All six of the aforementioned UK runs were charged to Theis, as he allowed six hits and struck out a pair. 

Raider relievers didn't help their cause, as the Wildcats scored in five of the first six innings, while Lee continued to deal. 

Kentucky continued to pile it on, accruing help from a pair of Cats making their season debut. 

Princeton, Ky. native Jase Felker slotted seventh in the order and promptly went three-for-four, including a lead-off triple in the bottom of the fifth, as well as an RBI-base hit in the sixth.

Driving Felker in after his stand-up three-bagger was third baseman Reuben Church, who reached base twice in his first bit of action this season.

In the bottom of the eighth, first baseman Hunter Gilliam worked a full-count against Wright State lefty Joey Valentine, finishing the great AB with a no-doubt missile over the center-field wall, nearly taking the pitch through the batters eye for a 431-foot blast, increasing UK's cushion to 11-0. 

"(Gilliam) wants to do whatever it takes to help us win," Mingione said. "I was happy that he got that home run, because that guy, he's lined out about as much as anybody."

In relief of Lee, junior right-hander Ryan Hagenow picked up two strikeouts in the seventh, working out of a bases-loaded jam. Fireball-lefty Magdiel Cotto finished the game tossing two scoreless innings. 

"We're clicking right now and, you know, we just got to keep going, keep piling on because we can get a lot better too," Burkes said. 

The win was Mingione's 100th against non-Power 5 opponents as skipper of the Wildcats. 

Kentucky will continue its 10-game home stand in the midweek on Tuesday, Feb. 28, hosting the Morehead State Eagles for an in-state showdown. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. EST and the game will be televised on SEC Network+.

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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Hunter Shelton
HUNTER SHELTON

Hunter Shelton is a writer for Sports Illustrated-FanNation's Wildcats Today, covering football, basketball, baseball and more at the University of Kentucky. Hunter is a Lexington native and has been on the UK beat since 2021. 

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