Kentucky Smothers Xavier 13-2 Behind Pair of Hunter Gilliam Home Runs

"I mean, (LSU) is the best team in the country. But if they're No. 1, then we ain't far behind 'em."

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Midweek games can be the bane of a team's existence. Facing a heap of arms, 30-minute innings, four-hour games, true slogs. 

Trap games, if you will. 

Losing those matchups to the likes of Eastern Kentucky and Ohio were the reason Kentucky didn't make the NCAA Tournament a season ago. The No. 13 Bat Cats entered their Tuesday-night game against Xavier perfect in midweek action, but were coming off of an emotional series versus No. 1 LSU in Baton Rouge that saw the deciding game go down to the wire. 

With just one off-day separating the long trek back from Louisiana to first pitch against the Musketeers, everything was in place for head coach Nick Mingione's team to lull through a few innings and get caught with their guard down. 

Enter a four-run first inning, headlined by a 453-foot nuclear bomb off the bat of UK first baseman Hunter Gilliam, setting the Wildcats sail en route to its 19th win at Kentucky Proud Park in 20 games, as they smothered Xavier 13-2 in eight innings.

"We treat every game like it's the most important game on the schedule," Gilliam told Wildcats Today postgame. "This weekend didn't go the way we wanted, I mean, (LSU) is the best team in the country. But if they're No. 1, then we ain't far behind 'em."

"That's what he can do at any point in time, he can change the game," Mingione said of his 1B. You looked up and the first inning we score four like that, against a guy that's been throwing the ball well for (Xavier)."

The Longwood transfer proceeded to end things in the bottom of the eighth, belting another no-doubt moonshot to activate the run-rule, ending his day with a season-high six RBIs. 

Gilliam actually had a feeling he was going yard on Tuesday night:

"This morning was kind of crazy. I was texting my boys from my old school. I was like, 'dude, I gotta hit a homer tonight. It's been so long.' So I mean, I don't know if that's what it was, but it's a good feeling being able to like, speak that into existence."

Gilliam's walk-off home run is the first by a Kentucky player since John Rhodes did so against Murray State in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

UK (29-7, 10-5 SEC) pitching held the Musketeers (22-15, 4-2 Big East) to three hits and recorded five one-two-three innings. Right-hander Travis Smith delivered one of his better starts of the season, retiring the first nine batters he faced, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits across four innings — which tied a season-high.

Prior to Gilliam's seventh homer of the year, the first three batters of the game all reached for the Cats. Gray led things off with his first of three singles, Xavier starter Luke Hoskins then beaned catcher Devin Burkes, putting two on for Émilien Pitre, who picked up right where he left off against LSU over the weekend, slinging a single through the right side, scoring Gray. 

An RBI double via right fielder Nolan McCarthy led to the exit of Hoskins (4-2) in the third. Designated hitter Chase Stanke proceeded to single McCarthy home in the next plate appearance to extend the UK lead to 6-0. 

Two of Xavier's three hits came in the fourth, as an error, fielder's choice and pair of doubles plated a pair. Burkes responded for the Cats in the bottom half of the inning, driving home Gray with a base hit to center field. 

Kentucky proceeded to score in the final three innings of the game, running through Musketeer pitching, scoring six runs on just four hits. As a team, the Cats compiled 13 hits, one more each set of feet that touched home plate in the convincing victory.

In relief of Smith (3-0), Ryder Giles, Jackson Nove, Seth Logue and Colby Frieda combined for four innings of one-hit baseball. Xavier drew only two walks in 29 tries at the dish. 

"I thought our pitchers were A-plus. Like every single guy. This is where it starts," Mingione said. "I mean, (Xavier's) a good offensive team. They got guys with homers and everything else and I mean, I tip my cap to that team. We held them to three hits. It's hard to do."

The win pushes Kentucky into its sixth SEC series of the season this weekend, as Texas A&M will make the trip up north to Lexington for three games. After a rocky start, the Aggies have won three series in a row. 

First pitch of game one is set for Friday, April 21 is set for 6:30 p.m. EST and will air on SEC Network+. 

Stock Report: Kentucky earning national respect after LSU series

More on the LSU series HERE.

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