Jaxon Jelkin Dominates with 8.0 Stellar Innings
Kentucky handed LSU a 7-4 loss Friday night at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. The Wildcats took control early and never trailed. The victory improved Kentucky to 21-4 overall and 5-2 in SEC play.
Starting pitching sets tone
Jaxon Jelkin dominated on the mound. He threw a career-high 114 pitches and worked 8.0 innings.
He permitted two runs on five hits. Jelkin struck out seven and issued one walk.
Run of dominance
After allowing two runs in the third, Jelkin induced an inning-ending double play. He then retired 12 straight batters. Overall, he retired 17 of 18 from the third through the eighth inning.
Offense and timely hits
Kentucky plated four runs through the first two innings. The Cats added three more in the seventh to create a comfortable margin.
The lineup benefitted from free passes. Kentucky drew seven walks and was hit by pitches twice.
- Ethan Hindle went 3-for-4, including a career-high three hits and an RBI double.
- Jayce Tharnish scored twice, had an RBI single, and made a highlight catch.
- Luke Lawrence reached safely in 30 straight games. He recorded a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.
Coaching and season context
Nick Mingione is in his 10th season as Kentucky’s head coach. His career record now stands at 314-196.
Mingione ranks as the second-winningest coach in program history. Under his direction, UK is 139-66 since the start of 2023.
- Kentucky is 125-47 in March games under Mingione.
- Mingione is 119-126 in SEC action and 49-72 in road SEC games.
- He is 5-11 versus LSU and 6-11 versus teams from Louisiana.
Notes and next steps
This marked Kentucky’s first trip back to Baton Rouge since the 2023 Super Regional. Jelkin earned his sixth win of the season.
The Wildcats have registered at least three runs in an inning 26 times this year. They’ve drawn 18 walks over the past two games.
Kentucky returns to face LSU on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. The game will air on SECN+ and on the UK Sports Network.
