Since the beginning of SEC play, it’s no secret that Kentucky baseball’s pitching staff had been struggling mightily. The shutout against Auburn looked like an anomaly as the staff had not allowed less than five runs in any other SEC game.

On top of that, the pitching staff had allowed 10 or more runs in three SEC games.

The starting rotation has gone through several changes the past few weeks as Ethan Walker was moved out for Scott Rouse, but for game one against the Rebels, Nate Harris got the ball for his first SEC start of the season.

The right-hander had been the midweek starter for Kentucky this season and came into this start struggling as he had allowed nine earned runs in his previous two starts.

Nonetheless the freshman was given a huge opportunity against a potent Ole Miss offense, and he came through.

Harris gave up no runs in three and a third innings of work as he surrendered three hits and two walks.

In game one, Evan Byers came on in relief of Harris and got out of a jam. Tommy Skelding followed Byers and got touched up a bit as he gave up three singles that resulted in two runs.

Nile Adcock came on and struck out the only batter he faced before the bullpen door swung open once again as Jackson Nove became the fourth pitcher of the game.

The left-hander got out of a jam in the fifth before holding the Rebels scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings. Nove got tagged for a leadoff homer in the seventh and a run in the eighth before James McCoy took over in the ninth.

The utility-man held the Rebels off the board in the ninth and 10th, which led to a Devin Burkes walk-off single.

McCoy has become a reliable arm in relief as the right-hander has allowed one earned run in nine innings of work, which equates to a 1.00 ERA.

Nic McCay had struggled coming into game two as he had allowed nine earned runs in his last two starts. However, McCay got back on track by throwing four and a third innings of one-run baseball.

Rouse followed McCay in game two and did not allow a run during his three and a third innings of work.

Byers made his second appearance of the series in the eighth and got out of a jam. The left-hander started on the hill in the ninth but was pulled for Adcock with one out.

The right-hander gave up a two-run home run, which decided the game two loss as the offense struggled.

Cole Hentschel recorded the final two outs of the ballgame in game two.

While a lot of the staff struggled in the SEC, Ben Cleaver has been excellent in his three starts coming into game three against the Rebels.

The lefty turned in another masterful outing as he tied his career high with 11 strikeouts across six innings of work. Cleaver gave up two runs, with only one being earned.

Simon Gregersen had been on a year-long struggle coming into his appearance in game three. The righty trotted onto the hill and pitched from the stretch, instead of his traditional wind-up.

The adjustment paid off as Gregersen tossed two and two third scoreless innings. Hentschel came on struck out the only batter he faced in the series finale.

Skelding trotted onto the mound and pitched a scoreless 10th inning before giving up back-to-back singles to open the 11th.

Robert Hogan came on and allowed one of Skelding’s runs to score in the 11th. After the Bat Cats retied the game, Hogan gave up the big two-run home run in the 12th that decided the extra innings loss.

The staff impressed despite having to cover a doubleheader and four extra innings due to the two extra-inning contests.

Overall, the staff allowed 11 runs with 10 being earned and one unearned over 31 total innings of work.

The starting pitching rotation of Harris, McCay and Cleaver set the tone for the series as the trio combined for 13.2 innings of work and only allowed two earned runs with one run being unearned.

As for the bullpen, they surrendered eight earned runs in 17.1 innings of work.

The pitching staff will look to keep it going with a gauntlet of a schedule coming up including two games against No. 14 Louisville and series against No. 2 Texas and No. 5 Tennessee.

Kentucky takes the field next on Tuesday, April 8, as it hits the road to take on No. 14 Louisville with first pitch set for 7 p.m. ET.