No. 22 Kentucky baseball (9-2) posted a dominant performance on the mound, driving the Wildcats to a 3-1 win over St. John’s (1-9). 

From the first inning, Kentucky’s pitching staff set the tone.

Nate Harris got the start on the mound, and despite a single from Dylan Fitzsi, the Red Storm couldn’t get anything going. 

A strikeout from Ayden Frey, followed by an interference call on the catcher, gave the Wildcats two outs before Harris closed the top of the first with a strikeout of Jayder Raifs.

“I feel like I mentioned that every time, but his ability to just move the fastball,” Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said. “He threw sinkers, he threw four-seamers and multiple off-speed pitches. I mean just his ability to do that. And I thought in the first inning, I thought he settled down great, got off to a rocky start, but man did he settle down and do a great job.”

Harris kept his dominance going in the second inning, fanning Shaun McMill and Adam Agresti, then added another strikeout against Jon LeGrande in the third, giving him five strikeouts in the first nine Red Storm at-bats.

The streak continued in the fourth and fifth innings, with Harris recording two more strikeouts against both Frey and Agresti, tying his personal best of seven strikeouts in a single game.

In the sixth inning, after a leadoff double from LeGrande to right field, Harris broke his personal strikeout record by fanning Fitzsi and Frey, setting a new career high with nine strikeouts. St. John’s recorded its only run when Raifs singled to right, sending LeGrande home.

“I feel like it’s just been fine-tuning everything, I mean,” Nate Harris said. “Huge credit to coach Roszel. He’s constantly working with me, with all of us on, you know, finding ways to be better, just never getting complacent every day, we attack it with a purpose, our whole team.”

Kentucky’s bullpen took over in the seventh, with Ira Austin IV recording back-to-back strikeouts before a groundout from Rob Mansour ended the inning.

Leighton Harris came in to pitch the eighth. Despite walking Fitzsi, Kentucky quickly picked him off second base, then retired the next two batters on flyouts to end the top of the inning.

In the ninth, Burkley Bounds closed for Kentucky. After a groundout from Raifs and a strikeout of Chaz Wright, Agresti singled through the left side, but a groundout from Cristian Ber ended Saint John’s final threat, sealing the Wildcats’ 3‑1 victory.

“Yeah, it was so good to see Ira come out and do that,” Mingione said. And he was fantastic. We got him going, what a job by Leighton Harris attacking the zone. Obviously, Berkley Bounds, just another really good outing.”

Offensively, Kentucky did enough in the first three innings to secure the win.

The first run came when Jayce Tharnish walked and stole second, advanced to third on a Hudson Brown groundout, and was driven home by Ethan Hindle’s single, who moved to second on a throwing error.

The second run started with Top 100 Freshman Owen Jenkins walking, stealing second, and advancing to third on an Alex Duffey groundout before Caeden Cloud singled to left to score him.

Kentucky’s final run came after Hindle was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a Carson Hansen single to right field.

Kentucky put up another run, led with Top 100 Freshman Owen Jenkins, who walked to first base.

After successfully stealing second and advancing to third off an Alex Duffey groundout, he would be sent home off a Caeden Cloud single down the left side.

“I feel great. I mean, the shutdown innings were important, but I feel like our offense getting off to that good start kind of set the tone for the whole game,” Harris said. “And I was just out there doing my job, trying to get us back in the dugout as quickly as possible, get our bats working again.”

The Wildcats picked up their final run of the day, starting off with Hindle being hit by the pitch. Following a successful steal attempt, Hindle would be sent home on a Carson Hansen single towards right field.

Kentucky will take a day to rest before embarking on a busy five-game stretch against Eastern Kentucky and The Citadel.

The Wildcats will kick off the week on March 3, traveling just 40 minutes south for their first matchup with EKU at Turkey Hughes Field inside Earle Combs Stadium. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.