Kentucky Wildcats Baseball Nic McCay Shines as SEC Pitcher of the Week with Dominant Performance

Kentucky senior pitcher Nic McCay earned his first career Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week honor, announced Monday, following a stellar outing in a 4-1 victory over No. 2 Tennessee. The right-hander from Carlisle, Iowa, delivered a masterful 7.2 innings, allowing just one unearned run on two hits while striking out a season-high 12 and walking three. McCay was untouchable after the third inning, retiring 17 of 18 batters—including 12 consecutively—while not allowing a hit for the final five frames. His 12 strikeouts marked the most by a Kentucky pitcher since Zack Lee’s 12 against South Carolina in 2023 and the highest by any pitcher against Tennessee this season. The performance, McCay’s third quality start of 2024, set a season-high in innings and pitches, limited Tennessee to their fewest runs in a game, and paved the way for Kentucky’s first series win in Knoxville since 2016, showcasing his command and poise against a potent lineup. photo courtesy UK Athletics