LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Highlighted by Ryan Waldschmidt's towering three-run homer to left-centerfield, Kentucky scored five times in the first inning of Friday's series opener with Missouri on its way to a 12-2 win at Kentucky Proud Park.

The No. 16 Wildcats (23-3, 6-1 SEC) ended the game in run-rule fashion on Jase Felker's two-run double in the bottom of the seventh. It was the last of UK's 11 hits on the night, including two apiece for Felker, Devin Burkes, Emilien Pitre, and Hunter Gilliam in the middle of the Cats' order.

"They were ready to play," said Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione, whose team won for the 19th time in the last 20 games.

Gilliam, who raised his batting average to .414 on the season and extended his hitting streak to 19 games, also homered and drove in four runs. Waldschmidt matched him with four RBI on the night.

No. 25 Missouri (19-7, 3-4 SEC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against UK starter Darren Williams but mustered only four hits on the night.

Williams (2-0) worked around two hits, two walks, and four hit batsmen over his five innings on the mound. Only two runners came across the plate against the grad senior right-hander, who struck out five.

"I thought Dub did an awesome job today of minimizing tonight," Mingione said. "The first inning, he gave up one and they had the bases loaded, but he didn't give in, got us back in the dugout and gave us a chance to answer back."

Austin Strickland closed the game out with two innings of scoreless relief out of the UK bullpen. He fanned two and walked none.

The series resumes on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.