LEXINGTON, Ky. -- After watching teammate Trey Pooser deliver a strong pitching performance on Friday in Kentucky's 6-2 win over No. 13 Alabama, Dominic Niman knew he had to bring his best stuff to the mound to keep the Wildcats' momentum rolling.
The grad senior left-hander raised the bar even higher, tossing a complete-game shutout in a 7-0 win over the Crimson Tide at Kentucky Proud Park.
"I've had a complete game before, but not a shutout," said Niman, who transferred to UK from Central Connecticut State this year. "That was awesome."
Niman (6-2) allowed only three hits, struck out seven, and did not walk a batter in going the distance. It marked the Cats' first complete-game shutout in SEC play since Zack Thompson, currently a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation, blanked Georgia in 2019.
"What a performance," Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said of the 100-pitch outing which saw Niman face only 30 Alabama hitters. The Crimson Tide entered the day ranked eighth nationally in batting average, 14th in home runs, and 16th in runs scored.
"So efficient. So efficient," Mingione added. "So many innings where he's just ramming the ball in the strike zone and just letting his defense work. When we're at our best, that's what we do."
Asked if it looked like Niman rose to the challenge of matching Pooser's strong outing the night before, the UK boss agreed.
"He is an uber-competitive dude, now," Mingione said. "I told him, that's what a dawg looks like."
No. 17 Kentucky (26-4, 10-1 SEC) won for the 14th time in its last 15 games and clinched its fourth straight winning series to begin league play. The Cats are off to their best start against SEC competition in program history, and 3,866 fans got to savor it at sun-splashed KPP.
Home runs by Ryan Waldschmidt and Grant Smith highlighted Kentucky's six-hit day at the plate, which was supplemented with seven walks and a hit batsman. Waldschmidt had two hits, two runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base to lead the way.
The Cats had five different players see eight pitches or more in an at-bat against the Crimson Tide's four pitchers, methodically wearing down starter Greg Farone (3-1). The senior left-hander worked only five innings, allowing three runs on three hits and five walks.
Alabama dropped to 22-9 overall and 4-7 in SEC play.
The series concludes on Sunday at Noon ET with UK ace Mason Moore (6-0, 2.87 ERA) taking the mound in hopes of capping the sweep.
