The Kentucky baseball team is on cloud nine as they made history by hosting a postseason college baseball for the first time. This is the third time in school history that UK has hosted a baseball regional. The three teams that will be joining this regional are Indiana, West Virginia, and Ball State. The Cats have been fighting all season long against tough competition, fighting their way into national prominence, and fighting to earn the right to host an NCAA Regional. The team went through a daunting non-conference schedule and through a 30-game Southeastern Conference gauntlet.
The players are not only happy with making it to the postseason but they are also determined to win. Senior pitcher Darren Williams said “We don’t want to just be here, we want to win this thing.” Kentucky catcher, Devin Burkes also agrees with him and stated, “The goal is to go to Omaha. This is a step before that. We knew we were good since the fall. We just had to put the pieces together. Everything is clicking, we’ve just got to keep it going.” The Cats are all set to take on Ball State on Friday in the regional’s first game.
Experience is one of the things that has helped the Cats through the 2023 campaign. UK head coach Nick Mingione built his roster through the transfer portal, gathering a group of unselfish players who just wanted to win. This year, they faced a lot of good teams, pitchers, and hitters. Coach Mingione thinks that their lack of experience playing in the postseason can be a plus as the team has been good at focusing on what’s in front of them at that moment. It’s a very selfless team, as there are no personal agendas, it’s all about Kentucky.
In conclusion, the Cats have finally got what they were fighting for all season, and now they have to continue fighting to win this thing. Hosting a postseason college baseball for the first time is an achievement in itself but they are thirsty for more glory. The players are experienced and unselfish, and Coach Mingione thinks it can work great in their favor. Meanwhile, the excitement in the Big Blue Nation is at its peak and everyone is looking forward to the game.
