Kentucky baseball fans have something to celebrate as the Wildcats have secured a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. Not only did they make it to the tournament, but they were also selected as one of the 16 regional hosts. The tournament matchups will be revealed on Monday at noon EST, and the games will kick off at Kentucky Proud Park starting on Friday.
This is only the third time in Kentucky’s history that they will be hosting an NCAA Tournament regional. The last time they hosted was in 2017, but this year holds special significance as it will be the first tournament hosted at Kentucky Proud Park, which opened its doors in 2019. The Wildcats’ selection to the NCAA Tournament marks their eighth appearance in program history.
Leading the Wildcats to the tournament is head coach Nick Mingione, who will be making his second appearance in the NCAA Tournament since taking over as UK’s head coach in 2017.
Before the season began, Coach Mingione focused on constructing a schedule that would improve the team’s chances of making it to the NCAA Tournament. The team aimed to boost their Ratings Power Index (RPI) ranking, which had been a deciding factor in their previous near misses. Coach Mingione wanted to eliminate the anxiety of being just a few wins away from qualifying and instead position the team comfortably in the tournament. To achieve this, they consulted with RPI experts and made adjustments to their schedule, aiming for a more favorable position in the rankings.
Their hard work paid off as the Wildcats finished the regular season with an impressive RPI ranking of No. 2 in the country, second only to Wake Forest. Alongside their strong RPI, the team achieved a 36-18 overall record and a 16-14 mark in SEC play.
Kentucky’s high RPI ranking can be attributed to several notable victories throughout the season. They secured a series win over the RPI No. 11-ranked team in Tuscaloosa, swept No. 8 South Carolina at home, swept No. 9 Indiana State at home, defeated No. 31 Indiana, won a road series against No. 58 Elon, and secured road wins in series losses against No. 5 LSU and No. 20 Tennessee.
One of the standout periods for the Wildcats was their 17-game winning streak from February 26 to March 25. During this time, they swept Indiana State, won their opening SEC series against Mississippi State, and claimed the first two games of their series at Alabama.
Kentucky’s success can be attributed to their unique offensive approach, which caught opposing defenses off guard throughout the season. Despite ranking last in the SEC with only 45 home runs, their offense finished the regular season with a .296 batting average, ranking fourth in the conference. They also boasted a .420 on-base percentage, which was second in the SEC, and led the conference with 53 sacrifice bunts. Additionally, the team ranked second in stolen bases with 89.
Several key players, including transfers, made significant contributions to Kentucky’s successful regular season. Outfielder Jackson Gray, who transferred from Western Kentucky, has been outstanding, leading the team with a .363 batting average and a .514 on-base percentage. He also topped the SEC with six triples and contributed 19 stolen bases. First baseman Hunter Gilliam, a transfer from Longwood, recorded a .330 batting average with a team-leading 11 home runs and 63 RBIs. Sophomore second baseman Emilien Pitre, a homegrown talent, boasted a .337 batting average, the second-highest on the team, along with 46 RBIs, a .469 on-base percentage, and 18 stolen bases.
