Nolan McCarthy dives toward home plate to score what turned out to be the winning run Sunday. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky clearly is a team of destiny.
The Wildcats beat Oregon State 3-2 Sunday night to earn their first trip to the College World Series in Omaha after also beating the Beavers 10-0 on Saturday night.
Kentucky took the lead in the seventh inning on a great play by center fielder Nolan McCarthy. He scored from second base on a strikeout of Grant Smith when the ball got away from the catcher. McCarthy had led off the inning a double — he had a RBI double earlier in the game — that led to Oregon State starter Jacob Kmatz being taken out. Reliever Nelson Keljo struck out Smith but failed to cover home plate when the ball bounced to the backstop.
McCarthy never stopped running and UK coach Nick Mingione said the play was all on the UK player.
“It is a mentality where we just attack everything we do. Sometimes we make mistakes and get criticized for things we do and the way we play leaves us open to be second guessed,” Mingione said. “I didn’t tell him to go. He did it all on his own and actually hurt his hamstring doing it.”
Kentucky’s pitching in the super regional was sensational as it limited Oregon State to one hit Saturday and two Sunday. Kentucky starter Mason Moore was brilliant for three innings but walked in two runs in the fourth before reliever Cameron O’Brien got back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded.
Relief ace Robert Hogan struck out Oregon State star Travis Bazzana, the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2024 MLB draft class according to MLB.com, with men on first and third and one out then got a line out to shortstop to get out of the seventh inning.
Oregon State had runners on first and third with two outs in the ninth when Mingione brought in saves leader Johnny Hummel, who struggled late in the season. Hummel struck out center fielder Micah McDowell on three pitches to finish the win and set off a huge celebration in front of a raucous UK crowd.
Mingione said it was “unbelievable” what his team did.
“God gets all the glory. Only he can write this story and do this,” Mingione said.
He said he had been thinking of a moment like this since being hired by UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart.
“Mitch Barnhart gave me the opportunity of a lifetime,” Mingione said. “He took a chance on me. I had never been a head coach at any level. I had never been a head coach in my entire life and Mitch said I want you to be the coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.”
Mingione had his family on the field with him as his players celebrated and circled Kentucky Proud Park to thank the nearly 8,000 fans who were there to support the Cats.
“It has been the best two weeks of my life,” Mingione said. “I want to keep it going. My son got baptized and the whole team showed up and then we won the regional. The best two weeks of my life.”
And now he gets to extend that feeling by taking his team to the College World Series.
8 Responses
What a remarkable run the Bat Cats have had this season (pun not intended). Give AD Barnhart some credit for sticking with Coach when things were not going well.
Agree. Haven’t always been a Mitch fan, but hard to argue with the success under his watch for many UK programs.
Thrilled for Coach Mingione and this special group of men. They represent UK with class. Great to see them headed to Omaha!
Got to give Mitch credit here
This play in particular was so heads up in the picture
My internet went down yesterday, so I had to listen to the game on the radio. Glad I did. Brought back old memories of listening to Cawood when I was little. I went to school with Tom Leach, so I have known him about as long as I can remember and I like listening to him also, but the childhood memories are with Cawood.
Outstanding superregional for UK, and but for 4 walks and an error in one inning, Oregon State would not have scored a run in either game.
As I understand the world series format, the final 8 will play in two 4 team double elimation tournaments, with the winner of each facing off for a final best of 3 series, much like the regional and superregional format, except there is no week rest period between the double and single elimination segments.
Pitching, tired pitching arms, are likely to be the decisive factor. To have the best chance to make the final series is to win the first 2 games, and beat a more tired set of opposing pitchers in the 3rd and hopefully final game of the double elimination tournament, but the final 3 game series start two days later, so if it takes that 4th game for a team to secure its spot in the final series, that team’s pitching staff will be even more tired, with no time to rest between starts.
I admit this is the first time I have ever paid attention to the college world series, but this seems very arduous on any team, and makes winning the college world series that much more impressive to me.
Go Big Blue!!!
Professor the UK pitching was great and all season it had been a question. Some needed rest really helped
Great game to watch, this picture is a classic remember Pete Rose.