Kentucky baseball (45-14, 22-8 SEC) defeated Oregon State (45-16, 19-10 PAC-12) by a score of 3-2 to advance to the Men’s College World Series for the first time in program history.
“My heart is filled with gratitude,” Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said. “So proud of these players, coaches, staff, former players, former coaches, former staff members that have just poured so much into this program.”
History was made in front of a record-setting crowd of 7,558, the most in a single game in program history.
“Man, this is the craziest atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of,” Nolan McCarthy said. “It’s amazing that BBN showed out and it was absolutely a home field advantage.”
When it came to play on the field, McCarthy opened the scoring with a double to bring home Ryan Nicholson and give the Cats a 2-0 lead.
The Bat Cats extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth on a sacrifice bunt by McCarthy, which brought home Mitchell Daly.
The Beavers responded, however, in the bottom half of the inning as Wilson Weber and Brady Kasper drew bases-loaded walks off Mason Moore, which tied the game at 2-2 and ended Moore’s night.
Cameron O’Brien took over for Moore and got out of the jam before going on to pitch three scoreless innings in relief.
With the score still knotted up in the top of the seventh, McCarthy led off the inning with a double.
With one out, Grant Smith struck out for the second out, but the ball got past Weber, which advanced McCarthy to third, but with no one covering home he kept running and, as he dove into home plate, gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
“The fact he felt comfortable enough in his own skin to do that, I’m good with that,” Mingione said. “When we attack, that is us at our best.”
Robert Hogan Relieved O’Brien with one out in the seventh and got the first two outs of the bottom of the ninth before walking Mason Guerra, which ended his night.
Ryan Hagenow took over on the hill and surrendered a single to Travis Bazzana, which brought coach Mingione out of the dugout yet again.
This time the Wildcat skipper called upon Johnny Hummel and it only took the righty three pitches to strike out Micah McDowell and make history.
“It always feels untouchable, the road to Omaha is so long,” Devin Burkes said. “It doesn’t even feel real, it feels like you have unfinished business, which we do.”
As the final out was recorded, Kentucky Proud Park erupted and the team dogpiled near the pitcher’s mound as it had realized a season-long — perhaps even lifelong — dream.
“Being able to go back with guys that I love means a lot,” Hogan said. “Doing something UK has never done before means even more, it’s almost speechless, I don’t even know how to put it.”
The next time Kentucky takes the field, it will be at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, where it is amongst the final eight teams fighting for a National Championship.
