Kentucky Baseball Opens 2025 Season with Doubleheader
After what has been the shortest offseason in modern history for Kentucky after it reached last summer’s College World Series the Wildcats will waste no time jumping back into the action of a trying to do it again.
Due to the forecast of inclement weather in the Nashville area on Saturday, UK and Lipscomb now will open the 2025 season with a doubleheader, slated to start at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT on Friday. Both games will be nine-inning affairs. The final game of the series remains Sunday afternoon.
Kentucky, who is ranked by several national polls in the preseason, will be replacing a majority of its production from the 2024 season, including seven position players, its entire weekend pitching rotation and several high-leverage relievers. Senior catcher Devin Burkes, the heartbeat of that team, returns to highlight a lineup featuring a large number of players from a Top 10 transfer portal class and top freshman middle infielder Tyler Bell.
Seventh-year player Nic McCay opens the season the mound after transferring from South Dakota State. He has missed all or parts of three seasons due to injury in his career but enters the season as the Southeastern Conference’s active career leader in both innings pitched and strikeouts. Sophomore lefty Ben Cleaver picks up the start in game two with junior transfer southpaw Ethan Walker in the final game.
Lipscomb is picked fourth in the Atlantic Sun preseason poll but has traditionally been a strong program under coach Jeff Forehand. UK swept a three-game series in Lexington a year ago and holds an impressive record versus non-conference competition under head coach Nick Mingione.
The Cats are entering their ninth season under head coach Nick Mingione and have won 262 games during his tenure, including last season’s school-record 46-win campaign that featured a SEC regular season championship and Mingione’s second SEC and National Coach of the Year honor in seven full seasons at the helm.
Each game will be streamed live on ESPN+, while all three games will be available on the UK Sports Network, with Andrew Kappes on the call.
WEEKEND DETAILS
Friday, February 14 at Lipscomb (Game 1)
1 p.m. ET/ Noon CT; Nashville (Dugan Field)
Radio: UK Sports Network | Live Stream: ESPN+
UK – RHP Nic McCay; Lipscomb – RHP Jake Poindexter
Friday, February 14 at Lipscomb (Game 2)
Approx. 5 p.m. ET/ 4 CT; Nashville (Dugan Field)
Radio: UK Sports Network | Live Stream: ESPN+
UK – LHP Ben Cleaver; Lipscomb – LHP Rigo Ramos
Sunday, February 16 at Lipscomb
2 p.m. ET/ 1 CT; Nashville (Dugan Field)
Radio: UK Sports Network | Live Stream: ESPN+
UK – LHP Ethan Walker; Lipscomb – RHP Tanner Lyne
