Kentucky’s Historic Season Comes to an End in Super Regional
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky’s historic 2017 season came to a close with a 6-2 loss to Louisville on Saturday at Jim Patterson Stadium, ending a run that saw the program reach the Super Regional round for the first time and post the fourth-most wins in school history under first-year head coach Nick Mingione.
- Box Score (PDF)
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- Photo Gallery
- Postgame Presser Video
The Wildcats finished 43-23 despite beginning the season 2-5, playing for the regular season Southeastern Conference championship on the final day of play, reaching the top five of the national rankings and winning three elimination games in two days in the Lexington Regional, just the second time the program has hosted postseason play.
“I am really proud of this team because to do something that has never been done before is hard,” Mingione said. “They are going to be able to tell their kids, they are going to be able to tell their families, they are going to be able to tell their wives one day that they were a part of something that had never been done before.”
Having not reached the postseason since 2014, UK put itself within two victories of making the College World Series with a mix of strong pitching and one of the nation’s top offensive clubs. The Cats won 19 SEC games – the second most in school history – won 17 games against ranked teams and played a schedule that ranked among the nation’s top 10 most difficult.
On Saturday, Louisville used a pair of home runs from infielder Drew Ellis and answered every UK threat behind All-American left-hander Brendan McKay. The Cats piled up baserunners against McKay and put pressure on the Cardinals’ defense but couldn’t get either to crack, even in the ninth inning as senior outfielder Marcus Carson crushed a drive to right-centerfield that Logan Taylor caught while crashing into the wall.
Despite the way it ended the season will be remembered as one of the best in the program’s 121 years.
“We got over that hump, got into the Super Regional and that’s something that has never been done before in Kentucky history,” junior infielder Riley Mahan said. “I can promise you guys this, the University of Kentucky baseball program is in really good hands. With the coaching staff and all the athletic (administration) it’s in really good hands.”
SCORING
Top 2nd – Drew Ellis homered to LCF. UL 1, UK 0
Top 5th – Logan Taylor walked and advanced to third base when Colby Fitch singled. Devin Mann flew out to Marcus Carson in CF, but Taylor scored on the sacrifice. UL 2, UK 0
Bot 5th – Riley Mahan doubled down the 1B line and moved to third base on a SAC bunt from Troy Squires. Mahan scored when Carson placed a SAC fly in foul territory in left field. UL 2, UK 1
Top 6th – Drew Ellis homered to left. Devin Hairston walked and scored when Josh Stowers tripled down the 3B line. UL 4, UK 1
Bot 7th – Squires singled, advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and eventually moved to third when Tyler Marshall singled. Tristan Pompey singled to CF, scoring Squires. UL 4, UK 2
Top 8th – Tyler Fitzgerald walked and scored when Taylor doubled to left field. Fitch singled to RCF, scoring Taylor from second. UL 6, UK 2
ON DECK
Kentucky’s seniors, juniors and redshirt sophomores now await next week’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, which begins Monday.
