Kentucky’s Magical Run Ends in College World Series

OMAHA, Neb. – Kentucky’s magical season has come to an end.

The Wildcats were awakened from their dream run by a seven-run first inning, capped by a grand slam, that contributed to a 15-4 defeat to Florida on Wednesday at the College World Series.

Despite striking first Kentucky could not hold court on the mound in the first. A trio of defensive miscues – which included an error in the outfield, seeing a foul ball drop harmlessly to the turf and decision not to throw home on a single to the outfield – compounded by a hit batter with two strikes set up Brody Donay’s opposite field shot that narrowly slipped over the right field fence.

Florida, which got hot as a team after being one of the last teams into the NCAA Tournament, added two more runs on a third inning two-run flare to centerfield. UK continued to try and claw back with a second Nick Lopez RBI single and two-run Emilien Pitre home run.

But Donay was too much, delivering two home runs and five RBI as part of a three-hit day for the Gators as they methodically extended their lead.

NOTES

• Kentucky finishes the 2024 season 46-16.

• 46 wins are the most in school history (2012).

• Kentucky is 27-12 in day games.
• Kentucky is 1-2 all-time at the MCWS.

• Kentucky is 6-2 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 262-166 career record.
• Mingione now is the second-winningest coach in school history.
• UK is 14-8 in the NCAA Tournament under Mingione.

• Senior Cameron O’Brien set the single-season school record with his 36^th appearance of the season on the mound.
• Senior Nick Lopez went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
  • He had a pair of RBI singles.
  • He finished the season with 25 multi-hit and 16 multi-RBI games.
• Junior Emilien Pitre went 2-for-4 with two runs and a two-run HR.
  • He hammered his 10^th home run of the season and 31^st extra-base hit.
  • He 23^rd multi-hit and 16^th multi-RBI game of the season.
  • He has 41 career multi-hit and 31 career multi-RBI games.
• Junior Ryan Waldschmidt stole his 25^th base of the season, the second-most of the Mingione era.
  • He has 60 steals in his career, including 42 at UK.
  • The 42 stolen bases in blue are tied for ninth-most career steals in school history.

ON DECK

Kentucky’s season is complete.