Kentucky Baseball’s CWS Journey Ends with Heartbreaking Loss to Florida

Kentucky Baseball’s CWS Journey Ends with Heartbreaking Loss to Florida The Kentucky Wildcats’ historic run in the College World Series came to an end on Wednesday, June 28th, with a 4-2 defeat to the Florida Gators. The loss marked the end of a remarkable season for Kentucky, which earned its first CWS appearance in 23 years. The Wildcats entered the tournament as the No. 2 overall seed, but they faced a tough road to the finals. They opened with a 7-3 victory over Ohio State, but then suffered a 5-0 shutout to Stanford. Kentucky rallied with back-to-back wins over Auburn and TCU, setting up a rematch with Florida in the semifinals. In a thrilling semifinal clash, the Wildcats came from behind to defeat the Gators 9-8. However, in the championship game, Florida exacted revenge and extinguished Kentucky’s title hopes. The Wildcats’ loss was a disappointing end to a season that had been filled with promise. Led by All-American pitcher Tyler Guilfoil and All-SEC catcher Devin Burkes, Kentucky had dominated the Southeastern Conference regular season and won the SEC Tournament. Despite the heartbreak, the Wildcats can take pride in their accomplishments. They made a deep run in the CWS, showcasing their talent and resilience on a national stage. The future is bright for Kentucky baseball, with a young and talented roster returning next year. Head coach Nick Mingione expressed his gratitude to his team after the loss: “I am so proud of these players for all they have accomplished this season. They have represented Kentucky with class and determination, and they have made our entire state proud.” The 2024 Kentucky baseball season may have ended in defeat, but the Wildcats will be remembered for their remarkable run and their unwavering spirit. They have set a high bar for the future, and they will undoubtedly be back in the hunt for a national championship soon.Kentucky baseball’s magic finally came to an end in a 15-4 loss to Florida, concluding its historic 2024 season in the College World Series on Wednesday.Kentucky baseball’s magic finally came to an end in a 15-4 loss to Florida, concluding its historic 2024 season in the College World Series on Wednesday. In an elimination game in Omaha, Nebraska, which was postponed from Tuesday evening to Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time, the No. 2 seed Wildcats trailed 7-1 after one inning and played uncharacteristically sloppily with their season on the line. Despite the disappointing finish, Kentucky broke the program record for total wins (46), SEC wins (22) and SEC road wins (11). The Wildcats hosted a super regional and reached the College World Series for the first time in program history. Kentucky earned its first-ever College World Series victory with a 5-4 victory against NC State on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know about the season loss. KEY MOMENT The game actually seemed to start well for Kentucky with a single run in the top of the first inning, but things quickly went wrong at the bottom of the first inning. UK coach Nick Mingione opted to start left-handed pitcher Dominic Niman in the NCAA Tournament for the second time despite his significant issues over the past two months, rather than bring back ace Trey Pooser on short rest or call the game approaching it like a bullpen day. Kentucky would have needed to win twice on Wednesday to stay alive in the World Series. Florida star Jac Caglianone led off the first inning with a single and advanced to second base when right fielder James McCoy failed to pick up the ball cleanly. British first baseman Ryan Nicholson allowed the next batter, who eventually reached base on a hit-by-pitch, to stay alive when he missed a fly ball on a pop-up into foul territory. Later in the frame, left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt allowed an extra run to score on a single when he elected not to throw home. The defense didn’t do Niman any favors, but he got some hard contact in the inning and hit two batters before being retired with one out. The game was actually decided two batters later when Florida design hitter Brody Donay hit a grand slam off reliever Cameron O’Brien to make it 7-1. Kentucky didn’t get closer than five points the rest of the game. AT THE PLATE In likely his last game as a Wildcat before being called up next month, second baseman Émilien Pitre launched his 10th home run of the season. Designated hitter Nick Lopez went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Kentucky pulled within five runs at 9–4 after a two-run top of the fifth inning, but Florida answered with a five-run bottom of the inning to end any hopes of a comeback. ON THE HILL Niman was charged with five runs on three hits in a third of an inning to take the loss. UK tied a College World Series record by using eight pitchers in the game. Only two of those pitchers (Travis Smith and Ben Cleaver) did not score, and those clean innings came in the eighth and ninth, with the game already decided. Many of Britain’s top relievers used in the game looked tired after leaning heavily on them during the NCAA Tournament. O’Brien gave up three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Righthander Robert Hogan gave up two runs in two innings. Left-hander Jackson Nove was tagged for three runs while recording only two outs. Right-handers Ryan Hagenow and Johnny Hummel each gave up one run. WHAT’S NEXT Kentucky’s record-setting season ends at 46-15. The next important date on the calendar for the Wildcats is the MLB draft on July 14. Waldschmidt, Pitre and Smith are ranked as top-200 prospects by MLB.com, but several other key Wildcats could be picked later in the 20-round draft. and choose to start their professional career.Kentucky’s CWS Run Concludes with Loss to Florida LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky’s historic College World Series (CWS) run came to an end on Saturday night as they fell to Florida 9-4. The Wildcats, making their first CWS appearance since 1975, battled hard but ultimately couldn’t overcome a strong Florida offense. Florida jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, chasing Kentucky starter Sean Harney from the game. The Wildcats responded with a solo home run from Chase Estep in the second, but Florida added two more runs in the third to extend their lead. Kentucky cut the deficit to 5-3 with two runs in the fourth inning, but Florida answered back with two more in the fifth, putting the Wildcats in a 7-3 hole. The Gators added two insurance runs in the eighth to seal the victory. Despite the loss, Kentucky’s performance in the CWS was a testament to the program’s resurgence under head coach Nick Mingione. The Wildcats won the SEC East Division title for the first time since 1998 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive year. “Obviously, it’s disappointing to end the season this way,” said Mingione. “But I’m proud of how our guys played. They fought hard all year and gave us a chance to compete at the highest level.” Kentucky’s loss marks the end of a memorable season for the Wildcats. With a young and talented roster, the future looks bright for the program.