Here’s where Kentucky placed in the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll, released this week.
By all measures, the 2024 college baseball season was a success for the Kentucky Wildcats and coach Nick Mingione.
After being swept in both games of the Baton Rouge Super Regional by eventual national champion LSU a year ago, the Wildcats had one of the biggest breakthrough seasons in the SEC in 2024.
They reached the College World Series for the first time in school history. The program’s first win in Omaha was also a thriller, featuring a walk-off home run from Mitchell Daly to defeat North Carolina State, 5-4, in 10 innings. Kentucky’s season, which featured a school record 46 wins, came to an end when the team was eliminated by Florida.
After Tennessee was crowned national champions following a 6-5 victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the CWS Finals on Monday night, the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll was released Tuesday. Kentucky (46-16 overall) finished at No. 3 behind the Volunteers and Aggies.
No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 North Carolina rounded out the top five. Florida finished at No. 6 with Virginia, North Carolina State, Clemson and Georgia ranked Nos. 7-10.
Kentucky finished No. 13 in the final coaches poll in 2023.
Follow us @UKWildcatsWire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Kentucky Wildcats news, notes and commentary.
View some of the best photos from Texas A&M’s victory over Florida on Wednesday night.
History has been made with the Texas A&M shutout win over Florida to advance to the program’s first-ever College World Series Final. The Aggies went 8-0 the NCAA Tournament, beating a lot of tough teams along the way, and with all the talk being about the A&M offense to start the season, the pitching has been the talk of the town.
During their 3-0 run in the finals, the team allowed only runs and set a CWS program record with 16 strikeouts in the first game against the Gators. Then, after a 14-strikeout performance on Wednesday night, they set a new team record of 680 strikeouts on the season. Max Weiner said it best about his pitchers in the tournament.
“I hope that the story of this isn’t that they had out-of-body games – they were just themselves.”
The Aggies are on a heck of a run. They finally had a drama-free game and continued to rewrite the Texas A&M baseball record books. Below, you can see some of the best photos from the victory over Florida.
Contact/Follow @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
Either Florida or Kentucky will now endure a double-header ahead of facing Texas A&M due to Tuesday’s postponement
Due to more inclement weather expected in Omaha, Nebraska, Game 10 between Florida and Kentucky will now be postponed until 10:00 a.m. CT. as the winner of the matchup will go on to face Texas A&M in a rematch in the double-elimination round with a chance to play for the national title.
Following the first game, Bracket 1 leader Tennessee’s game against Florida State has been moved to 2:00 p.m. CT., while the Aggie’s 6:00 p.m. start has not been altered at this time.
It’s important to note that the weather could continue to impact the game schedule. If the Florida vs. Kentucky game is further disrupted or goes into extra innings, we could see a later start time for Game 12. As of now, Texas A&M remains in a solid position going into Wednesday.
With this sudden change, the teams coming out of Game 10 unscathed will likely face a challenge in managing their pitching rotation. This could potentially give way to an offensive onslaught for Texas A&M, a team that finally showed a glimmer of their batting prowess in Monday’s 5-1 win over the Wildcats.
Pitching-wise, ace Ryan Prager’s dazzling six-inning performance provides head coach Jim Schlossnagle and pitching coach Max Weiner plenty of options, as Justin Lamkin, Chris Cortez, and closer Evan Aschenbeck are all fresh and ready to take the mound when called upon.
This means the team Texas A&M plays tomorrow will have to play a double header. https://t.co/DTAPqdnAgi
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.
View some of the best photos from Texas A&M’s victory over Kentucky on Monday night.
Texas A&M continues to roll on in Omaha beating Kentucky 5-1 on Monday night. This win will allow the Aggies to get some rest as they nurse a few minor injuries to Hayden Schott and Jace LaViolette.
Another major win that came out of the game is that Coach Jim Schlossnagle was able to save both his star closers Chris Cortez and Evan Aschenbeck due to the masterful job by the combo of Ryan Prager and Josh Stewart. They held the Wildcats to four hits and a single run scored.
While both teams left a ton of traffic on the bases, a big sixth inning from the Aggies proved to be the difference in the game scoring all six of their wins in that frame. Below are some of the best photos from the win on Tuesday night.
Contact/Follow @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
After a four hour rain delay, the Aggies beat SEC rival Florida in the opening round of the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field.
After a four hour rain delay, the Texas A&M baseball team beat SEC rival Florida in the opening round of the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field.
The No. 3 Aggies (50-13) held on for a 3-2 victory versus the Gators (34-29) on Saturday night in Omaha, Nebraska. Texas A&M tallied 2 in the second inning and 1 in the third. Florida scored both of its runs in the seventh frame following two doubles.
In the bottom of the second, three consecutive Aggies reached to load the bases. Freshman outfielder Caden Sorell singled to center field, junior shortstop Ali Camarillo drew a walk and sophomore second baseman Kaeden Kent hit a single to right.
Senior OF Travis Chestnut hit a groundout to third base but the Gators were unable to make a play in time so each runner was safe, including Sorrell to plate the first run. Camarillo scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.
After graduate student designated hitter Hayden Schott walked in the third inning, Sorrell smashed an RBI double to center to increase the advantage to 3-0.
Sophomore OF Jace LaViolette sealed the win for Texas A&M in the top of the ninth frame. With one out and the go-ahead run at the dish, Florida sophomore 2B Cade Kurland crushed a pitch to right field where the 6-foot-6 superstar reached above the fence and robbed Kurland of the homer.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Justin Lamkin got the start on the mound in place of hurt sophomore LHP Shane Sdao, who’s out for the season. Despite being inconsistent at times this year, Lamkin was lights out in the late hours of Saturday evening. He pitched the first 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing only 1 hit with 6 strikeouts on 42 pitches.
Chris Cortez (10-3) earned the win in relief. The junior RHP allowed the first two batters to reach base and quickly got out of it. He tossed 3.0 frames and allowed 4 hits, 2 runs and 1 walk with 6 Ks on 65 pitches.
Newly minted NCBWA “Stopper of the Year,” Evan Aschenbeck, pitched the final 3.0 scoreless innings after entering in the top of the seventh for Cortez. The senior lefty gave up 3 hits and 2 walks with 4 punchouts on 51 pitches. Aschenbeck got out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth frame.
Sorrell was the lone Aggie to rack up multiple hits. Chestnut, Kent, Schott and freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac respectively recorded a hit. LaViolette drew 2 walks Saturday to set a new single-season program record for free passes with 59 thus far.
Gators junior first baseman Jac Caglianone is going to be drafted very early in the the 2024 MLB Draft next month, just like injured Texas A&M junior OF Braden Montgomery. The future Top 10 pick was 2-for-3 with 1 double and 1 walk against the Aggies.
Texas A&M plays another SEC foe, No. 2 Kentucky (46-14), on Monday at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.
Kentucky’s baseball team found a heck of a way to win its first-ever College World Series game on Saturday.
In the bottom of the tenth inning for the team’s first game against NC State, Wildcats infielder Mitchell Daly broke the 4-4 tie and hammered a home run out of the baseball diamond to win the game.
The seismic homer cleared the bench and brought all of Daly’s teammates to celebrate with him on home plate, making this easily the best moment for Kentucky baseball in quite some time.
Walk-off homers in Omaha are always special, but this is just on another level for the Wildcats.
The radio call from UK Sports Network’s Darren Headrick and Keith Madison was particularly enjoyable, as it’s always great to hear such a historic moment broadcasted from the school’s point of view.
North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida Stateand Virginia will compete in Bracket 1, while Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M and North Carolina State round out Bracket 2.
The Tar Heels open the College World Series against ACC rival Virginia on Friday, June 14 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, with future scheduling dependent on the results of the first games.
Tennessee, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia will compete in Bracket 1, while Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M and North Carolina State round out Bracket 2.
Tennessee, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia will compete in Bracket 1, while Texas A&M, Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina State round out Bracket 2.
Tennessee, Florida State, North Carolina and Virginia will compete in Bracket 1, while Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M and North Carolina State round out Bracket 2.
