The Wildcats are regional champions for the second straight year as Mason Moore dominates and Grant Smith dazzles defensively
LEXINGTON – June 2, 2024
For the second consecutive season and third time in the past seven NCAA Tournaments Kentucky is the Lexington Regional champion, throttling Indiana State 5-0 on a stormy Sunday night at Kentucky Proud Park in front of 5,877 fans.
UK (42-14) now advances to the Super Regional round and will face the winner of the Corvallis, Oregon Regional, either Oregon State or UC Irvine.
Call this Mason Moore’s Michael Jordan flu game. The junior gutted through six shutout innings after not even being at the ballpark a day earlier due to a stomach bug that necessitated two IV bags. He now is unscored upon in 20.1 career NCAA Tournament innings over two seasons.
At 7:36 (p.m. Saturday) my phone goes off, Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said. :It’s a text message from Mason. This is what he said: “Here we go!” That’s what he said. Just to update you, I’m feeling better and back to normal. I’m ready to throw and win us a ball game tomorrow, Coach.”
Moore benefitted from elite defense as well.
Shortstop Grant Smith made two remarkable defensive plays, including one where he ranged from near the second base bag all the way into medium left field to make a leaping grab with his back to the infield to save a run in the fifth inning. Earlier, he made a diving snare up the middle to start a double play to end the first inning.
In the middle, Ryan Nicholson hit his 20th home run of the season and second of the regional, helping him earn Most Outstanding Player. Emilien Pitre, who turned in his own highlight defense on Saturday, helped seal Sunday’s game with a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
The game was delayed 90 minutes due to storms but it didn’t dampen the spirit of the raucous Kentucky crowd, which roared throughout the evening.
NOTES
· Kentucky now is 43-14 in 2024.
- 43 wins ties for the fourth-most in school history.
- Kentucky is 17-3 in night games.
· Kentucky swept the Lexington Regional, 3-0.
· This is the third time in the past seven NCAA Tournaments UK has advanced to the Super Regional round, the only three times in school history.
· Kentucky’s pitchers did not allow a run over the final 14 innings of the regional and only one in the final 21 innings.
· UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 259-164 career record.
o Mingione now is the second-winningest coach in school history.
o UK is 11-6 in the NCAA Tournament under Mingione.
- UK is 11-2 in NCAA Regional action.
- Junior Ryan Nicholson went 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and home run.
- His HR was his 20th of the season, the most in a single season in the Mingione era.
- Junior Emilien Pitre extended his streak of games reaching base safely to 34.
- He finished 1-for-4 with two runs, a walk and two-run home run.
- Junior Mason Moore earned his ninth win on the mound with 6.0 shutout innings.
- He allowed four hits, walked three and struck out six.
- He now has pitched 20.1 scoreless innings in his career in the NCAA Tournament.
- His nine wins are the second most by a UK pitcher in the Mingione era.
- Graduate Cameron O’Brien struck out five over the final 2.1 innings.
2024 NCAA Lexington Regional All-Tournament Team
(as voted on by media on site)
C: Devin Burkes, Kentucky
1B: Ryan Nicholson, Kentucky – Most Outstanding Player
2B: Emilien Pitre, Kentucky
3B: Michell Daly, Kentucky
SS: Randal Diaz, Indiana State
OF: Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
OF: Dominic Listi, Indiana State
OF: Ryan Moerman, Illinois
DH: CJ Richmond, Western Michigan
P: Trey Pooser, Kentucky
P: Mason Moore, Kentucky
P: Brennyn Cutts, Indiana State
ON DECK
Kentucky will face the winner of Oregon State/UC Irvine out of the Corvallis, Oregon Regional.
SUPER REGIONAL TICKET INFORMATION
All advance requests from baseball season ticket holders that were placed by the May 21 deadline have been fulfilled, and confirmation emails will be sent on Sunday evening, June 2.
All-session tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, June 3 at 9 a.m. ET. All-session tickets include admission for all games (two, potentially three) of the Super Regional. Each session consists of a single game. Fans are encouraged to purchase all-session tickets to guarantee admission. All reserved seating is already sold out for the Super Regional. Based on availability, single game tickets will go on sale Thursday, June 6 at 9 a.m. ET.
Tickets may be purchased online at UKBaseballTix.com or by calling the UK Ticket Office at (800) 928-2287, option 4. The Joe Craft Center ticket office will be open this week Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. If tickets remain, they will also be sold on-site at Kentucky Proud Park beginning 90 minutes prior to game time.
Ticket Prices
- All-Session Reserved Seats (Sections 101-111 $50 – SOLD OUT
- All-Session Outfield Bleachers $40
- All-Session Terrace/Berm GA* $40
- Single-Session Reserved Seats $25 – SOLD OUT (pending visiting team returns)
- Single-Session Outfield Bleachers $20, based on availability
- Single-Session Terrace/Berm GA* $20, based on availability
*For the Super Regional, Terrace/Berm General Admission areas will include the right and left field terraces, grass berms, and standing room areas. These spaces are first-come, first-serve and do not contain any fixed seats. Fans are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs and/or blankets into the stadium for these areas. Terrace/Berm tickets are not valid for the Outfield Bleachers, and vice versa. The Outfield Bleachers feature general admission seating within that section. Gates will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.
All tickets for the tournament will be mobile. UK Employee IDs, Junior Wildcat Club Passes and K Fund Sports Passes are not valid for admission to postseason events. Children ages one and under will not require a ticket for entry.
UK Athletics will provide a limited number of complimentary tickets to UK students. These tickets will be valid for the Terrace/Berm general admission areas of Kentucky Proud Park, and each student will be limited to one (1) ticket with their valid student ID. Student tickets will be distributed at the Left Field gate entrance to Kentucky Proud Park beginning 90 minutes prior to the game each day, while supplies last.
