The Wildcats’ season will be on the line in Tuesday elimination game vs. Florida
OMAHA, Neb. – June 17, 2024
An All-American was on his game and one inning got sideways, conspiring to send Kentucky into the elimination portion of the bracket at the College World Series. Texas A&M ace lefty Ryan Prager delivered 6.2 hitless innings and the Aggies took finally cracked the Mason Moore code on their way to a 5-1 victory at Charles Schwab Stadium.
The Cats now will face Florida on Tuesday night in an elimination game. The Cats (46-15) previously had been 6-0 this NCAA Tournament.
Moore and Prager both looked impenetrable the first half of the game, trading quick innings and stellar defensive plays. Moore made three spectacular defensive plays and A&M narrowly averted allowing a run in the second when it threw out James McCoy by an eyelash on a bunt attempt.
Things came undone for the Wildcats in the sixth after Moore issued a leadoff walk and double to open the inning. A two-run single through the infield and another walk then gave way to a two-run double lined over McCoy’s head in right field.
UK finally broke up Prager’s no-hit bid on Ryan Nicholson’s line single with two outs in the seventh
NOTES
· Kentucky now is 46-15 in 2024.
- 46 wins are the most in school history (2012).
- Kentucky is 19-4 in night games.
- Kentucky is 1-1 all-time at the MCWS.
· The attendance was 25,327.
· Kentucky is 6-1 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
- UK’s run of not trailing at the of a full inning in the NCAA Tournament ended at 41. The Cats had not trailed this season after an inning and only once after a half-inning.
· UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his eighth season at the helm and now owns a 262-165 career record.
o Mingione now is the second-winningest coach in school history.
o UK is 14-7 in the NCAA Tournament under Mingione.
- Senior Ryan Nicholson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run.
- It was his 23rd home run of the season, tying the school record for a single season.
- He broke up A&M’s no-hitter in the seventh.
- Junior Mason Moore completed 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on five hits.
- His NCAA Tournament dominance in his career ended in the sixth inning.
- At that point he had allowed just one earned run (two total) in his first 28.2 career NCAA innings.
ON DECK
Kentucky will face Florida on Tuesday night in an elimination game.
