June 19, 2024

By Matt May

University of Kentucky Athletics

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 centre field. UK continued to try and claw back with a second Nick Lopez RBI single and two-run Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.) home run.

But Donay was too much, delivering two home runs and five RBIs 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 36th appearance of the season on the mound.

-Senior Nick Lopez went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. 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 10th home run of the season and 31st extra-base hit. He had 23rd multi-hit and 16th multi-RBI game of the season. He has 41 career multi-hit and 31 career multi-RBI games.

-Junior Ryan Waldschmidt stole his 25th 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.