Kentucky walks-off NC State in College World Series debut

OMAHA, Neb. – Kentucky is 1-0 all-time in College World Series play. 

Saturday, the Wildcats took down NC State in walk-off fashion as Mitchell Daly delivered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th to give the Cats a win 5-4 in the program’s College World Series debut at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I was just trying to back the ball up,” Daly said postgame. “I was just trying to see the slider up. And Cousey  [Austin Cousino] said he leaves it up sometimes. I saw it up, and I just went for it.”

“Just when you guys thought it couldn’t get better. To God be the glory,” UK head coach Nick Mingione added. “What a game. What a game. Both teams, give NC State a lot of credit. That’s an amazing team. Just two teams just duking it out and taking advantage of opportunities.”

Kentucky jumped out to an early lead as Emilien Pitre ripped a double after a 12-pitch battle with NC State starter Sam Highfill in the top of the first and two batters later, Nick Lopez drove him home with an RBI single to put UK on top 1-0.

NC State struck back in the top of the third as catcher Jacob Cozart tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single, but in the bottom of the fourth, Kentucky jumped back on top 3-1 as Nolan McCarthy ripped a two-run home run, Kentucky’s first in College World Series history.

In the top of the seventh, with UK starting pitcher Trey Pooser still on the mound, NC State tied the game at 3-3 with one swing as Alec Makarewicz slugged a game-tying two-run home run.

In the top of the ninth, Kentucky’s most trusted reliever, Robert Hogan, ran into trouble as he issued a leadoff walk to Garrett Pennington and then, with one out served up a single to Cozart, setting up the Wolfpack with runners on the corners and just one out.

Mingione would call on Johnny Hummel in relief, looking to escape the jam, but his first pitch out of the bullpen escaped catcher Devin Burkes and allowed Pennington to score, putting NC State up 4-3, as Kentucky fell behind for the first time in its six NCAA Tournament games. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Kentucky wasted no time erasing its first deficit of the tournament as Nicholson, who entered play hitting .125 on pitches low and away, drove a pitch low and away for a home run to lead off the inning off Dudan to tie the game at 4-4. 

“What a response. What a response. I mean, when I tell you guys in the ninth, this team has true belief. They really thought we were going to win the game,” Mingione said of Nicholson’s game-tying blast.

A diving catch in center by Ty Crittenberger, who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the ninth, helped Hummel work a perfect top of the 10th.

In the bottom 10th, Burkes was caught stealing second after Daly swung and missed at a 1-1 pitch with a hit-and-run play on.

“Mitch loves hit and runs. You can ask him. He loves the hit-and-run,” Mingone explained. ” The guy [Derrick Smith] through a great slider. The catcher made a great play, and he was out by maybe two, three feet.”

On the next pitch after Burkes was thrown out, Daly slugged a walk-off home run to win the game. 

“This team, they have this unbelievable ability to just move on to the next thing, regardless, good or bad,” Mingione said. “When you’re able to do that and you can move on quicker, you’re able to do things like today.”

The win moves UK into the Bracket 2 winners bracket. 

Kentucky will play Monday at 6:00 p.m. CST against the winner of Saturday night’s game between Florida and Texas A&M, while NC State will face the loser of the matchup between the Gators and Aggies on Monday at 1:00 p.m. CST  in an elimination game.