Kentucky Baseball Gears Up for First-Round Matchup Against Alabama
At long last, the regular season has come to a close and the postseason has arrived.
The Kentucky Bat ‘Cats enter Hoover, AL having exceeded all expectations placed on the program this year, finishing the regular season at 36-17 (16-14) and No. 25 in D1Baseball’s final regular season rankings. After slipping two seed lines on the final day of the regular season, the No. 8 seeded Bat ‘Cats will face No. 9 seed Alabama in the first round of the 2023 SEC Tournament later today. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST on the SEC Network.
Because Kentucky failed to grasp a top-four seed, they are in danger of going home with a loss on Tuesday. With a win over the Crimson Tide, Kentucky can guarantee at least two more games this week.
“We do have some guys who were [at the SEC Tournament] a year ago, so that’s definitely a good thing,” UK head coach Nick Mingione said after Saturday’s loss to Florida. “We’re not bringing a team full of guys that have never been there. Now that we have a group of guys that have been there, they’ve seen it, done it, tasted it, and smelt it. Especially on Tuesday, it’s win or go home. It’s kind of fun. If you don’t like that in sports, then you shouldn’t be involved in it.”
Many have speculated that Kentucky needs at least one win in tournament play to clinch a Regional in Lexington for the first time since 2017. D1Baseball projected Kentucky as the No. 9 overall seed, hosting a Regional consisting of Indiana State, Notre Dame, and Morehead State in their latest Field of 64 Projections on May 22nd. Alabama is also currently penned to be hosting a Regional in Tuscaloosa as the No. 14 overall seed.
Tuesday’s first-round matchup between the ‘Cats and Crimson Tide may be for the right to host a Regional.
Alabama Impact Players
The Crimson Tide boasts just one All-SEC member in outfielder Andrew Pinckney, who was selected to the Second Team. Alongside his Second Team All-SEC honor, Pinckney was also named SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Pinckney was extremely reliable this season, slugging .347 with a team-leading 69 hits and 128 total bases. Pinckney’s outfield partner Tommy Seidl actually led the Tide in batting average, slashing .354 on the year with 58 hits and 37 RBI. Alabama’s power threat is SEC All-Freshman selection Colby Shelton, who finished seventh in the SEC with 20 longballs blasted this season. First baseman Drew Williamson and shortstop Jim Jarvis were selected to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
LHP Hunter Furtado will be making just his second start of the season for the Tide on Tuesday, his 16th appearance overall. In 28.1 innings pitched this season, Furtado boasts an 0-1 record with a 5.40 ERA. Furtado pitched an inning in Alabama’s 9-5 loss to Kentucky back on March 25th, giving up two hits and three earned runs. Expect Alabama interim coach Jason Jackson to deploy multiple arms out of the pen against the ‘Cats in this one.
Jackson took over as interim head coach following Brad Bohannon’s firing back on May 4th. Bohannon, who served as an assistant coach at Kentucky from 2004-2015, was fired after being accused of aiding in wagering Alabama games. Bohannon, who had been the Crimson Tide’s coach since 2017, produced a 166-124 record with one NCAA tournament appearance (2021). Since Bohannon’s firing, the Crimson Tide are 8-2 with series victories over Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. The Tide jumped Kentucky in D1Baseball’s final Top 25 of the regular season, landing at No. 24.
Kentucky Impact Players
Just like Alabama, the ‘Cats boast one All-SEC selection in second baseman Émilien Pitre. Pitre was also voted to the All-SEC Defensive Team alongside first baseman Hunter Gilliam.
Petey experienced a phenomenal breakout season this year, slashing .344 with 65 hits and 46 RBI. Alongside his stellar defense, “Captain Gilly” led the ‘Cats in Big Blue Bombs smashed this season with 11. Jackson Gray, who was snubbed from the All-SEC Defensive Team and quite possibly an All-SEC Team, led the ‘Cats in batting average (.370), hits (70), and triples (six). Gray’s six triples led the entire SEC. Starting shortstop Grant Smith enters the SEC Tournament smoking hot, having hit a home run in all five of Kentucky’s final five games of the regular season. Smith became the first Wildcat to homer in five consecutive SEC games since UK Hall of Famer AJ Reed did so in 2014. Great company to be in.
Starting on the mound for Kentucky will be seventh-year slinger RHP Darren Williams. “Dub” will be making his fifth start of the year and 14th appearance. Williams enjoyed a memorable senior night last Friday, striking out the side to earn his second save of the season against Florida. Darren has had an effective super, super, super senior season this year, sporting a 3.96 ERA over 52.1 IP with a 50:41 K-BB ratio. Expect RHP Mason Moore to be on speed dial, as Moore finished the season blazing hot out of the bullpen. Over his last 10.2 innings pitched, the sophomore has allowed just seven hits and one run.
Kentucky took two of three from the Crimson Tide back on March 24-26th in Tuscaloosa, winning game one 4-3 in 12 innings and winning game two 9-5 before dropping game three by a score of 4-3. This Tide team is much different from the one the ‘Cats faced nearly two months ago, so expect the unexpected.
It’s the postseason. It’s time to play some damn baseball.
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