PREVIEW: Kentucky faces off against USC Upstate in Clemson Regional eliminator

No. 3 seed Kentucky and No. 4 seed USC Upstate will face off in the loser’s bracket of the Clemson Regional on Saturday after dropping their respective games against No. 2 seed West Virginia and No. 1 seed Clemson.

Kentucky jumped out to a 3-0 lead over West Virginia on Friday, but was outscored 4-0 over the final five innings in the loss. USC Upstate’s Scott Newman tied the game with an eighth inning solo home run in its matchup with Clemson, but the Tigers responded with four runs in the latter half inning to take down the Spartans 7-3.

This is the fifth time in the modern NCAA Tournament era that Kentucky is playing for its Regional life in just its second game. In the prior four seasons (2006, 2008, 2012 and 2014), the ‘Cats have stayed alive with a win on all four occasions.

No. 4 USC Upstate Spartans (36-24)

USC Upstate, the No. 4 seed from the Big South Conference, gave Clemson all it could ask for in Friday’s Regional game. The Spartans however fell apart at the end and lost by four runs.

In the loss, the Spartans totaled eight hits and three runs. Sophomore center fielder Scott Newman was responsible for two of the hits, which were both extra-base hits (a double and a home run). Seven of their nine offensive starters totaled a hit, showcasing an exciting offense that hit for a stellar .319 team batting average (7th in NCAA) this season.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Chris Torres, who was named to the All-Big South Second Team, will likely get the start for the Spartans on Saturday. In 70 1/3 innings pitched this season, Torres boasts a 7-4 record and a 4.99 ERA.

The Spartans have never won an NCAA Tournament game, as this was their first ever appearance in the Big Dance. A win over the ‘Cats on Saturday would certainly be a historic one.

No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats (29-25)

Kentucky’s loss to West Virginia on Friday was yet another disappointing one, as the ‘Cats have now led first in five consecutive games but lost all five of those games.

In its two postseason games (SEC Tournament vs. Oklahoma and the game vs. West Virginia), Kentucky’s struggling offense has driven in just one RBI. That RBI came courtesy of a Kyuss Gargett bunt, which West Virginia’s Griffin Kirn just barely missed out on catching mid-air. The Wildcat pitching staff has being given absolutely no help over the last few weeks of the season.

Senior right-handed pitcher Nic McCay will get the ball for Kentucky in a must-win game to keep the Wildcats’ season alive. He’s 5-0 with a 4.37 ERA in 68 innings pitched this season. The seventh-year pitcher will be making his first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

“I challenge them for us to come out ready to go,” Nick Mingione said following the WVU loss. “When we have opportunities to capitalize, we need to capitalize. They understand what’s at stake. I’m confident they’ll be ready to play.”

ALL-TIME SERIES: Kentucky leads 10-1

Probable Starters

Saturday, May 31, 2025 (Doug Kingsmore Stadium – 12:00 p.m. EST) ESPN+
UK: RHP Nic McCay (5-0, 4.37 ERA, 68.0 IP) vs USC: LHP Chris Torres (7-4, 4.99 ERA, 70.1 IP)

---

We have some exciting news to announce from our good friend Andy Luedecke from MyPerfectFranchise.net. He is a big baseball fan and from his line of work he has seen first hand the fantastic traits that baseball players bring to the franchise world. Andy is offering up a donation of $500 – $1000 to the school’s Baseball NIL collective if anyone from our site purchases a franchise. We think this is a cool opportunity to help the baseball program!! 

Now is the perfect time to contact Andy to learn more. Remember his services are 100% free and he’s here to help if you have any questions about business ownership! Head to MyPerfectFranchise.net to learn more or you can text or call Andy at 404.973.9901.

Note: NIL donations will vary based on the size of the deal.