The College World Series has been electric through the first four opening games. With three ending on a walk-off hit or home run, the Kentucky Wildcats joined in on that party as they walked off the NC State Wolfpack in their opening round Saturday afternoon.
Holding a 3-1 lead for the majority of the game, the Wolfpack came back and tied it up with a two-run homer in the seventh. Then after a wild pitch in the top of the ninth, the Cats saw their first deficit of the entire NCAA postseason. Luckily that didn’t last for long.
Heading into the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Nicholson snuck a line-drive home run just inside the left field foul pole, sending the game to extra innings. Then a hanging curveball to Mitchell Daly, sent the Cats home with their first win in CWS history.
Now the Cats will turn their attention to a very good Texas A&M squad. The Aggies entered the postseason as the No. 3 overall seed and have posted 50 wins this season.
For Kentucky, they will need another good outing on the mound, as well as the bats staying hot to help keep the Cats out of the loser’s bracket.
At this point in the season, you have to beat good teams every night, and that’s what UK will have to do on Monday.
Go Cats!