Kentucky downs Illinois 6-1 on Saturday, improve to 2-0 in Regional

No. 1 seed Kentucky took down No. 3 seed Illinois 6-1 on Saturday, putting itself in the drivers seat in the Lexington Regional.

Right-hander Trey Pooser continued his stellar final stretch of the season on Saturday, allowing just one earned run with seven strikeouts over seven innings pitched. Since April 26, Pooser has an ERA of 3.08 in 35 1/3 innings pitched.

Ryan Waldschmidt dominated at the plate, going 3-5 with an RBI-double and a two-run home run. The left fielder, who continues to show shades of Kentucky legend Collin Cowgill, continues to cement himself as one of the most talented in program history.

Kentucky’s win over Illinois on Saturday marked its first in the second game of a Regional in the Nick Mingione era. The Cats were 0-2 in their previous game twos (2017 & 2023).

“I told Christen, it took me four tries: ’06, ’17, ’23, and ’24,” Nick Mingione said postgame. “It took me four tries. I’m happy. Just another thing that we haven’t done before. Still obviously have a lot of baseball left.”

It is just the second time in program history Kentucky has won its first two games in the NCAA Tournament (1988, 2024).

The Cats will now wait until Sunday at 6:00 p.m. EST, where they will play the winner of Indiana State/Illinois (who play Sunday at noon EST). With a Kentucky win, it would claim the Lexington Regional in just three games. With a loss, the Lexington Regional Championship would be Monday.

Players of the Game:

• RHP Trey Pooser: Pooser pitched seven one-run innings, striking out seven en route to his sixth victory of the season.
• LF Ryan Waldschmidt: Waldschmidt continued his dominant play, going 3-5 at the plate with an RBI-double and a two-run home run.
• 1B Ryan Nicholson: Nicholson belted a two-run home run in the second, his 19th of the season.

Nicholson’s long ball gives Cats early lead

Illinois shocked everybody by starting left-handed pitcher Payton Hutchings (7.99 ERA) over ace left-hander Cooper Omans (3.73 ERA), but Hutchings kept the Cats scoreless in the first. Kentucky starter right-hander Trey Pooser kept the Illini scoreless in the first as well, bringing the Wildcat offense back up to bat in the top of the second.

Mitch Daly led off the inning by drawing a hit by pitch, his 12th of the season. This brought up power-hitting first baseman Ryan Nicholson, who went 1-5 at the plate in Kentucky’s game against Western Michigan on Friday.

Nicholson belted a two-run home run to deep left field, giving the Cats an early two-run lead. His second inning long ball marked his 19th of the season, which ties the most hit in a season by a Kentucky player in the Nick Mingione era (Kole Cottam — 2018).

“I felt like we gave ourselves some breathing room,” Nicholson said postgame. “Obviously just kind of set the tone early. Really just going off of that, it felt obviously awesome, but obviously there was a lot of game to play with for the rest of it.”

Illini respond in fourth

Pooser was cruising until the fourth inning, where he ran into his first bit of trouble on the day.

After forcing two quick groundouts, Pooser gave up a two-out single to Jacob Schroeder. Schroeder took second on a passed ball, putting a runner in scoring position for the Illini. They took advantage of the free base, as Brody Harding lifted an RBI-single into right center field to scratch across the first Illinois run of the game.

Pooser however struck out Coltin Quagliano to get out of the inning, bringing the Cats back up to bat.

Kentucky responded quick, as James McCoy belted a double off the right center field fence to put a runner on second with one out in the inning. Ryan Waldschmidt continued to deliver for the Cats as he has all season, belting an RBI-double down the left field line to get Kentucky its run back.

The Cats led 3-1 through five. They loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but James McCoy struck out to end the potential big inning.

Cats tack onto their lead

Pooser kept the Illini at bay over six innings, allowing the Cats to tack onto their lead in the top of the seventh.

Grant Smith led off the inning with a hard-hit ball to Illinois’ Coltin Quagliano at third, which he was able to beat out for a single. He was followed by Ryan Waldschmidt, who continued to do Ryan Waldschmidt things. A Waldschmidt single to right field allowed Smith to grab third, putting runners on the corners with no outs.

Émilien Pitre converted for the Cats, grounding into a fielder’s choice to score Smith from third. He however was caught in a double play to end the inning on a Devin Burkes flyout, providing another missed opportunity for Kentucky to add onto its lead.

Waldschmidt propels Kentucky to win

Pooser opened the seventh with a hit by pitch and a walk, but bounced back to force a double play and a flyout to right field to end the seventh inning and his day.

The Charleston transfer was outstanding for the Cats, allowing just five hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts in seven innings. Moving Pooser from the bullpen to the rotation has been Nick Mingione’s best decision of the season.

“Yeah, felt like just filling up the zone,” Pooser said postgame. “I was trying to get ahead as much as possible, and fastball changeup combo was working really well today. Didn’t really have a feel for my curveball as much, but the fastball changeup really played today.”

Right-hander Ryan Hagenow entered in the eighth and held the Illini scoreless, bringing Kentucky back up to bat in the ninth with a chance to pad its lead. That it did.

After Grant Smith led off the inning with a walk, Ryan Waldschmidt put the Illini in the dirt. Waldy belted a 444 foot two-run home run to left center field, propelling the Cats to a five-run lead.

“[Waldschmidt], in a lot of ways, I feel, two totally different hitters, but I feel like him when we had Evan White,” Nick Mingione said postgame. “When Evan White stepped to the plate, you just knew something good was going to happen. You never Evan was never out of an at-bat; Waldy is never out of an at-bat. He’s special.”

Hagenow returned to the mound in the ninth and sat the Illini down on four batters to cement the win.

Victory, Cayts.

What’s next for Kentucky?

Kentucky will play the winner of Indiana State/Illinois (who play Sunday at noon EST) Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. EST.