Something we’re not sure we would ever see: Kentucky baseball is going to Omaha

If you stick around long enough, you can see things you’ve never seen before.

Kentucky baseball is going to the College World Series.

Kentucky baseball is going to Omaha.

That’s right, Kentucky. One of the most northern schools in the warm-weather, baseball-loving SEC. The school with no baseball tradition and very little baseball success. The school that had reached the highest level in other sports, but as for baseball, well, sorry for your luck.

“People told me it would be impossible for Kentucky to make it to Omaha,” UK coach Nick Mingione said as late Sunday night bled into early Monday morning. “I literally had people tell me that.”

That’s the same Nick Mingione that moments earlier was seen wrapping his 9-year-old son Reeves in one of the happiest bear hugs known to mankind after the Wildcats had recorded the final out of a 3-2 victory against Oregon State to win this NCAA Tournament super regional before a record crowd of 7,558 at Kentucky Proud Park.

“That was craziest atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of,” UK outfielder Nolan McCarthy said. “It was definitely a home field advantage.”

Here’s crazy: Kentucky is going to Omaha.

The Cats earned the trip to college baseball’s holy grail the same way they have gone 5-0 on this NCAA Tournament run, by being masterful on the mound and in the field. Kentucky’s pitchers allowed the Beavers a mere three hits over the two games — one hit Saturday and two hits Sunday.

“They made a lot of really, really good pitches,” Oregon State outfielder Gavin Turley said.

Saturday starter Trey Pooser allowed one hit over seven innings and reliever Jackson Nove zero over two innings in UK’s 10-0 blowout of the Beavers in the super-regional opener.

Sunday starter Mason Moore did not allow a hit in his 3 1/3 innings Sunday, but he walked six batters, including four in the fourth inning. Two of those free bases came with the bases loaded, forcing in a pair of runs that tied the game 2-2.

From there, Mingione went to his bullpen. Cameron O’Brien pitched three innings of one-hit baseball. Robert Hogan did not allow a hit over his 2 1/3 innings and recorded quite possibly the game’s biggest out.

With runners on first and third base with one out in the seventh inning and UK clinging to that 3-2 lead, Hogan struck out Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana, considered a potential No. 1 overall pick in this year’s MLB draft.

In the ninth inning, after Ryan Hagenow allowed a single to Bazzana — the Australian’s first hit in seven super-regional at-bats — to put runners at first and third, Mingione went to Johnny Hummel, who struck out Micah McDowell to end the game, but not Kentucky’s season.

I’ll admit it. I had my doubts. As a Kentuckian for life, I’d seen UK’s baseball struggles. I’d seen the UK teams that were good, but not quite good enough. Certainly not good enough to make it all the way to Omaha.

“When people told us we couldn’t make it to Omaha,” said Mingione’s wife Christen, who was born on an Air Force base in Omaha, “I said, ‘Challenge accepted.’”

Now, mission accomplished. And take it from an Oregon State baseball program that has won three national titles. Said Beavers coach Mitch Canham, “It’s a life-changing thing when you’re able to accomplish those moments.”

After all, there can only be one “first.” It’s what history is all about. No matter what happens on the diamond in Omaha, this is a history-making team, a team that has done something that had never been done before. Not at Kentucky.

“It feels like we really kicked the door down,” said McCarthy, who scored from second base on a wild pitch with what turned out to be the winning run. “It feels amazing to be the first one.”

“It’s honestly surreal,” Hogan said. “It’s probably the best thing that any of us could have asked for, being in this position. And so we’re going to go to Omaha and we’re going to do our thing because we ain’t done.”

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