OMAHA, Neb. — In the middle of answering a question about his Kentucky baseball team — its historic significance, how it forever altered the program during a magical, record-setting season — Nick Mingione grew visibly emotional for the first time. His voice cracked. He turned to his right to quiz his right-hand man: his son, Reeves Mingione, a constant companion alongside his father during postgame news conferences.
"What did your dad do every time for the last two years, every time he's walked by that wall?" Nick asked Reeves.
"It's almost like he punches it — like he wanted to knock it down," Reeves responded without missing a beat.
Then the elder Mingione continued.
He had a story to tell.
The "wall" in question is the last hallway a person passes on the way to the field at UK's home venue, Kentucky Proud Park. On the wall, there's a sign that reads, "The Road to Omaha." As with every graphic adorning walls at the gleaming facility, it's placed there with a purpose.
"I wanted the players to understand that every day they walked through that wall that that's where it was going to start," Mingione said.
It was a reminder for him, too.
"Every time I walk out there, these guys deserve my best. Every time," Mingione said. "It was like a switch that would put me in the right mind frame."
On this day, a mild summer morning in the Midwest, Kentucky wasn't anywhere close to its best. And because of it, the Wildcats' dream season drew to a close.
In a College World Series elimination game against Florida on Wednesday, UK was outmuscled and outmatched, losing 15-4 at Charles Schwab Field.
It started well for Kentucky: After the top of the first inning, it led 1-0. But then Florida plated seven runs in the bottom half of the frame. The Wildcats (46-16) never recovered. And the Gators (36-29) didn't stop piling on the runs.
By any measure, Wednesday was a rough outing for Kentucky. Especially its pitching staff.
Starter Dominic Niman only threw one-third of an inning, as Florida tagged him for three hits and five runs, all earned. Relievers Cameron O'Brien, Robert Hogan, Jackson Nove, Ryan Hagenow and Johnny Hummel allowed earned runs, too, unable to slow down Florida's offensive onslaught.
Kentucky's best inning was the fifth, when it scored two runs via a two-run blast by Émilien Pitre. Florida turned around and scored five runs in the bottom of the inning.
"The only way we were going to get back in that game was if we kept stacking good at-bat after good at-bat after good at-bat in a row, like you've seen us do a lot this season," Mingione said. "We were not able to do that. Give them a lot of credit. They were able to stop our offense and just break the chain of good at-bats and made it really hard for us to get back in that game."
The lopsided loss caps what — inarguably — was the best campaign in program history. UK's 46 victories set a single-season school mark for wins. The Wildcats claimed a piece of the SEC regular-season title for only the second time. They accomplished that by setting another program record: most wins (22) in league play during the regular season.
UK ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls in 2024.
And it played that way once the NCAA Tournament arrived.
The Wildcats earned a top-eight seed in the event for the first time. They didn't drop a game in the Lexington Regional, brushing aside Western Michigan,IllinoisandIndiana State. That form continued into the super regional — UK hosted in the round for the first time — against Oregon State. UK swept the three-time national champion in the best-of-three series, rolling to a 10-0 victory inGame 1 and escaping with a 3-2 win inGame 2.
After stepping foot in Omaha, Kentucky authored a dramatic debut in the College World Series: Mitchell Daly belted a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to beat N.C. State. UK had no answers in its next outing, however, . That lack of polish carried over into Wednesday's game, which originally was slated for Tuesday before inclement weather forced a postponement.
The Wildcats simply ran out of steam.
"Everyone emptied their tank," center fielder Nolan McCarthy said. "That's what was special about this team: Everyone cared so much and they would empty the tank no matter if they were playing every day, hitting .350 or if they weren't even on the (travel) roster, doing what they could do to make us better. Everyone bought in. (Everyone was) unselfish."
Painstaking attention to detail was a primary component in Kentucky's fruitful formula this season.
"I think just that belief that the whole team had in each other and the staff — whenever they made a call, (there was) just complete trust in every single person in our locker room," Hagenow said. "It's been pretty awesome."
Ultimately, Kentucky fell short of its goal of bringing a national championship back to Lexington. But the Wildcats now know the road to Omaha isn't just a phrase on a wall. Or a fantasy.
It's reality.
One they forged themselves.
The same way they crafted a legacy that never will be erased.
"We talk about winning, but not just on the field. In every area of their life, I want them to be winners," Mingione said. "The way they go about their business, the way they treat their teammates, the way they go about their diet, the way they approach the weight room, the way they treat women — all of this has to do with winning. … I can look you all in the eye today and tell you we've done the best job we could to develop (players) in every single area of their life, and therefore they've made history.
"I just want everybody to know what kind of winners they are."
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
