The Kentucky Wildcats secured a thrilling 5-4 victory over North Carolina State in the bottom of the 10th inning on June 15, 2024, at 7:00 PM ET in Omaha, Nebraska. This marked the third consecutive Men’s College World Series game to end in walk-off fashion. In an extraordinary performance, Ryan Nicholson hit a home run in the ninth inning to tie the game, and Mitchell Daly sealed the win with a shot into the left-field bullpen with two outs.
The Wildcats, with a record of 46-14, set a program record for wins in a season and are playing their first MCWS. They will face Texas A&M on Monday night, who defeated Florida 3-2. North Carolina State, with a record of 38-22, played Florida in an elimination game on Monday afternoon.
Coach Nick Mingione praised his team’s belief and response in the ninth inning, highlighting their determination and confidence in securing the victory. Nicholson expressed his excitement and confidence in the team’s performance and potential going forward. The game was tied at 4 after Nicholson’s dramatic home run that barely cleared the left-field fence. Despite opportunities to score, the Wildcats couldn’t push a runner across until Daly’s game-winning home run off North Carolina State’s closer, Derrick Smith.
The atmosphere in Omaha was described as special and full of energy as Daly acknowledged the support and excitement of the fans. The third straight MCWS game ended in walk-off fashion, with North Carolina and Tennessee also securing victories with bottom-of-the-ninth singles on June 14th.
