In 2017, Kentucky won its regional opener as host then lost game two. The Wildcats then won three consecutive elimination games to advance to the first super regional in program history. “The bad news is we lost,” Mingione said Saturday. “The good news is I’ve been here and done this. This is exactly what happened in 2017.”

Kentucky’s baseball coach appeared on thin ice after four straight disappointing seasons, but Nick Mingione has engineered a turnaround at Kentucky Proud Park.