Head Coach Nick Mingione of the Kentucky Wildcats, after the team dropped two series to Tennessee and South Carolina, stressed that success is a process, not a destination. Coach Mingione also mentioned how he liked how his Wildcats handled adversity. He continues to reiterate his unwavering love and trust for this year’s Kentucky Baseball team, assuring the fans that they are the ones who will break through and reach Omaha for the first time in school history.

That message resonated with his Wildcats as they stunned the second-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks over the weekend, sending a shot across the bow of the baseball boat that Kentucky was not only a good team but one that had all the pieces to win a National Championship next month in Omaha. Despite dropping the first game of the series to the visiting Razorbacks, Kentucky responded with such resilience that only the elite teams have. Yet, not many people around the sport consider Kentucky a legitimate threat to win the national championship despite being number two in the RPI, fourth in the national polls, and sole possession of first place in the Southeastern Conference standings with two weeks remaining until the 2024 SEC Tournament.

Kentucky’s team is unique because, no matter the deficit, they’re never out of the game. Kentucky has the offensive firepower to hang with any of the big boys in the country and can light up the scoreboard faster than lightning. Last weekend, Coach Mingione switched the lineup to move Devin Burkes to the top half, sparking the Kentucky offense in games two and three of the Arkansas series. Burkes provided a couple of crucial hits in a timely during critical moments of the games, propelling the Wildcats to victory over the Razorbacks.

Combine the offensive explosion with the pitching staff that is coming together. Kentucky is in the best position with two weeks remaining until the postseason to make a magical run simply by trusting the process Coach Mingione has laid down for his program to take the next step.

As far as an outright SEC regular season championship goes, Kentucky controls its destiny. Two series wins over Florida and Vanderbilt, and the Wildcats will likely head to Hoover as the SEC Champion. Given the others in contention, Kentucky has the most favorable draw for the last two weeks of the season, creating a euphoric environment around the program.

Kentucky will travel to Gainesville, Florida, to play the Gators in a three-game series starting on Friday. Then, they will return to Lexington to end the regular season against Vanderbilt.