Kentucky baseball looks to regroup in SEC tournament after heartbreaking sweep at Vanderbilt
What a wild ride it’s been for Kentucky baseball this season. From winning streaks to gut-wrenching collapses, the Wildcats now face their biggest test yet: salvaging their NCAA Tournament hopes in the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament.
The Cats arrive in Hoover riding a frustrating three-game losing streak, punctuated by a sweep at the hands of No. 9 Vanderbilt in which they led in every game—and lost all three.
Three Leads. Three Losses. One Gut Check.
May 15: Kentucky led late before falling 7–8
May 16: Another late collapse in an 8–9 loss
May 17: The bats went cold in a 3–5 defeat
In each game, Kentucky had its chances. And in each game, those chances evaporated in the final innings.
What had been a promising SEC campaign now sits on the edge of collapse, with Kentucky’s overall record dipping to 13–17 in conference play. That places the Wildcats as the No. 13 seed entering the postseason.
SEC tournament format: A new era in Hoover
This year’s SEC Tournament is historic—it’s the first to feature 16 teams, and it brings with it a new bracket structure:
- Top 4 seeds receive a double-bye
- Single-elimination for the first time ever
But there are some familiar themes as well, as the tournament once again is being held at Hoover Met Stadium
Kentucky opens its postseason journey on Tuesday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. ET against No. 12 seed Oklahoma, a team the Wildcats swept just a week ago (May 9–11).
📺 Watch on SEC Network via YouTube TV
Tournament Schedule: Kentucky’s Path
- 🗓️ Tuesday, May 20 — First Round
Game 2: No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Kentucky | 1:30 p.m. | SEC Network - 🗓️ Wednesday, May 21 — Second Round
If Kentucky wins:
Game 6: No. 5 Georgia vs. Kentucky/Oklahoma winner | 1:30 p.m. | SEC Network - 🗓️ Thursday, May 22 — Quarterfinals
Game 10: No. 4 Vanderbilt vs. Winner of Game 6 | 7 p.m. | SEC Network
From there, the semifinal round takes place on Saturday, May 24, with the championship set for Sunday, May 25 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
What’s at stake for the Wildcats?
The reality is stark: Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament bid may depend on how they perform this week in Hoover.
They’ll need at least one, if not two or more wins, to impress the selection committee. The recent series loss to Vanderbilt—especially the way it unfolded—won’t help their résumé. But an SEC Tournament surge just might.
Keys to watch
1. Closing Out Games
The bullpen must rebound from the Vanderbilt series and find a way to finish. Kentucky led in all three games—only to collapse late.
2. Offensive Spark
The Wildcats have shown they can hang offensively. If they can keep the bats hot early and pressure teams, they'll give themselves a chance to flip the script.
3. Pitching Depth
In a potentially grueling week with multiple games, depth on the mound will be critical. Head coach Nick Mingione may need to get creative with matchups.
The Wildcats have flirted with brilliance—and disaster—all season. A four-game losing streak. A three-game win streak. Another three-game losing skid. It’s been chaos wrapped in cleats.
But now, none of that matters. It all comes down to Hoover.
Beat Oklahoma, and the road stays open. Lose—and the season might be over.
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