Look outside your window. It was pouring snow, ice, and everything in between, and now it's super cold. The roads are slick, and the temperature is freezing. It feels like winter will never end.
But in just under three weeks, the crack of a bat will echo through Kentucky Proud Park.
Kentucky baseball is officially back on Friday, February 13, and for a program that has raised the standard under head coach Nick Mingione, the expectations have never been higher. They won't be back home in Kentucky Proud Park until the 17th, though.
The standard has been set
There was a time when Kentucky baseball was just a nice way to kill time between basketball and football season. That era is long gone. Mingione has built a culture of winning, hosting Regionals, and pushing for Omaha almost yearly. The "Bat Cats" brand isn't just a marketing slogan anymore; it’s an identity built on energy, aggression on the base paths, and a dugout that never sits down.
They want to test you in every way possible to try and make you make a mistake. Sometimes that aggressiveness can cost them, but it is who they are.
Opening day details
- Date: Friday, February 13, 2026, UNC Greensboro
- Location: Greensboro, N.C.
- The Vibe: For the first home game, the Cats will welcome Morehead State 4 days later. The Cats knocked off the Eagles 8-2 last season.
In the SEC, there is never a shortage of great teams, and this year is no different. There are 12 teams in the Baseball America preseason top 25, with LSU and Mississippi State in the top 3. Every series is going to be a war. There are no "off weekends" in this league.
Kentucky has proven it can survive the grind, but this year is about consistency. The non-conference schedule is designed to get the arms ready for the SEC gauntlet. The pitching staff will be key as they struggled last year with a team ERA of 4.54. Ben Cleaver will look to really take a big step forward for the Cats, but they will need a complete staff upgrade if they want to compete in the SEC this year.
So, shovel your driveway and turn up the heat. Baseball is coming sooner than you think.
Kentucky baseball full schedule
February
- at UNC Greensboro: Feb. 13-15 | Greensboro, N.C.Fri 4pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
- vs. Morehead State: Feb. 17 | Lexington, Ky. (4:00 pm)
- at Evansville: Feb. 20-22 | Evansville, Ind.Fri 4pm, Sat 3pm, Sun 2pm
- vs. Western Kentucky: Feb. 24 | Lexington, Ky. (4:00 pm)
- vs. St. John's: Feb. 27 - Mar. 1 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 4pm, Sat 1pm, Sun 1pm
March
- at Eastern Kentucky: Mar. 3 | Richmond, Ky. (5:00 pm)
- vs. Eastern Kentucky: Mar. 4 | Lexington, Ky. (4:00 pm)
- vs. The Citadel: Mar. 6-8 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 4pm, Sat 1pm, Sun 1pm
- vs. Ball State: Mar. 10 | Lexington, Ky. (6:30 pm)
- vs. Alabama: Mar. 13-15 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 6:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
- vs. Marshall: Mar. 17 | Lexington, Ky. (2:00 pm)
- at Ole Miss: Mar. 19-21 (Thu-Sat) | Oxford, Miss.Times TBA
- vs. Murray State: Mar. 24 | Lexington, Ky. (6:30 pm)
- at LSU: Mar. 27-29 | Baton Rouge, La.Times TBA
- vs. Miami University: Mar. 31 | Lexington, Ky. (6:30 pm)
April
- vs. Missouri: Apr. 3-5 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 6:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
- vs. Louisville: Apr. 7 | Lexington, Ky. (5:30 pm)
- at Auburn: Apr. 10-12 | Auburn, Ala.Times TBA
- vs. Vanderbilt: Apr. 17-19 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 6:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
- at Louisville: Apr. 21 | Louisville, Ky. (7:00 pm)
- at South Carolina: Apr. 24-26 | Columbia, S.C.Times TBA
May
- vs. Tennessee: May 1-3 | Lexington, Ky.Fri 6:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
- at Florida: May 8-10 | Gainesville, Fla.Times TBA
- vs. Northern Kentucky: May 12 | Lexington, Ky. (6:30 pm)
- vs. Arkansas: May 14-16 (Thu-Sat) | Lexington, Ky.Thu 6:30pm, Fri 6:30pm, Sat 2pm