Kentucky baseball vs NC State score updates in NCAA College World Series 2024 (2024)

Ryan BlackLouisville Courier Journal

Coverage from the game:

Kentucky baseball's Mitchell Daly walks off NC State at 2024 College World Series

Coverage during the game:

OMAHA, Neb. —Kentucky baseballkicks off its College World Seriesdebut Saturday afternoon, squaring off against N.C. State.

UK hasn't dropped a game since the NCAA Tournament started, posting a 5-0 record heading into the College World Series. In the Lexington Regional, Kentucky beatWestern Michigan,IllinoisandIndiana Stateto advance. Then in the super regional round, it bouncedOregon State in two games in the best-of-three series. The Wildcats dominated en route to a 10-0 win in Game 1, then held on in a3-2 nail-biter in Game 2.

N.C. State also notched a 3-0 mark in its NCAA regional, toppingBryant,South CarolinaandJames Madison. In the Athens Super Regional against Georgia, the visitors rolled to an 18-1 victory in Game 1. The Bulldogsrebounded to win Game 2 and force a winner-take-all contest. The Wolfpack didn't flinch, however,winning Game 3, 8-5, to earn its fourth CWS berth in program history.

WATCH: Follow Kentucky baseball in the College World Series on Fubo (free trial)

The victorious team Saturday remains in the winners bracket; the victor's next game would take place at 7 p.m. Monday against the winner of Saturday's second game: an all-SEC tussle between Florida and Texas A&M. The loser of the UK-N.C. State matchup will play an elimination game at 2 p.m. Monday against the loser of the Florida-Texas A&M tilt. The season is over for the loser of Monday afternoon's game.

The Courier Journal'sRyan Blackis atCharles Schwab Fieldin Omaha, Nebraska, and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow him on X at@RyanABlack.

FINAL: Kentucky 5, NC State 4 (in 10 innings)

AFTER TOP OF 10TH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: NC State 4, Kentucky 4

Three up, three down for N.C. State in the 10th.

AFTER BOTTOM OF NINTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: NC State 4, Kentucky 4

Ryan Nicholson's solo shot was the only run of the ninth inning for UK. Now we're headed to extras in Omaha.

Game-tying HR for Kentucky's Ryan Nicholson

Kentucky first baseman Ryan Nicholson led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run, which tied the game at 4-all. Watch his game-tying homer in the video below.

Ryan Nicholson comes through in the clutch with ninth-inning HR

Kentucky entered the bottom of the ninth down 4-3. Ryan Nicholson erased that immediately, launching a leadoff homer to tie the game yet again.

AFTER TOP OF NINTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: NC State 4, Kentucky 3

After reaching on a single, N.C. State's Jacob Cozart scores on a wild pitch to put UK in a 4-3 hole. Kentucky didn't allow another run, but now is just three outs away from suffering its first loss since the NCAA Tournament started.

AFTER BOTTOM OF EIGHTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 3

A wild inning ends with no runs for Kentucky: Émilien Pitre walked and then stole second. He advanced to third after N.C. State pitcher Jacob Dudan was called for a balk. But standing on third with only one out, Pitre advanced no further. Nick Lopez struck out swinging for Out 2, then Mitchell Daly popped up to end the inning.

AFTER TOP OF EIGHTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 3

Cameron O'Brien notched one out in the eighth before giving way to Jackson Nove on the mound. Nove ended the inning, stranding two N.C. State runners.

AFTER BOTTOM OF SEVENTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 3

No baserunners for UK in the seventh, going three up and three down. It's tied at 3 with two innings to play.

AFTER TOP OF SEVENTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 3

Kentucky hit a two-run homer in the fourth to go up 3-1. In the seventh, N.C. State responded with a two-run jack of its own, courtesy of Alex Makarewicz, to tie the game again. UK reliever Cameron O'Brien came in to close the inning after Trey Pooser was lifted.

Pitching change for Kentucky in seventh

After Trey Pooser allowed a two-run homer to tie the game at 3-apiece, his day ended. Cameron O'Brien, the star reliever, is now on the mound. O'Brien inherits a runner on first.

AFTER BOTTOM OF SIXTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 1

Ryan Nicholson singles, but N.C. State caps the frame by turning an inning-ending double play.

AFTER TOP OF SIXTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 1

A clean frame from Kentucky hurler Trey Pooser in the sixth, sitting down all three batters he faced.

AFTER BOTTOM OF FIFTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 1

Nothing doing for Kentucky in the fifth, going three up and three down.

AFTER TOP OF FIFTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 1

Trey Pooser gave up back-to-back singles to start the fifth. And a runner advanced to third. But a double play and a groundout helped him, and Kentucky, escape the inning without permitting a run.

Nolan McCarthy's two-run HR highlights fourth inning for Kentucky

Watch Kentucky center fielder Nolan McCarthy's two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth in the video below.

AFTER BOTTOM OF FOURTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 3, NC State 1

Kentucky begins the fourth frame with back-to-back base knocks. It starts with a single by Ryan Nicholson. Then Nolan McCarthy brings 'em both home on a homer to that clears the left-field wall and lands in UK's bullpen. The Wildcats didn't plate another run, but it heads into the fifth with a 3-1 lead.

AFTER TOP OF FOURTH INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 1

Trey Pooser gives up a single but keeps N.C. State off the board as the score remains 1-all.

AFTER BOTTOM OF THIRD INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 1

Émilien Pitre walked to start off the inning ... and that was it for Kentucky. The next three batters went down in consecutive order.

AFTER TOP OF THIRD INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 1

The Wolfpack tag Trey Pooser for a run: Jacob Cozart's RBI single scored Garrett Pennington. Tie ballgame now.

AFTER BOTTOM OF SECOND INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 0

Nolan McCarthy drew a leadoff walk, but then Kentucky's next three batters went down in consecutive order. Wildcats up 1-0 after two.

AFTER TOP OF SECOND INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 0

UK's Trey Pooser hit a batter and gave up another single, but once again gets through an inning without allowing a run to keep Kentucky's 1-0 lead intact.

AFTER BOTTOM OF FIRST INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 1, NC State 0

Émilien Pitre doubles and then advances on a throwing error. Nick Lopez singled to bring Pitre home. Mitchell Daly singles as well before the inning ends. UK leaves two men on base, but takes a 1-0 lead into the second.

AFTER TOP OF FIRST INNING IN NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Kentucky 0, NC State 0

Kentucky starting pitcher Trey Pooser issues a walk and gives up a single, but allows no runs to cross the plate.

What channel is Kentucky vs NC State on today?

Kentucky's NCAA College World Series game against N.C. State will air on ESPN.

You can stream ESPN on Fubo, which offers a free trialhere.

Historic season continues: Kentucky baseball advances to College World Series for first time in program history

Kentucky vs NC State start time

First pitch for Saturday's game in Omaha, Nebraska, is set for 2 p.m. ET.

Kentucky vs NC State prediction

Kentucky 9, N.C. State 2:Offensively, the teams appear evenly matched. The Wolfpack has a .289 batting average, narrowly ahead of the Wildcats' .287. But Kentucky boasts its own slight advantage in runs per game (8.0, compared with N.C. State's 7.7). The biggest difference is on the mound, where UK gives up more than one run fewer per game and also has allowed fewer hits and issued fewer walks. And if the game comes down to manufacturing runs, Kentucky owns a sizable edge there, leading the SEC in stolen bases, an area in which N.C. State ranks outside the top 200 in Division I. The Wildcats won't let their first College World Series game end in defeat.

On to Omaha: Kentucky baseball sweeps Oregon State in NCAA tournament super regional, advances to CWS

Kentucky vs NC State location

All games in the College World Series will be held at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kentucky baseball schedule 2024

Kentucky is 45-14 in 2024, including 22-8 in SEC play during the regular season. The Wildcatsclaimed a share of the league's regular-season titlefor only the second time in school history. Their 45 wins in 2024 tie the program's single-season mark alongside the 2012 team.

Click here to see the Wildcats' full 2024 schedule.

Friday, June 14

Game 1:North Carolina 3, Virginia 2
Game 2:Tennessee 12, Florida State 11

Saturday, June 15

Game 3:(2) Kentucky vs. (10) N.C. State, 2 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN
Game 4:(3) Texas A&M vs. Florida, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Sunday, June 16

Game 5:Virginia vs. Florida State, 2 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN
Game 6:North Carolina vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN2(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Monday, June 17

Game 7:Loser of Game 3 vs. loser of Game 4, 2 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN
Game 8:Winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 4, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Tuesday, June 18

Game 9:Winner of Game 5 vs. loser of Game 6, 2 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN
Game 10:Winner of Game 7 vs. loser of Game 8, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Wednesday, June 19

Game 11:Winner of Game 6 vs. winner of Game 9, 2 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN
Game 12:Winner of Game 8 vs. winner of Game 10, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Thursday, June 20

Game 13 (if necessary):TBD vs. TBD, 2 p.m.; TV broadcast channel TBD
Game 14 (if necessary):TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m.; TV broadcast channel TBD

CWS championship finals schedule 2024 (best-of-three series)

Saturday, June 22

Game 1:TBD vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Sunday, June 23

Game 2:TBD vs. TBD, 2 p.m.;TV:ABC(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

Monday, June 24

Game 3 (if necessary):TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m.;TV:ESPN(Watch via Fubo free trial);Stream:WatchESPN

2024 College World Series odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Tennessee: +250
Texas A&M: +350
Kentucky: +450
North Carolina: +750
Florida State: +800
Virginia: +1000
N.C. State: +1100
Florida: +1600

Kentucky baseball odds to win 2024 College World Series

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.

Kentucky:The Wildcats havethe third-best odds, at +450,to win the College World Series, per BetMGM.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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