[Bluecat]

This was huge. Cats are still projected to be in the tournament and this series helps that. Crazy to think a team with a conference losing record could be projected in but the SEC is that good. Cats host the Cards Tuesday and then a home series with South Carolina who is 23-18 (4-14 SEC).

[Bluecat]

How about that for a statement win by the Cats 17-5 in 7. Should have won the first meeting but took care of business tonight.

[Van Hagar]

Rolling now. Really need to win at least two of the three at home against South Carolina this weekend. The SEC is so strong, I feel like we can compete in any regional we get placed in for the NCAA tournament, nobody from another conference is gonna scare us.

[Van Hagar]

Another good weekend for the Cats, took 2-of-3 from South Carolina. Should definitely make the NCAA tournament barring a total collapse over the final three weeks. Have a road game against a really good Western team Tuesday, then head to StarkVegas to face a Mississippi St. team this coming weekend that is behind them in the SEC standings. Another series win on the road would be huge.

[Bluecat]

Picking up another series win, first home series win of the season is huge. SEC is a gauntlet and other than Missouri gonna be tough. Earlier this season I didn't think they had a shot at making tournament but now I feel they will. Once in, you never know, Go Cats!

[Bluecat]

Need to bounce back after losing to WKU. Series in Starkville starts today. Be huge to win another series.

[Van Hagar]

Lost both ends of a doubleheader at Miss. St. yesterday. Led first game 3-0, but gave up eight in the sixth and lost 14~4. Then lost 6-5 in 11 innings in second game. Three straight losses now, desperately need to win the series finale today in Starkville.

[Bluecat]

Got swept. Not good this late in the season. Don't know how it affects their status of the tournament now but they really need to finish strong.

[Bluecat]

The last regular season series for the Cats against Oklahoma. Not sure how sound the cats are in the tournament but a series win this weekend would be huge.

[Van Hagar]

Big win in the series opener for UK, 4-3. This is actually the last home series, we still have to go to Vandy next weekend. I think a couple more conference wins should definitely be enough to get into the tournament.

[Bluecat]

Yea I was a week ahead lol. Big series win winning the first two against Oklahoma.

[Van Hagar]

Cats get the sweep of the 14th-ranked Sooners. UK now 28-20, with 13 conference wins. On the ESPN broadcast Saturday, they said UK was on the bubble, hopefully this gets us off. Have a midweek game with Northern Kentucky Tuesday (we’ve lost a few too many midweek games this year) then at Vandy next weekend. Beat NKU and win at least one in Nashville and you’ve got 30 wins and 14 conference wins, surely that’s enough to get an SEC team in.

[Bluecat]

If we miss the tournament I think we can look at the non-conference losses. We have some head scratchers there. However, like you said if we beat NKU and get 1 or win the Vandy series we should be good. Add a win or two in the SEC tournament and I like our chances.

[Bluecat]

One strike away from winning game 1 of the series, to end up losing on a walk-off HR. Need to bounce back and get the win today and win the series tomorrow.

[Van Hagar]

We did show some grit and bounce back by scoring three in the ninth to take an 8-7 lead in game 2……only to have Vandy, for the second day in a row!!! hit another walk-off homer, this one a two-run shot with one out. Un-freaking-believable. I really thought we only needed one win this weekend to ensure our spot in the NCAA tournament, just not sure how much fight will be left in us for the final game after the way the first two have ended.

[Bluecat]

Being swept hurts. I know they say 13 is the magic number but I would feel a lot better if they get a win or two in the conference tournament.

[Van Hagar]

Agreed. I’d go all in vs. Oklahoma in the SEC opener, throw whoever my ace is to try to get that win. We are still projected in, according to the latest bracketology I looked at, but one (or more) SEC tournament wins sure wouldn’t hurt.

[Bluecat]

Now I am concerned. Lost the tournament opener against Oklahoma, making us 4 losses in a row! During the game, they predicted the UK to be a 3 seed in a region, but I am nervous about it

[Van Hagar]

Me too. 29-24 seems like definite bubble material, even from the SEC. But I read that our strength of schedule is like ninth nationally, so I’m still hopeful. Our women got in the softball tournament with a 29-26 record, so it does seem the committee takes strength of conference schedule into consideration.

[Old School Hound]

Baseball America has Kentucky on the outside looking in(First Four Out) in its final projection. Has Western Kentucky into the field  moving in to steal a bid.

[Van Hagar]

Western won their conference tournament yesterday, so they automatically qualified. All the other projections other than Baseball America still have UK in, we will just have to hope. Field is announced around noon today.

A good year for college baseball in the state, Western and Murray both won their way in and hopefully UK and U of L will get at-large bids, so possibly four of the 64 teams in from Kentucky.

[Bluecat]

Cats get in as they are the 3 seed in the Clemson Regional. They play West Virginia. I don't hate it. I think they have a shot.

[Old School Hound]

How good is West Virginia?

[jetpilot]

Glad they got in but expectations are very low. Prove me wrong please Cay-uts!!!!

[Van Hagar]

I just think playing in the SEC all year means they will feel like they can compete with any of these teams. West Virginia has 40+ wins so they are solid, and if I remember right we had some kind of beef with them a couple of years ago when they were in our region in Lexington. Gotta win that first one, next to impossible to lose the first game in a four-team double elimination and still have a shot. First game Friday at noon.

[Bluecat]

Being in the SEC prepares them. The only thing that worries me is how we finished the season losing 4 in a row. You're right, Van, gotta win that first game or the hill is steep to climb. Not impossible, but tough.

[jetpilot]

Plenty of good and bad. Yes the SEC prepared them but they also lost a bunch of non-conference games in a non-conference SOS ranked 191st.
Good news is they can play like a top 25 team on any given night or any given series (Tennessee, Oklahoma) and Clemson and WVU are a combined 15-18 against top 25 teams. Weak regional IMO. Clemson finishes 5th or 6th in the ACC, doesn't win ACC tourney and gets a 1 seed? I'll take it and thanks for sending us there. And the best news of all is everyone is 0-0 now and hopefully a fresh start and clean slate are just what the doctor ordered for these Cats. I'm starting to get fired up.

[Bluecat]

Something I feel will be big is that we will be using our conference starters in the regional. I agree our non-conference losses are what put us on the bubble. Hopefully, they'll get hot and ride it out.

[Van Hagar]

Some of our non-conference losses don’t look as bad now, teams like Western and Murray won their respective conferences. And that’s a good point, Bluecat, in mid-week games you are giving some second line players some at bats and not burning your top arms. Our pitching has been mostly good this year, probably even better than last year, our offense just hasn’t been anywhere near last year’s juggernaut. But I feel like we’ve got a real shot at winning this regional.

[Old School Hound]

Nearely three-hour delay in the start of the game and then lose on a walk-off SF. How do you come back from that gut punch?