April 1, 2025 • 28 mins
Darren Headrick talks with Kentucky Baseball Coach Nick Mingione. Send in your questions on social media each week for Coach Mingione to answer.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Nick benji Oon Show on the UK
Sports Network. Have a question for coach Benjeon Tweet it
two at UK Sports Network. Now alongside the coach, here's
no fois of UK Baseball Darren Headrick.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome in everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
This is the Nick Manji Oones Show here on the
UK Sports Network. The Wildcats are coming off a big
series win in College Station over the Texas a and
m Aggies. The Wildcats, despite dropping Friday Night's game nine
to seven, rallied to win fourteen to eleven on Saturday
and came home with a ten to five victory on
Sunday to clinch the series. Kentucky now four and five
(00:40):
in the league three weeks in seventeen and nine overall.
The Cats will not have a midweek game this week.
The schedule is a little different, so no Tuesday or
Wednesday game, but the Wildcats will welcome the Old Miss
Rebels to town for a three game series beginning Thursday
night at seven o'clock inside Kentucky Proud Park. It is
the first stiff back to back weekend series and SEC
(01:02):
play for the Cats at home.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Coach will join us on the other side.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
We'll talk about that series, win over the Aggies when
we come back.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
This is the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I shouldn't be here. That's what the first three doctors
said that even if I made it to remission, I'd
probably never claim again. But I did because I wanted
a different answer, and I found it at UK Healthcare.
They took a drug nobody else had yet, twelve rounds
of chemo and a sixteen person team. But here I
(01:34):
am right where I was never supposed to be UK Healthcare.
The power of advanced medicine.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Fun is in the air with these new scratch off
games from the Kentucky Lottery. With over eighty five million
dollars in total gash prizes, fun is just a scratch away.
These exciting new games include Lucky met X's and O's
all fifty times, the Luck five scratch offs Today at
the counter or one of our convenience ending machines. Put
(02:02):
a little play in your day with these new scratch
offs from the Kentucky Lottery. Play responsibly, remember it's just
a game.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Each year, University of Kentucky student athletes provide more than
four thousand hours of community service as Kentucky's insurance company,
Kentucky Farm Bureau says thank you, because we also believe
in doing our part to strengthen our communities. That's why
our agents are also coaches, volunteers and church members in
your communities. We've found Kentuckians appreciate the personal service they
(02:34):
get from someone who lives where they live. Kentucky Farm Bureau,
dig On Commitmentline.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Tip or Not athlet UK Athletics would like to bank
our official cornerstone partners, Central Bank, the official bank of
UK Athletics, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Insurance, Big On Commitment and
UK Healthcare, official healthcare partner of Big Blue Nations.
Speaker 8 (02:56):
Kentucky who take the warning truck walk in Kentucky go
some seventy two.
Speaker 7 (03:03):
Once again, thank you to our official cornerstone partners who
play a vital role in the success of the University
of Kentucky Athletics program.
Speaker 9 (03:11):
This is coke zero Sugar. Could I be the best
coke ever? Try and taste with your ears. Here those bubbles,
Imagine them tangling on your top. Fuzzy deliciousness. Listen to
that cascading liquid, a mouthwatering waterfall.
Speaker 10 (03:29):
Air is sisterly tasty.
Speaker 9 (03:31):
Zero Sugar, Chris refreshing and ice Gold is Coke zero
sugar the best coke effort.
Speaker 11 (03:40):
Try and decide what keeps you going, Your love for
the game, your teammates of victory at ar eacher of
the pedics, our goal is to keep you paying free
so your body can keep going. There's no time for
discomfort in your joints or ligaments caused by an injury.
Speaker 12 (03:56):
Ar.
Speaker 13 (03:56):
Each of the pedic providers specialize in treatment plans from
non surgical and surgical options, so your care is entirely
centered around you. Visit ARH dot org. Slash ORTHO define
an orthopedic provider near you. ARH more for Appalachia.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Hello everyone, Welcome into the Nickmngjeones show here on the
UK Sports Network. Coach sliding in alongside us now is
the Cats are four and five in the SEC after
winning two out of three in College station against Texas
A and M. And Coach was, we look back on
the week as a whole two and two, but that
series win over A and M. That's a team super
talented preseason number one, and you guys were able to
(04:42):
go down there and take two or three from them.
Speaker 14 (04:44):
Yeah, I loved our guys competitive spirit and if you
look you know, I feel like we have this conversation
now I've been together for a couple of years. It's
just like, man, you're a player two away from sweeping
a series or maybe getting swept right, and you know,
this weekend was no different. You know, we had our
chance on Friday, you know, had had the lead and
(05:04):
then ended up giving it up and then coming back
and going back and forth, and we had a chance
in the ninth and I think that you could That's
the one thing you could always expect or want from
your team, is like you just have a chance to
win it late. And then I thought Saturday just showed
unbelievable toughness in our guys in so many levels. Daring
that heat was just so different for our guys, and
(05:25):
just a job that our training staff j D. Durham
and Degan and you know coach Jones, did I mean
just in between innings it was just like manners.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Dudes like laid out everywhere, towels.
Speaker 14 (05:36):
On their heads, sweat and pulled out a good win
on Saturday. And then you look up on Sunday and
just the way the guys fought and behind an unbelievable
pitch and performance by Bank Cleaver.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
And just you know, anytime you go on the road,
you know this.
Speaker 14 (05:51):
And to win two out of three against you know,
the preseason number one right team in the country, and
it's definitely a big.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Thing going on the road and winning those two games.
Like you say, you've also got to win over Georgia
and a win over Auburn. Are you starting to see
this team come together the way you want it to
as you get deeper into SEC play there learning how
to win these close games.
Speaker 14 (06:10):
You know, when you look back, I'm just last week alone.
You know, we're sitting here and we had three one
run losses, just like man, like, we are right there,
and I kept telling that and to the guys and
you know, you know, we watched video and we just
share and we show them and we we want them
to do three things, learn, grow and improve every week.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
And you know, we're right there.
Speaker 14 (06:31):
And you know, it's one thing for us to tell them,
it's another thing for them to believe it, and it's
another thing for them to go out and take it.
And that's what we did this weekend. And you know,
I think if you were to look back here in
three or four weeks from now and you would ask
the guys about, you know, that Auburn series and some
of those Georgia games, It's like, what would they what
did they learn and what could they draw from I'm
(06:53):
gonna believe in my heart that they're going to tell
you that they drew a lot from it. And so
our ability to defend the field I thought was crucial the.
Speaker 10 (07:00):
Last couple of days.
Speaker 14 (07:01):
That's always us at our best when we just suffocate
our opponents and we just don't give him anything on
the defensive side. You know this weekend when's blown out
a couple of the days, it's just it was going
to be offensive, right, But when we don't give them
extra basis and we make special plays. When you go
around and you think about our team and you go, okay, defensively,
(07:25):
how do we do? Pat made some unbelievable plays down
the line on some slow rollers in between hops TJ.
How about the diving play off the middle, the backen
in hole. I mean, just it was phenomenal about Luke
Lawrence taking away hit after hit after hit. Hodey just
a great job. Devin behind the plate was nearly flawless.
(07:45):
The job that cole Hage did in left field running,
making a play in the gap, Griff Cameron making the
play at the wall the end of game yesterday, Sean
Montoya on those pop ups. It's like when we're defending
the field like that. The last two days, we're.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
A lot better team and we did what it took
to win and just super happy that we were to
get a serious victory. Coach, you got contributions from up
and down the lineup, but I know you love to
start with the pitching, so let's go there, Ben Cleavers.
It feels like this young man is becoming what you
might describe as a stopper. Kentucky needs a win on
the weekend. That's the guy you won on the mound.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Yeah, you know, in the last two years we've had that.
Speaker 14 (08:22):
When you look at Zach Lee and when you look
at Mason Moore, you know, Ben Cleaver's now that guy
that is like stepping up for us in that role
and just can't say enough about his conditioning. I mean,
it feels like is in the upper eighties and for
us it's humid. You know that Bob felt like one
hundred and one hundred and ten for us, right, I mean,
just two weeks ago we were short sleeves three days
(08:44):
in a row for the first time. You know, we
hadn't done that. So yeah, just his conditioning and like
I told the team after the game, you know, Darren,
he stayed here all summer this past summer and worked
on his body, got his nutrition right, was with coach Jones,
was with our nutrition staff, with our trainers, and he
prepared all this past summer and all this fall for
(09:05):
that moment.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
And you know, we look up.
Speaker 14 (09:08):
He's one hundred pitches in, He's still throwing the ball
ninety miles an hour. You cannot do that unless you've
just put yourself and your body in tremendous shaping conditioning,
and you better be a competitor.
Speaker 10 (09:19):
And that's exactly what he is.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I was going to mention he was left in to
face the last left hander on one hundred pitches, but
it was a good matchup for him, and he delivered.
You showed the faith in the trust in him. He
got the double play the team needed.
Speaker 14 (09:32):
I thought that was crucial, you know, And talking to
coach Rozel and Trevor Fitz right before that, it's like,
what do you guys think? And that was the plan
They're going to give him one, maybe two more batters
and just see what he can do. And that first
guy gets on, I'm like, oh, and I told him.
I was like, I want to take him out on
a positive.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 14 (09:49):
I just like, please, can we you know, and give
coach Rozel credit. He scripted it out and mapped it
out exactly like he'd hoped, and it worked out and
was able to get him out of there.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Man.
Speaker 10 (10:01):
A good series win, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
No question about it.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
And one more note on Cleaver he is outing was
the longest by any of the starters this weekend and
the only one that didn't give up six or seven runs.
And that's a compliment to your team for getting to
their starters, which is a big hallmark of that team.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (10:18):
The job that we did, I mean going in, you know,
even talking to the the A and M guys prior
to the series, you know, I just said, hey, they're starting.
Speaker 10 (10:26):
Pitching has been phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
It's like carried them. They have been.
Speaker 14 (10:30):
They start three lefties are all different in their own
way and they're just sure. Man. And the job that
Coach Koozy and Coach Loan did getting our positional players
ready to tackle them and give Long and Sale a
lot of credit, my.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Man through a ton of DP and just like emulating.
Speaker 14 (10:49):
But just again give the players, I mean the job
that they did. They were just committed to just whatever
it took. And you know that does not happened by accident.
That's hours and hours at video of preparation of batting practice.
You know, in this case we're talking about Salo and
some of the other guys. It's just took a ton
(11:10):
of time, effort and energy and executed the game plan
to perfection.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Let's take a quick time out.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
We'll continue with the Nick men Jones Show after this
here on the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 15 (11:21):
Hey, Big Blue Nation Liquor Barn has everything you need
for this week's Kentucky Wildcat basketball action. Whether you're watching
at home or whether you're stocking up for a party.
They make it easy to place an order for pickup
or delivery. Download the app, or visit liquorbarn dot com
or call your local liquor barn store shop Kentucky's favorite spirits,
wine and beer store, and you know what, you'll have
(11:43):
more time for the Cats. Liquor Barn where Kentuckians go
to celebrate life.
Speaker 16 (11:50):
Go Cats, BBN Game Day, It's your weekly look inside
UK Athletics. Senterda's at nine am on l exaighteen and
stations across the state. Check uk Athletic Com Slash UK
Sports Network for stations and times in your area.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
BBN Game Day.
Speaker 17 (12:05):
Tom leech Heer for ACR gun Eyed Pools and spas.
Get your custom pool or spa designed and built by
ACR Guneye Pools. They're the best call today and swim tomorrow.
Acrgunye Pools dot Com.
Speaker 18 (12:20):
From the first one born in the USA to the
tens of millions that followed from the American highways to
the NASCAR race days, more people have counted on their
cameras than any other car for over twenty three years,
and now Camri is even better. It's all hybrid all
the time to be more efficient yet powerful with available
all wheel drive for the capability to go wherever you
(12:42):
want to go in style and comfort. For the latest offers,
go to Toyota dot com and make your own history.
Toyota Let's go places.
Speaker 19 (12:50):
Trent Noah ukmem in as basketball player here. I needed
a bank that would work with my busy schedule, which
is why I chose Fort Bank. They offer instant issue
debit cards. When you open an account in a branch or,
you can open one online at fortbank dot com. I
can easily manage my account through their app. Plus if
I need to speak to a tailor, They're available from
seven am to seven pm Monday through Saturday with on
(13:11):
demand banking. Fort Bank stays on top of their game,
so I can stay on top of mind message data.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Rikes may apply if count opening subject to approval Ford Bank.
Remember repe I.
Speaker 19 (13:18):
See hey, this is trendoah and I bank with Fort Bank.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Wildcats getting ready to host the Old Miss Rebels this week.
It's a little different Thursday through Saturday the schedule this week,
and it's the first of back to back home series
and SEC play for the Cats. But looking back on
the A and M series win, as we chat with
coach here, Tyler Bell named the SEC Freshman of the Week.
What a phenomenal series he had offensively and defensively, and
(13:57):
still despite the home runs and the number of hits,
to me, the most impressive thing was watching him double
backside from both sides of the point.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I mean, it's brought that up to me.
Speaker 14 (14:07):
He's like dad, how about TJ hitting one down the
first base line, in the dird base line, and I
was like, you know what, I hadn't even thought.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
About that, you know, But what a week.
Speaker 14 (14:16):
I mean, even if you're thinking the A and M series,
he had eight hits and three games, and you know,
for the week.
Speaker 10 (14:21):
He had what do you have?
Speaker 14 (14:23):
Nine hits in four games and drove in seven runs?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
And what a week?
Speaker 14 (14:27):
And this guy's fully capable of doing it. And the
beauty about what he did is he did it from
both sides of the plate, as you just mentioned, Like
you know, and the people that are listening, I know,
they understand how hard it is to hit a baseball right.
But then you combine that with having to have two swings.
You have to feel good about your lefty one.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
And your righty one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
This is not a deal where.
Speaker 14 (14:49):
It's just like all right, I'm just working on one swing.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
You know.
Speaker 14 (14:52):
To be a switch hitter is that much harder because
it's like I can't tell you how many times in
my career or that I've coached guys like yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I feel good left you, but something's off of my rightwing.
Speaker 14 (15:00):
Or then you can foot off and sometimes you feel
like you're chasing yourself. So for him to do that
just from both sides of the plate, and the job
that he did defensively for the week just phenomenal. And
you know, this is a guy that he's trust his preparation,
you know, coming out of the fall. I mean, the
players voted him the hardest worker running team. Like, this
(15:20):
is a guy that is just he understands and competes
at the highest level and you know, a really serious
player that just has the ability.
Speaker 10 (15:29):
Impact the game in so many ways. And he did
it this week.
Speaker 14 (15:32):
And you know, these honors as a coach, they're like
the older I get, the more I get excited for
them because I want people to see how special our
guys are.
Speaker 10 (15:43):
And I'm definitely happy he wanted in. Deserving, definitely deserving
of the award.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
He just continues to amaze me, wise and mature beyond
his years as a freshman. How fun is it for
you and coach Sloan and coach Kuzeno to coach a
young man who's as motivated to get better as a hitter,
to be as good of a hitter as he is
a defender. Yeah, he cares so much about his game.
I mean even yesterday, the last two days before.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know, and he's not the only one.
Speaker 14 (16:13):
I mean, we have a group, I mean full of
infielders that are just so serious about their work. I
mean I just watched Pat Herrera and Ethan Hindele and
Kias and TJ and Luke and Koons and Huddy just
get after it, like if they could have watched our
guys before the game on Saturday and Sunday. We just
(16:35):
we took a series of ground balls and the way
they went about their craft and catching their pop ups.
I mean, these guys are just working hard and they're
doing everything can and then you know the watch Trevor
fitzen brocked out just hit the five million different types
of ground balls at him and work him in rockets
and it's just I'm you know, Tyler defense a special.
(16:55):
The infield defense in general this weekend was phenomenal and
we need that to continue. But the way they go
about their work, including Tyler, is definitely special.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
You and I mentioned it in the last segment about
how Texas A and M made you earn those two wins.
They didn't walk many batters. They hit a few, but
they didn't walk many batters. You had to earn those
runs against them, and you had to execute offensively. How
impressed were you with this team in the bunt game
this weekend?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, you brought that up.
Speaker 14 (17:22):
I thought that that was absolutely crucial when you think about,
you know, the bunt that Griff Cameron got to get
us bases loaded and nobody out changed the complexion of
the game. When you think of the bunt with Luke
Lawrence and Griff was at third, Yep, Griff's speed was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
What a read, what a jump? You know, the.
Speaker 14 (17:42):
Bunt was I think if you asked Luke he would
definitely put it in a better spot. But what a
job by Griff And then what about Huddy's safety butnt
you know, just phenomenal. So that was beautiful execution. I
love the hit and run we did. That got us
an inning going, our ability to do some of our
fake bunts and fake steals, We stole some bases, We
(18:04):
we did things. And I complimented coach Loan because he
was able to put the plays on and the guys
were able to execute him. And you know we're going
well when we.
Speaker 10 (18:15):
Can manufacture runs.
Speaker 14 (18:17):
Right to your point, like didn't walk us a ton. Well,
we also hit over three hundred for the weekend, right
like they threw strikes, So we were aggressive and you know,
the pitchers that didn't have as much command, we did
take our walks, We took our hvps. But when we're
manufacturing runs and we're doing it in multiple ways, we
saw it through doubles, home runs, singles. You know, that
is us at our best constant pressure constant, you know,
(18:39):
and I used to say this all the time, it's
whatever it takes type of offense, and I thought that
was on display this weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Let's take our final time out. This is the nickmn
Jones show here on the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 16 (18:49):
BBN Game Day h R weekly look inside UK Athletics
Saturdays at nine am on l e X eighteen and
stations across the state. Check Ukathletics dot com Sports Network
for stations and times in your area.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Bb IN Game Day.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
The University of Kentucky has students from all fifty states,
more than one hundred countries, and perhaps just as impressive,
all one hundred twenty Kentucky counties. What you may also
find impressive is that in each of the one hundred
and twenty counties is a local Kentucky Farm Bureau insurance agent,
someone who's always there to make things right after a
storm or accident. Many farm Bureau agents even graduated from
(19:27):
UK no doubt, majoring in taking care of Kentuckians. Kentucky
Farm Bureau big on commitment.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
This is coke zero Sugar. Could I be the best
coke ever? Try and taste with your ears here those bubbles,
imagine them tingling on your top. Fusy deliciousness. Listen to
that cascading liquid, a mouthwatering waterfall, aresistably tasty. Zero sugar
(19:56):
Chris refreshing and ice gold.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Is coke?
Speaker 9 (20:01):
Heero sugar the best coke ever?
Speaker 20 (20:03):
Try and decide, Hey, BBN coach pulp here. Our program's
mentality is relentless, twenty four to seven work, total dedication
every day. It's what it takes to raise banners and
it's what it takes to tackle the Commonwealth's biggest healthcare challenges,
big blue determination. It's why UK Healthcare is the number
(20:27):
one hospital in Kentucky and the official healthcare partner of
UK Athletics.
Speaker 17 (20:33):
Those Placeline tip or not Athlee.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
UK Athletics would likength to thank our official corners don't
partners Central Bank, the official bank of UK Athletics, Kentucky
Farm Bureau, Insurance, Big On Commitment and UK Healthcare, official
healthcare partner of Big Blue Nations.
Speaker 8 (20:50):
Kentucky who Okay take the learning track Walk a Time
in Kentucky goes up seventy two.
Speaker 7 (20:57):
Once again, Thank you to our official corners don't partners
who play a vital role in the success of the
University of Kentucky Athletics program.
Speaker 12 (21:05):
You've heard the term buy local. How about play local?
When you play Keno and other games from the Kentucky Lottery,
your dollars are going directly to fund scholarships and grants
for Kentucky students.
Speaker 21 (21:16):
Play Keno anywhere Kentucky lottery is sold, convenience stores, bars,
on your laptop or on your mobile device. Visit kylottery
dot com to play Keno online, or go to your
favorite Kentucky Lottery retailer.
Speaker 12 (21:28):
Please play local, have fun, and help Kentucky students too.
Play responsibly.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Remember it's just a game.
Speaker 16 (21:37):
BBN Game Day h your weekly look inside UK Athletics
Saturdays at nine am on l EX eighteen and stations
across the state. Check Ukathletics dot Com, Slash UK Sports
Network for stations and times in your area, BBN Game.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Day, Welcome back in. This is our final segment here
on the Nickman Jeone Show for this week, the Cat's
getting set to host the Old Miss Rebels, who are
newly cemented in the top ten and the latest polls.
(22:12):
This week Cats and Rebels will get started at seven
o'clock on Thursday night. And Coach, you go back to
this weekend with the pitching against a very tough A
and M lineup. I thought you had several guys that
came in and some on multiple days and got keyouts
when you needed the most to stop rallies.
Speaker 14 (22:30):
Yeah, you know, there's got some guys in that lineup
that are super scary, and in that ballpark when the
wind's blown out, it's not an easy park to pitch in.
And you know, just looking back on a week, I
just thought Jacksonovy was phenomenal. He threw three of our
four games this week, get through four innings, only gave
up one run, struck out five just crucial, crucial outs.
(22:50):
And when you think about, you know, a guy like
that he threw, I mean, think about how many times
I do do that three times in one week, and
he wasn't the only one. Now, I cock through a three,
got us some big outs yesterday, through some really good fastballs,
through some good breaking balls, thought Evan Byers again, just phenomenal,
just the job that he continues to do. And then
(23:11):
can't say enough about James McCoy. Throw in three games
this week, Yeah, I mean three innings, no runs came in.
How about that game where he came in, he's bench
running scores white first base comes in and closes the
game out. I mean, and he got Coach Rozelle's just
like he keeps asking for the ball more, more and more.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
He's like, James, you're doing three of the four games. Like,
but his heart is just phenomenal.
Speaker 14 (23:36):
And I just couldn't say enough good things about, you know,
the job that James has done. And you know we
had others. I thought Cole Henchel got us some big
outs and so just some of those guys. I thought
Tommy was phenomenal. I know, we talked about him in
the pregame. You know, got us huge outs on Saturday.
So definitely some guys that threw a ton and threw
it a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
So the no midweek is.
Speaker 14 (23:57):
Gonna definitely help some of them, and we're gonna to
work some these other guys that haven't gotten in there
as much.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
So we'll have a good couple.
Speaker 14 (24:04):
Days of practice and get them to face the batters
and get them ready.
Speaker 10 (24:08):
For the weekend.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
And coach, I think that's one of the things that
excites me most about this team. And I was chatting
with Austin Cuzno on the trip home last night about this.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Obviously, there's a lot of new.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Players, some experienced first time at Kentucky, a lot of
new faces. But the amount of youth that you are
playing and relying on right now, this freshman class, the
red shirt freshman class, in the lineup and on the mound,
it's exciting to see them starting to succeed against some
of the best competition in the country.
Speaker 14 (24:33):
Yeah, when you think about it from that standpoint, Tyler
Bell freshman, Hoddy freshman, Hendel's in his sophomore year. You're
going Griff Cameron, it's in his sophomore year. Both guys
had not played much then. Luke Lawrence first year program,
getting a lot out of him, Cole Ages getting a
lot out of him. Montoya right, Like you just start
(24:54):
going through the lineup of guys there, and then even
from the pitching standpoint, it's like this is Ben saw
more year and it's like, you know, he hadn't been
an everyday starter.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
We're getting everything can out of him.
Speaker 14 (25:04):
Nate Harris has been a true freshman starting in the
midwek Scott Rouse, first year guy, Nick McKay, first year guy,
Cole Henchel, first year guy, Tristan Hunter, freshman Late Harris
threw in two games last week as a true freshman.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Aiden Smith is contributing more, you know.
Speaker 14 (25:18):
I mean, it's just Tommy Skelding coming back, e Walk
first year guy, Nile Adcock, first year guys, Simon Gregor's
in first year guy. Like, we just have a lot
of guys that are either freshmen or in their first year,
and we're growing.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
We're growing.
Speaker 14 (25:33):
That's the one thing, you know, you and I talk
a lot about it is like learning, growing, improven, and
we're doing that.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
I want to go back and talk about the pitchers,
and this is mostly pertaining to the starting rotation because
on the weekends, as they get ready to start the
games before they're usually in the dugout there charting. They're
sitting alongside Trevor Fitz and Dan Roselle. How big is
that for them to chart the game, to learn the game,
but also kind of figure out the lineups that they're
(25:59):
going to have to face.
Speaker 14 (26:00):
Yeah, you know that's interesting because we value quality pitches
and our pitching chart is like, man, this is the thing,
like I look forward to every game, after every game,
getting this from coach to see and just going through
and who through quality pitches and what pitches we through
for strikes and where we need to do a better
job of. And you know, one thing that does force
(26:23):
them to do is concentrate and when you have to
chart every single pitch the location of it. Was it
a good pitch, was it a bad pitch? You're learning
not only about your guys, you're learning about the other
team to your point, So it's definitely been good for
those guys.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Just got a couple of minutes left here.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
On this week's radio shows, the Cats get ready to
host the Old Miss Rebels starting Thursday night. It's a
seven o'clock first pitch Thursday night. Friday is six thirty,
and then the series will wrap up on Saturday. Kentucky's
at home for the next two weeks, and Coach, after
you've taken your longest road trip of the season all
the way down to College Station, a couple of flights,
(26:59):
you get to come home this week. Got to be
big for this team just to be at home and
in their own beds for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
There's no place like home. There no place like home.
Speaker 14 (27:08):
Yeah, you know, when you you and I talked about
this briefly, but you know, after three weeks two of
our three were on the road, so you know, here
we are. We're gonna finish this halfway point the next
two weeks. I always think, you know, a ten week season,
you break it up into you know, halves, and then
we're gonna end up having three series at home and
(27:30):
then obviously the second half we'll have three on the road.
But yeah, just excited to be back at Kentucky prow
Park in front of our great fans and you know,
hopefully be able to have an opportunity to settle in,
you know, and just get used to our routines and
things here. And it's going to start tomorrow with a
great day of practice.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Coach, it's always great to visit
with you here on the weekly radio show. We look
forward to seeing a great crowd Thursday against Ole Miss
Let's do It Go Cats, And this has been the
Nick min Jone radio show here on the UK Sports Networks.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Species s spiess, n Star Sights, other species US.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
Spass and the States
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Speed species and spass uns
This is the Nick benji Oon Show on the UK
Sports Network. Have a question for coach Benjeon Tweet it
two at UK Sports Network. Now alongside the coach, here's
no fois of UK Baseball Darren Headrick.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome in everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
This is the Nick Manji Oones Show here on the
UK Sports Network. The Wildcats are coming off a big
series win in College Station over the Texas a and
m Aggies. The Wildcats, despite dropping Friday Night's game nine
to seven, rallied to win fourteen to eleven on Saturday
and came home with a ten to five victory on
Sunday to clinch the series. Kentucky now four and five
(00:40):
in the league three weeks in seventeen and nine overall.
The Cats will not have a midweek game this week.
The schedule is a little different, so no Tuesday or
Wednesday game, but the Wildcats will welcome the Old Miss
Rebels to town for a three game series beginning Thursday
night at seven o'clock inside Kentucky Proud Park. It is
the first stiff back to back weekend series and SEC
(01:02):
play for the Cats at home.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Coach will join us on the other side.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
We'll talk about that series, win over the Aggies when
we come back.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
This is the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I shouldn't be here. That's what the first three doctors
said that even if I made it to remission, I'd
probably never claim again. But I did because I wanted
a different answer, and I found it at UK Healthcare.
They took a drug nobody else had yet, twelve rounds
of chemo and a sixteen person team. But here I
(01:34):
am right where I was never supposed to be UK Healthcare.
The power of advanced medicine.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Fun is in the air with these new scratch off
games from the Kentucky Lottery. With over eighty five million
dollars in total gash prizes, fun is just a scratch away.
These exciting new games include Lucky met X's and O's
all fifty times, the Luck five scratch offs Today at
the counter or one of our convenience ending machines. Put
(02:02):
a little play in your day with these new scratch
offs from the Kentucky Lottery. Play responsibly, remember it's just
a game.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Each year, University of Kentucky student athletes provide more than
four thousand hours of community service as Kentucky's insurance company,
Kentucky Farm Bureau says thank you, because we also believe
in doing our part to strengthen our communities. That's why
our agents are also coaches, volunteers and church members in
your communities. We've found Kentuckians appreciate the personal service they
(02:34):
get from someone who lives where they live. Kentucky Farm Bureau,
dig On Commitmentline.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Tip or Not athlet UK Athletics would like to bank
our official cornerstone partners, Central Bank, the official bank of
UK Athletics, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Insurance, Big On Commitment and
UK Healthcare, official healthcare partner of Big Blue Nations.
Speaker 8 (02:56):
Kentucky who take the warning truck walk in Kentucky go
some seventy two.
Speaker 7 (03:03):
Once again, thank you to our official cornerstone partners who
play a vital role in the success of the University
of Kentucky Athletics program.
Speaker 9 (03:11):
This is coke zero Sugar. Could I be the best
coke ever? Try and taste with your ears. Here those bubbles,
Imagine them tangling on your top. Fuzzy deliciousness. Listen to
that cascading liquid, a mouthwatering waterfall.
Speaker 10 (03:29):
Air is sisterly tasty.
Speaker 9 (03:31):
Zero Sugar, Chris refreshing and ice Gold is Coke zero
sugar the best coke effort.
Speaker 11 (03:40):
Try and decide what keeps you going, Your love for
the game, your teammates of victory at ar eacher of
the pedics, our goal is to keep you paying free
so your body can keep going. There's no time for
discomfort in your joints or ligaments caused by an injury.
Speaker 12 (03:56):
Ar.
Speaker 13 (03:56):
Each of the pedic providers specialize in treatment plans from
non surgical and surgical options, so your care is entirely
centered around you. Visit ARH dot org. Slash ORTHO define
an orthopedic provider near you. ARH more for Appalachia.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Hello everyone, Welcome into the Nickmngjeones show here on the
UK Sports Network. Coach sliding in alongside us now is
the Cats are four and five in the SEC after
winning two out of three in College station against Texas
A and M. And Coach was, we look back on
the week as a whole two and two, but that
series win over A and M. That's a team super
talented preseason number one, and you guys were able to
(04:42):
go down there and take two or three from them.
Speaker 14 (04:44):
Yeah, I loved our guys competitive spirit and if you
look you know, I feel like we have this conversation
now I've been together for a couple of years. It's
just like, man, you're a player two away from sweeping
a series or maybe getting swept right, and you know,
this weekend was no different. You know, we had our
chance on Friday, you know, had had the lead and
(05:04):
then ended up giving it up and then coming back
and going back and forth, and we had a chance
in the ninth and I think that you could That's
the one thing you could always expect or want from
your team, is like you just have a chance to
win it late. And then I thought Saturday just showed
unbelievable toughness in our guys in so many levels. Daring
that heat was just so different for our guys, and
(05:25):
just a job that our training staff j D. Durham
and Degan and you know coach Jones, did I mean
just in between innings it was just like manners.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Dudes like laid out everywhere, towels.
Speaker 14 (05:36):
On their heads, sweat and pulled out a good win
on Saturday. And then you look up on Sunday and
just the way the guys fought and behind an unbelievable
pitch and performance by Bank Cleaver.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
And just you know, anytime you go on the road,
you know this.
Speaker 14 (05:51):
And to win two out of three against you know,
the preseason number one right team in the country, and
it's definitely a big.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Thing going on the road and winning those two games.
Like you say, you've also got to win over Georgia
and a win over Auburn. Are you starting to see
this team come together the way you want it to
as you get deeper into SEC play there learning how
to win these close games.
Speaker 14 (06:10):
You know, when you look back, I'm just last week alone.
You know, we're sitting here and we had three one
run losses, just like man, like, we are right there,
and I kept telling that and to the guys and
you know, you know, we watched video and we just
share and we show them and we we want them
to do three things, learn, grow and improve every week.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
And you know, we're right there.
Speaker 14 (06:31):
And you know, it's one thing for us to tell them,
it's another thing for them to believe it, and it's
another thing for them to go out and take it.
And that's what we did this weekend. And you know,
I think if you were to look back here in
three or four weeks from now and you would ask
the guys about, you know, that Auburn series and some
of those Georgia games, It's like, what would they what
did they learn and what could they draw from I'm
(06:53):
gonna believe in my heart that they're going to tell
you that they drew a lot from it. And so
our ability to defend the field I thought was crucial the.
Speaker 10 (07:00):
Last couple of days.
Speaker 14 (07:01):
That's always us at our best when we just suffocate
our opponents and we just don't give him anything on
the defensive side. You know this weekend when's blown out
a couple of the days, it's just it was going
to be offensive, right, But when we don't give them
extra basis and we make special plays. When you go
around and you think about our team and you go, okay, defensively,
(07:25):
how do we do? Pat made some unbelievable plays down
the line on some slow rollers in between hops TJ.
How about the diving play off the middle, the backen
in hole. I mean, just it was phenomenal about Luke
Lawrence taking away hit after hit after hit. Hodey just
a great job. Devin behind the plate was nearly flawless.
(07:45):
The job that cole Hage did in left field running,
making a play in the gap, Griff Cameron making the
play at the wall the end of game yesterday, Sean
Montoya on those pop ups. It's like when we're defending
the field like that. The last two days, we're.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
A lot better team and we did what it took
to win and just super happy that we were to
get a serious victory. Coach, you got contributions from up
and down the lineup, but I know you love to
start with the pitching, so let's go there, Ben Cleavers.
It feels like this young man is becoming what you
might describe as a stopper. Kentucky needs a win on
the weekend. That's the guy you won on the mound.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Yeah, you know, in the last two years we've had that.
Speaker 14 (08:22):
When you look at Zach Lee and when you look
at Mason Moore, you know, Ben Cleaver's now that guy
that is like stepping up for us in that role
and just can't say enough about his conditioning. I mean,
it feels like is in the upper eighties and for
us it's humid. You know that Bob felt like one
hundred and one hundred and ten for us, right, I mean,
just two weeks ago we were short sleeves three days
(08:44):
in a row for the first time. You know, we
hadn't done that. So yeah, just his conditioning and like
I told the team after the game, you know, Darren,
he stayed here all summer this past summer and worked
on his body, got his nutrition right, was with coach Jones,
was with our nutrition staff, with our trainers, and he
prepared all this past summer and all this fall for
(09:05):
that moment.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
And you know, we look up.
Speaker 14 (09:08):
He's one hundred pitches in, He's still throwing the ball
ninety miles an hour. You cannot do that unless you've
just put yourself and your body in tremendous shaping conditioning,
and you better be a competitor.
Speaker 10 (09:19):
And that's exactly what he is.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
I was going to mention he was left in to
face the last left hander on one hundred pitches, but
it was a good matchup for him, and he delivered.
You showed the faith in the trust in him. He
got the double play the team needed.
Speaker 14 (09:32):
I thought that was crucial, you know, And talking to
coach Rozel and Trevor Fitz right before that, it's like,
what do you guys think? And that was the plan
They're going to give him one, maybe two more batters
and just see what he can do. And that first
guy gets on, I'm like, oh, and I told him.
I was like, I want to take him out on
a positive.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 14 (09:49):
I just like, please, can we you know, and give
coach Rozel credit. He scripted it out and mapped it
out exactly like he'd hoped, and it worked out and
was able to get him out of there.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Man.
Speaker 10 (10:01):
A good series win, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
No question about it.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
And one more note on Cleaver he is outing was
the longest by any of the starters this weekend and
the only one that didn't give up six or seven runs.
And that's a compliment to your team for getting to
their starters, which is a big hallmark of that team.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (10:18):
The job that we did, I mean going in, you know,
even talking to the the A and M guys prior
to the series, you know, I just said, hey, they're starting.
Speaker 10 (10:26):
Pitching has been phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
It's like carried them. They have been.
Speaker 14 (10:30):
They start three lefties are all different in their own
way and they're just sure. Man. And the job that
Coach Koozy and Coach Loan did getting our positional players
ready to tackle them and give Long and Sale a
lot of credit, my.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Man through a ton of DP and just like emulating.
Speaker 14 (10:49):
But just again give the players, I mean the job
that they did. They were just committed to just whatever
it took. And you know that does not happened by accident.
That's hours and hours at video of preparation of batting practice.
You know, in this case we're talking about Salo and
some of the other guys. It's just took a ton
(11:10):
of time, effort and energy and executed the game plan
to perfection.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Let's take a quick time out.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
We'll continue with the Nick men Jones Show after this
here on the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 15 (11:21):
Hey, Big Blue Nation Liquor Barn has everything you need
for this week's Kentucky Wildcat basketball action. Whether you're watching
at home or whether you're stocking up for a party.
They make it easy to place an order for pickup
or delivery. Download the app, or visit liquorbarn dot com
or call your local liquor barn store shop Kentucky's favorite spirits,
wine and beer store, and you know what, you'll have
(11:43):
more time for the Cats. Liquor Barn where Kentuckians go
to celebrate life.
Speaker 16 (11:50):
Go Cats, BBN Game Day, It's your weekly look inside
UK Athletics. Senterda's at nine am on l exaighteen and
stations across the state. Check uk Athletic Com Slash UK
Sports Network for stations and times in your area.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
BBN Game Day.
Speaker 17 (12:05):
Tom leech Heer for ACR gun Eyed Pools and spas.
Get your custom pool or spa designed and built by
ACR Guneye Pools. They're the best call today and swim tomorrow.
Acrgunye Pools dot Com.
Speaker 18 (12:20):
From the first one born in the USA to the
tens of millions that followed from the American highways to
the NASCAR race days, more people have counted on their
cameras than any other car for over twenty three years,
and now Camri is even better. It's all hybrid all
the time to be more efficient yet powerful with available
all wheel drive for the capability to go wherever you
(12:42):
want to go in style and comfort. For the latest offers,
go to Toyota dot com and make your own history.
Toyota Let's go places.
Speaker 19 (12:50):
Trent Noah ukmem in as basketball player here. I needed
a bank that would work with my busy schedule, which
is why I chose Fort Bank. They offer instant issue
debit cards. When you open an account in a branch or,
you can open one online at fortbank dot com. I
can easily manage my account through their app. Plus if
I need to speak to a tailor, They're available from
seven am to seven pm Monday through Saturday with on
(13:11):
demand banking. Fort Bank stays on top of their game,
so I can stay on top of mind message data.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Rikes may apply if count opening subject to approval Ford Bank.
Remember repe I.
Speaker 19 (13:18):
See hey, this is trendoah and I bank with Fort Bank.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Wildcats getting ready to host the Old Miss Rebels this week.
It's a little different Thursday through Saturday the schedule this week,
and it's the first of back to back home series
and SEC play for the Cats. But looking back on
the A and M series win, as we chat with
coach here, Tyler Bell named the SEC Freshman of the Week.
What a phenomenal series he had offensively and defensively, and
(13:57):
still despite the home runs and the number of hits,
to me, the most impressive thing was watching him double
backside from both sides of the point.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I mean, it's brought that up to me.
Speaker 14 (14:07):
He's like dad, how about TJ hitting one down the
first base line, in the dird base line, and I
was like, you know what, I hadn't even thought.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
About that, you know, But what a week.
Speaker 14 (14:16):
I mean, even if you're thinking the A and M series,
he had eight hits and three games, and you know,
for the week.
Speaker 10 (14:21):
He had what do you have?
Speaker 14 (14:23):
Nine hits in four games and drove in seven runs?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
And what a week?
Speaker 14 (14:27):
And this guy's fully capable of doing it. And the
beauty about what he did is he did it from
both sides of the plate, as you just mentioned, Like
you know, and the people that are listening, I know,
they understand how hard it is to hit a baseball right.
But then you combine that with having to have two swings.
You have to feel good about your lefty one.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
And your righty one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
This is not a deal where.
Speaker 14 (14:49):
It's just like all right, I'm just working on one swing.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
You know.
Speaker 14 (14:52):
To be a switch hitter is that much harder because
it's like I can't tell you how many times in
my career or that I've coached guys like yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I feel good left you, but something's off of my rightwing.
Speaker 14 (15:00):
Or then you can foot off and sometimes you feel
like you're chasing yourself. So for him to do that
just from both sides of the plate, and the job
that he did defensively for the week just phenomenal. And
you know, this is a guy that he's trust his preparation,
you know, coming out of the fall. I mean, the
players voted him the hardest worker running team. Like, this
(15:20):
is a guy that is just he understands and competes
at the highest level and you know, a really serious
player that just has the ability.
Speaker 10 (15:29):
Impact the game in so many ways. And he did
it this week.
Speaker 14 (15:32):
And you know, these honors as a coach, they're like
the older I get, the more I get excited for
them because I want people to see how special our
guys are.
Speaker 10 (15:43):
And I'm definitely happy he wanted in. Deserving, definitely deserving
of the award.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
He just continues to amaze me, wise and mature beyond
his years as a freshman. How fun is it for
you and coach Sloan and coach Kuzeno to coach a
young man who's as motivated to get better as a hitter,
to be as good of a hitter as he is
a defender. Yeah, he cares so much about his game.
I mean even yesterday, the last two days before.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know, and he's not the only one.
Speaker 14 (16:13):
I mean, we have a group, I mean full of
infielders that are just so serious about their work. I
mean I just watched Pat Herrera and Ethan Hindele and
Kias and TJ and Luke and Koons and Huddy just
get after it, like if they could have watched our
guys before the game on Saturday and Sunday. We just
(16:35):
we took a series of ground balls and the way
they went about their craft and catching their pop ups.
I mean, these guys are just working hard and they're
doing everything can and then you know the watch Trevor
fitzen brocked out just hit the five million different types
of ground balls at him and work him in rockets
and it's just I'm you know, Tyler defense a special.
(16:55):
The infield defense in general this weekend was phenomenal and
we need that to continue. But the way they go
about their work, including Tyler, is definitely special.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
You and I mentioned it in the last segment about
how Texas A and M made you earn those two wins.
They didn't walk many batters. They hit a few, but
they didn't walk many batters. You had to earn those
runs against them, and you had to execute offensively. How
impressed were you with this team in the bunt game
this weekend?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, you brought that up.
Speaker 14 (17:22):
I thought that that was absolutely crucial when you think about,
you know, the bunt that Griff Cameron got to get
us bases loaded and nobody out changed the complexion of
the game. When you think of the bunt with Luke
Lawrence and Griff was at third, Yep, Griff's speed was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
What a read, what a jump? You know, the.
Speaker 14 (17:42):
Bunt was I think if you asked Luke he would
definitely put it in a better spot. But what a
job by Griff And then what about Huddy's safety butnt
you know, just phenomenal. So that was beautiful execution. I
love the hit and run we did. That got us
an inning going, our ability to do some of our
fake bunts and fake steals, We stole some bases, We
(18:04):
we did things. And I complimented coach Loan because he
was able to put the plays on and the guys
were able to execute him. And you know we're going
well when we.
Speaker 10 (18:15):
Can manufacture runs.
Speaker 14 (18:17):
Right to your point, like didn't walk us a ton. Well,
we also hit over three hundred for the weekend, right
like they threw strikes, So we were aggressive and you know,
the pitchers that didn't have as much command, we did
take our walks, We took our hvps. But when we're
manufacturing runs and we're doing it in multiple ways, we
saw it through doubles, home runs, singles. You know, that
is us at our best constant pressure constant, you know,
(18:39):
and I used to say this all the time, it's
whatever it takes type of offense, and I thought that
was on display this weekend.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Let's take our final time out. This is the nickmn
Jones show here on the UK Sports Network.
Speaker 16 (18:49):
BBN Game Day h R weekly look inside UK Athletics
Saturdays at nine am on l e X eighteen and
stations across the state. Check Ukathletics dot com Sports Network
for stations and times in your area.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Bb IN Game Day.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
The University of Kentucky has students from all fifty states,
more than one hundred countries, and perhaps just as impressive,
all one hundred twenty Kentucky counties. What you may also
find impressive is that in each of the one hundred
and twenty counties is a local Kentucky Farm Bureau insurance agent,
someone who's always there to make things right after a
storm or accident. Many farm Bureau agents even graduated from
(19:27):
UK no doubt, majoring in taking care of Kentuckians. Kentucky
Farm Bureau big on commitment.
Speaker 9 (19:34):
This is coke zero Sugar. Could I be the best
coke ever? Try and taste with your ears here those bubbles,
imagine them tingling on your top. Fusy deliciousness. Listen to
that cascading liquid, a mouthwatering waterfall, aresistably tasty. Zero sugar
(19:56):
Chris refreshing and ice gold.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Is coke?
Speaker 9 (20:01):
Heero sugar the best coke ever?
Speaker 20 (20:03):
Try and decide, Hey, BBN coach pulp here. Our program's
mentality is relentless, twenty four to seven work, total dedication
every day. It's what it takes to raise banners and
it's what it takes to tackle the Commonwealth's biggest healthcare challenges,
big blue determination. It's why UK Healthcare is the number
(20:27):
one hospital in Kentucky and the official healthcare partner of
UK Athletics.
Speaker 17 (20:33):
Those Placeline tip or not Athlee.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
UK Athletics would likength to thank our official corners don't
partners Central Bank, the official bank of UK Athletics, Kentucky
Farm Bureau, Insurance, Big On Commitment and UK Healthcare, official
healthcare partner of Big Blue Nations.
Speaker 8 (20:50):
Kentucky who Okay take the learning track Walk a Time
in Kentucky goes up seventy two.
Speaker 7 (20:57):
Once again, Thank you to our official corners don't partners
who play a vital role in the success of the
University of Kentucky Athletics program.
Speaker 12 (21:05):
You've heard the term buy local. How about play local?
When you play Keno and other games from the Kentucky Lottery,
your dollars are going directly to fund scholarships and grants
for Kentucky students.
Speaker 21 (21:16):
Play Keno anywhere Kentucky lottery is sold, convenience stores, bars,
on your laptop or on your mobile device. Visit kylottery
dot com to play Keno online, or go to your
favorite Kentucky Lottery retailer.
Speaker 12 (21:28):
Please play local, have fun, and help Kentucky students too.
Play responsibly.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Remember it's just a game.
Speaker 16 (21:37):
BBN Game Day h your weekly look inside UK Athletics
Saturdays at nine am on l EX eighteen and stations
across the state. Check Ukathletics dot Com, Slash UK Sports
Network for stations and times in your area, BBN Game.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Day, Welcome back in. This is our final segment here
on the Nickman Jeone Show for this week, the Cat's
getting set to host the Old Miss Rebels, who are
newly cemented in the top ten and the latest polls.
(22:12):
This week Cats and Rebels will get started at seven
o'clock on Thursday night. And Coach, you go back to
this weekend with the pitching against a very tough A
and M lineup. I thought you had several guys that
came in and some on multiple days and got keyouts
when you needed the most to stop rallies.
Speaker 14 (22:30):
Yeah, you know, there's got some guys in that lineup
that are super scary, and in that ballpark when the
wind's blown out, it's not an easy park to pitch in.
And you know, just looking back on a week, I
just thought Jacksonovy was phenomenal. He threw three of our
four games this week, get through four innings, only gave
up one run, struck out five just crucial, crucial outs.
(22:50):
And when you think about, you know, a guy like
that he threw, I mean, think about how many times
I do do that three times in one week, and
he wasn't the only one. Now, I cock through a three,
got us some big outs yesterday, through some really good fastballs,
through some good breaking balls, thought Evan Byers again, just phenomenal,
just the job that he continues to do. And then
(23:11):
can't say enough about James McCoy. Throw in three games
this week, Yeah, I mean three innings, no runs came in.
How about that game where he came in, he's bench
running scores white first base comes in and closes the
game out. I mean, and he got Coach Rozelle's just
like he keeps asking for the ball more, more and more.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
He's like, James, you're doing three of the four games. Like,
but his heart is just phenomenal.
Speaker 14 (23:36):
And I just couldn't say enough good things about, you know,
the job that James has done. And you know we
had others. I thought Cole Henchel got us some big
outs and so just some of those guys. I thought
Tommy was phenomenal. I know, we talked about him in
the pregame. You know, got us huge outs on Saturday.
So definitely some guys that threw a ton and threw
it a lot.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
So the no midweek is.
Speaker 14 (23:57):
Gonna definitely help some of them, and we're gonna to
work some these other guys that haven't gotten in there
as much.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
So we'll have a good couple.
Speaker 14 (24:04):
Days of practice and get them to face the batters
and get them ready.
Speaker 10 (24:08):
For the weekend.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
And coach, I think that's one of the things that
excites me most about this team. And I was chatting
with Austin Cuzno on the trip home last night about this.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Obviously, there's a lot of new.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Players, some experienced first time at Kentucky, a lot of
new faces. But the amount of youth that you are
playing and relying on right now, this freshman class, the
red shirt freshman class, in the lineup and on the mound,
it's exciting to see them starting to succeed against some
of the best competition in the country.
Speaker 14 (24:33):
Yeah, when you think about it from that standpoint, Tyler
Bell freshman, Hoddy freshman, Hendel's in his sophomore year. You're
going Griff Cameron, it's in his sophomore year. Both guys
had not played much then. Luke Lawrence first year program,
getting a lot out of him, Cole Ages getting a
lot out of him. Montoya right, Like you just start
(24:54):
going through the lineup of guys there, and then even
from the pitching standpoint, it's like this is Ben saw
more year and it's like, you know, he hadn't been
an everyday starter.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
We're getting everything can out of him.
Speaker 14 (25:04):
Nate Harris has been a true freshman starting in the
midwek Scott Rouse, first year guy, Nick McKay, first year guy,
Cole Henchel, first year guy, Tristan Hunter, freshman Late Harris
threw in two games last week as a true freshman.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Aiden Smith is contributing more, you know.
Speaker 14 (25:18):
I mean, it's just Tommy Skelding coming back, e Walk
first year guy, Nile Adcock, first year guys, Simon Gregor's
in first year guy. Like, we just have a lot
of guys that are either freshmen or in their first year,
and we're growing.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
We're growing.
Speaker 14 (25:33):
That's the one thing, you know, you and I talk
a lot about it is like learning, growing, improven, and
we're doing that.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
I want to go back and talk about the pitchers,
and this is mostly pertaining to the starting rotation because
on the weekends, as they get ready to start the
games before they're usually in the dugout there charting. They're
sitting alongside Trevor Fitz and Dan Roselle. How big is
that for them to chart the game, to learn the game,
but also kind of figure out the lineups that they're
(25:59):
going to have to face.
Speaker 14 (26:00):
Yeah, you know that's interesting because we value quality pitches
and our pitching chart is like, man, this is the thing,
like I look forward to every game, after every game,
getting this from coach to see and just going through
and who through quality pitches and what pitches we through
for strikes and where we need to do a better
job of. And you know, one thing that does force
(26:23):
them to do is concentrate and when you have to
chart every single pitch the location of it. Was it
a good pitch, was it a bad pitch? You're learning
not only about your guys, you're learning about the other
team to your point, So it's definitely been good for
those guys.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Just got a couple of minutes left here.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
On this week's radio shows, the Cats get ready to
host the Old Miss Rebels starting Thursday night. It's a
seven o'clock first pitch Thursday night. Friday is six thirty,
and then the series will wrap up on Saturday. Kentucky's
at home for the next two weeks, and Coach, after
you've taken your longest road trip of the season all
the way down to College Station, a couple of flights,
(26:59):
you get to come home this week. Got to be
big for this team just to be at home and
in their own beds for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
There's no place like home. There no place like home.
Speaker 14 (27:08):
Yeah, you know, when you you and I talked about
this briefly, but you know, after three weeks two of
our three were on the road, so you know, here
we are. We're gonna finish this halfway point the next
two weeks. I always think, you know, a ten week season,
you break it up into you know, halves, and then
we're gonna end up having three series at home and
(27:30):
then obviously the second half we'll have three on the road.
But yeah, just excited to be back at Kentucky prow
Park in front of our great fans and you know,
hopefully be able to have an opportunity to settle in,
you know, and just get used to our routines and
things here. And it's going to start tomorrow with a
great day of practice.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Coach, it's always great to visit
with you here on the weekly radio show. We look
forward to seeing a great crowd Thursday against Ole Miss
Let's do It Go Cats, And this has been the
Nick min Jone radio show here on the UK Sports Networks.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Species s spiess, n Star Sights, other species US.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
Spass and the States
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Speed species and spass uns
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com