Nick Mingione not shying away from importance of No. 1 seed

Kentucky Baseball has as big of a weekend ahead as they’ve arguably ever had on the diamond. The result of their final series against Vanderbilt will determine whether they win their second-ever conference title and further decide what their seeding could look like in the NCAA Tournament.

Nick Mingione knows what will be at stake at for the Wildcats starting tonight through Saturday. While all series are crucial in their own way, this one is certainly so with the top seed in the bracket, nationally but also in the league, there for their taking.

“I think they’re all important,” Mingione said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“Obviously, if you can be number one, you want it. Like, let’s not dance around that, right,” noted Mingione. “If you can be the one? Like, be the one.”

However, being one of the top eight teams in the field is more of the focus for Mingione and Kentucky. That will allow them to host a Regional as well as a Super Regional at Kentucky Proud Park.

They did the former last year as the No. 12 seed but didn’t get to do the latter. That led to the end of their year as they had to go to play No. 5 LSU, the eventual national champion, on their home field.

That experience is a reminder as to why their next few games are so important to Mingione and his team.

“I would say being in the top-eight is super important because now the path to Omaha is in your hands and it’s at your place,” Mingione said. “We experienced that last year having to go to Baton Rouge. It’s a tough place but there’s no place like home.”

Kentucky currently sits at 37-11 overall and at 20-7 in the SEC. That’s good for a ranking as the No. 2 team in the nation. It’s also a record that includes one of the best win-totals in conference play in school history.

Now, with three games ahead starting this evening, the Wildcats could win at least a share of the league title, if not outright take it for themselves. They could also continue to make their case as the No. 1 seed in the national bracket, which is where they’re currently projected by On3’s Jonathan Wagner as well as D1Baseball.

Home-field can be everything throughout the year but certainly in the postseason. That’s why, if nothing else, Mingione just wants to see the Wildcats within the group of Super Regional hosts, even though he hopes to see them take their top seeds if they’re available to them.

“You want to be able to play at home,” said Mingione. “So, the number one? Absolutely, you want it. But I think, looking at it from that perspective, the top-eight? If you can just get that top-eight and make the path through your home is obviously better.