Kentucky Earns No. 8 Seed in SEC Tournament; Will Play No. 9 Alabama in First Round

The Bat Cats won a series over Alabama in Tuscaloosa earlier this season.

No. 19 Kentucky baseball closed out its 2023 regular season with a 1-2 weekend at home against No. 4 Florida over the weekend, dropping games one and three. 

As a result, the Wildcats finished with a 16-14 record in SEC play and will enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 8 seed. Awaiting coach Nick Mingione's team will be the No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide. 

The two teams squared off during the second weekend of SEC play this season from March 24-26 in Tuscaloosa. Kentucky won the first two games of the series by scores of 4-3 (12 innings) and 9-5. The Tide won the Sunday game 4-3, snapping UK's 17-game winning streak. 

Now, they'll square off in a single elimination game on Tuesday, May 23. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST.

Alabama is one of the hotter teams in the country, having won its last three SEC series to close out the regular season, including its last five games. The tear began following the May 5 firing of head coach Brad Bohannon, who was let go due to "among other things, violating the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of University employees." 

The termination of Bohannon — a longtime assistant at Kentucky from 2004-2015 — followed "suspicious betting activity" that took place at a sportsbook in Cincinnati before Alabama's game against LSU on April 28 which led to the state of Ohio halting sports betting on Crimson Tide baseball. 

Kentucky has lost six of its last seven series, but has accumulated a 36-17 (16-14 SEC) record — its best since 2017, the last year it made the NCAA Tournament. It was awarded the No. 8 seed over Alabama due to its series win over the Tide earlier this year. 

The winner of the single elimination game will make it to the double elimination portion of the tournament and square off against the No. 1-seeded Florida Gators the following day. 

Postseason baseball is here.

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Shortstop Grant Smith named to Brooks Wallace Award Watch List

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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