Kentucky learns NCAA Tournament bubble fate on Selection Monday
By David Wasson
Published:
The Kentucky baseball team found postseason life Monday afternoon, earning one of the final at-large berths into the NCAA Tournament beginning this weekend.
The Wildcats (21-21 overall, 13-17 SEC) were sweating out their fate heading into Monday’s selection show before learning they will play in the Morgantown Regional – first against Wake Forest on Friday (noon ET, ESPN2). Virginia and Binghamton are the other two teams in the bracket.
Last 4 in. First 4 out. pic.twitter.com/UobZmowRvP
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 25, 2026
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Kentucky lost six of its last eight games down the stretch, including two at then-No. 13 Florida and two at home against then-No. 10 Arkansas. The Wildcats also stumbled in the SEC Tournament, falling to Vanderbilt 8-5 in the first round.
Still, Kentucky heads to West Virginia and the NCAA Tournament on the backs of Jayce Tharnish and Ethan Hindle. Tharnish leads the Wildcats with a .350 batting average along with 12 doubles, three triples and 57 runs scored. Hindle has delivered a team highs in home runs (11) doubles (18) and RBIs (47).
Presumptive Friday starter Jaxon Jelkin is 8-3 in 2026 with a 3.77 ERA, two complete games and 98 strikeouts against just 20 walks issued.
Wake Forest (38-19, 16-14 ACC) lost to Pittsburgh 7-4 in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
