On June 15, 2024, at 7:00 PM ET in Omaha, Nebraska, Mitchell Daly hit a home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to secure a 5-4 victory for Kentucky over North Carolina State. This marked the third consecutive Men’s College World Series game to end in walk-off fashion. The Wildcats had tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with Ryan Nicholson’s home run, and Daly sealed the win with his shot into the left-field bullpen with two outs.
Kentucky, with a record of 46-14, was playing in their first MCWS and set a program record for wins in a season. They will face Texas A&M on Monday night, who had defeated Florida 3-2. North Carolina State, with a record of 38-22, will play Florida in an elimination game on Monday afternoon.
Coach Nick Mingione praised his team’s belief and response in the ninth inning, highlighting their determination and confidence in securing the victory. Ryan Nicholson, who hit the game-tying home run, expressed his excitement and confidence in the team’s performance and potential going forward.
The game was tied at 4 in the ninth inning after Nicholson’s dramatic home run, which barely cleared the left-field fence. Despite opportunities to score, the Wildcats couldn’t push a runner across until Daly’s game-winning home run in the 10th inning off North Carolina State’s closer, Derrick Smith.
The atmosphere in Omaha was described as special and full of energy, with Daly acknowledging the support and excitement of the fans. The game marked the third straight MCWS game to end in walk-off fashion, with North Carolina and Tennessee also securing victories with bottom-of-the-ninth singles in their openers the day before.