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Kentucky Baseball Team Shows Support to Family and Teammates of 8-Year-Old Who Passed Away

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Family of Eli Hill

Earlier this week tragedy took place in Corbin (KY), as 8-year-old, Eli Hill, passed away playing basketball at his home. In a freak accident, the backboard of a basketball goal came off the pole and fell on him, succumbing to the injuries.

Following the tragedy, the community of Corbin has come together in remembrance of Eli and in support of his family and friends. On Wednesday, a vigil was held at the city’s rotary baseball park, which over a hundred people attended to honor Eli and show love for his family.

“He was a joy to be around, the amount of love, excitement. You know, the care that he had for others,” high school athlete Jacob Baker said.

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On Thursday, the Kentucky baseball team made the hour-and-a-half trip to Corbin to show support to the baseball team of Corbin primary, the baseball team which Eli played for.

In a time of tragedy, it is heartwarming to see people from around the state rally around the family and friends of young Eli, who made an impact on many and will be missed.

The Hill family has also warned others to be cautious of a fake GoFundMe making its way around social media.

Also published on a Sea of Blue.

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Kentucky Baseball Earns NCAA Tournament Bid for Historic Third Straight Season

Kentucky baseball have secured their spot in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year under Nick Mingione.

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Kentucky Baseball secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Chet White | UK Athletics

For the first time in the history of Kentucky’s baseball program, the team has made the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.

After a bitter end to last season’s run against the NC State Wolfpack in Omaha, the “Bat Cats” have spent much of this season on the bubble, posting a 29-24 (13-17) record during the regular season. Despite a first round exit in the SEC Tournament at the hands of the Oklahoma Sooners, as well as a litany of worries that their resume ultimately wouldn’t suffice, the Cats came in at the last second and secured a spot in postseason play.

Their fate this year has them situated in the Clemson regional as a three seed, set to take on two seed West Virginia Mountaineers in the first round. Given a win, they’d move on to tackle the winner of (1) Clemson and (4) Upstate. While Clemson would be their most likely suitor, anything can happen in the tournament, and that includes a potential Cats run.

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Either way, Kentucky Baseball’s continued presence in postseason play indicates the team’s continued upward trajectory under Nick Mingione, who has set a new standard for the program with historic success on multiple levels. Much like last year, the Wildcats will enter the tournament as relative underdogs looking to make a splash.

Their first opportunity to do so will come at the end of May, with regional play beginning on May 30. Book your tickets to the Carolinas, BBN, and support your bat cats in tournament play for the third year in a row!

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Meet Elsa Vadfors: Kenny Brooks’ Final Piece Of The Puzzle

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Victoria Mickelsson | Hudiksvalls Tidning

Kenny Brooks secured another addition to the Kentucky women’s basketball roster on May 18 with the commitment of 19-year-old Swedish center Elsa Vadfors.

Vadfors, who currently plays for Uppsala Basket, a Swedish professional basketball club, stands 6-foot-5 and brings added height to the frontcourt alongside 6-foot-5 Clara Strack and 6-foot-4 Teonni Key.

Her size and length immediately bolster the post for the Wildcats after losing 6-foot-7 center Clara Silva to the transfer portal after the season ended.

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“I’m so happy to announce that I’ve committed to the University of Kentucky! Thank you to Coach Brooks and the entire Kentucky coaching staff for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. Go Wildcats!” Vadfors posted on X.

As a member of Sweden’s 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women’s EuroBasket team, she averaged 1.7 points and 2.8 rebounds over six games. Though there is limited film available on her, Vadfors is known for her defensive instincts, rebounding ability and interior presence.

She arrives in Lexington with full NCAA eligibility and a high developmental ceiling, giving Brooks another long-term piece to build around.

With the roster nearly finalized, it is expected that Brooks will not make additional additions ahead of the 2025–26 season, leaving Vadfors and Strack as the team’s primary centers.

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Kentucky Baseball Looks To Leave A Mark In Important SEC Tournament

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Nick Mingione talks to the team.
Chet White | UK Athletics

After suffering a brutal sweep to No. 9 Vanderbilt this past weekend, the Wildcats will look ahead to the SEC Tournament, one they must succeed in if they want to guarantee a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The No. 13 seeded Wildcats will take on the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday, May 20, a team they recently swept in Lexington. The game will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Alabama and Missouri matchup, which is slated for 10:30 a.m. ET.

After receiving the lowest seed in the conference tourney of the Nick Mingione era, Kentucky will have to scratch and claw its way forward, proving it is better than what the 13-17 conference record indicates.

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Not only will the Wildcats lean on Tyler Bell, who nearly hit .500 in the series against Vanderbilt and scored five runs, but will need, no require, a complete team effort in order to make a run.

Kentucky has held a multiple-run leads in nine of its 17 conference losses, and has led in 90% of conference games at one point. The Wildcats’ early-game performances scream a near 40-win season, but failure to close games out is a clear indication to why they sit at just 29 wins.

It is a problem that needs solving now, especially when this year’s conference tournament is single elimination. You lose, you’re done.

Kentucky is certainly not a lock, although is slated to be a No. 3 seed in the national tournament by multiple publications, and an early exit in Hoover, Alabama will certainly not help its case. 

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UT Ryan Schwartz and LHP Cole Hentschel, who were listed on the injury report before the second game of the Vanderbilt series, remain out for Kentucky’s tournament opener.

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