LEXINGTON, Ky. — The road to Omaha begins Friday in Lexington for the Kentucky Wildcats.

No. 2 Kentucky (40-14) opens NCAA Baseball Tournament play Friday, May 31 at noon against Mid-American Conference Tournament champion Western Michigan at Kentucky Proud Park. Along with Kentucky and Western Michigan, Indiana State and Illinois are also taking part in the four-team Lexington Regional. 

The second seed is the highest in program history for the Wildcats, who earned their second Southeastern Conference regular season baseball championship by going 22-8 in league play. Kentucky’s 22 conference wins are a program high, and the team also set new records for two-year SEC win total (38), best SEC start (15-1), series wins (eight) and SEC road record (11-4).

This is the fourth time Kentucky has hosted an NCAA Baseball regional. The Wildcats hosted a regional in 2006 when they won their only other SEC championship and also hosted in 2017 and 2023 after winning their lone regional championships in program history. 

Friday’s winner between the Wildcats and Broncos will face the winner of the Indiana State-Illinois game, set for 7 p.m. The first pitch of Saturday’s winner’s bracket game is noon EDT while the loser’s bracket game will be played at 6 p.m. EDT.

UK Athletics said a few general admission and outfield bleacher seats are available and can be purchased on its website. The SEC Network will air the game. 

Kentucky is coming off several All-SEC awards, including:

• Nick Mingione, head coach — SEC Coach of the Year
• Nick Lopez, designated hitter  — First team All-SEC
• Ryan Waldschmidt, outfielder — SEC second team
• Emilien Pitre, second baseman — SEC All-Defensive team
• Mitchell Daly, third baseman — SEC All-Defensive team
• Mason Moore, pitcher — SEC All-Defensive team