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How we got here: A top-five Kentucky Baseball team

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How we got here: A top-five Kentucky Baseball team


Kentucky Baseball rose for the fourth consecutive week in D1Baseball’s Top 25 Rankings, landing at No. 3 in the country Monday morning. It is Kentucky’s second highest ranking ever, as the Cats were ranked No. 1 twice during the Gary Henderson era (2009-2016).

Just four weeks ago (March 18), the Cats sat at 17-3 (3-0) and were unranked. They had just lost a home series the weekend prior to Kennesaw State, and were outscored 23-3 in the first two games.

Since then, Kentucky has lost just twice. They are 30-5 (14-1) ahead of their in-state showdown with Louisville on Tuesday and sit alone atop the Southeastern Conference.

The Bat Cats swept their third consecutive conference series over the weekend, overcoming a seven-run deficit on Sunday to improve to 14-1 in conference play, which is a program record. Sunday’s win also marked Kentucky’s 10th straight SEC win, which is also a program record.

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How did we get here, especially as fast as the rise has happened? Here’s how.

SEC Dominance

The Bat Cats aren’t just succeeding in conference play, they are dominating conference play.

Through Kentucky’s first 15 SEC games, the Bat Cats are outscoring opponents 142-57 and didn’t trail in eight consecutive conference games from March 29-April 12.

Offense and pitching are operating at full strength, as Wildcat batters are hitting .319 against SEC pitching and have notched 10-plus hits in 10 of its 15 conference games. The Wildcat pitching staff also boasts a 3.20 ERA in 135 innings against the nation’s premier hitters.

Along with stellar hitting/pitching, the Cats have emerged as true road warriors. Kentucky has won eight of its nine road conference games, including sweeps of Ole Miss and Auburn. They trailed in just two of their nine road contests (a 2-1 loss to Missouri and their seven-run comeback 13-8 win over Auburn).

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Kentucky’s run through the conference has been highlighted by several special performances, one of which earned left-hander Dominic Niman SEC Pitcher of the Week honors.

Niman pitched a complete game shutout in Kentucky’s 7-0 win over then No. 13 ranked Alabama on April 6, the first of his career at any level.

We’ll have to wait and see if this dominance continues this weekend as the No. 3 ranked Cats face their toughest opponent yet in No. 4 Tennessee at Kentucky Proud Park.

Taking care of business in midweek games

Kentucky is taking care of business in midweek non-conference games for the second consecutive season.

The Cats are 7-1, with their lone loss coming on the road at Samford, the best team in the Southern Conference. They are 17-2 in such games since the beginning of the 2023 season and are outscoring teams 66-30 this season.

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Winning these games goes a long way in determining a team’s RPI, which is used in determining which school gets to host in the NCAA Tournament. They currently sit at No. 4 in the RPI rankings.

As of April 3, Kentucky was projected to host its second consecutive Lexington Regional as the No. 11 national seed in D1Baseball’s Midseason Field of 64 Projections. They have certainly improved from that mark since then, and are in prime position to finish as a top-eight seed.

If the Cats can finish as a top-eight seed, they could end up hosting a Lexington Super Regional for the first time in program history. Also, unless Kentucky completely implodes on the back half of the SEC schedule, Nick Mingione’s team is in prime position to make back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time in school history.

Much-needed emergence from transfers/returners

Nick Mingione knew what he had in returning players such as second baseman Émilien Pitre, catcher Devin Burkes, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, shortstop Grant Smith, and right-handed pitcher Mason Moore. In order to take that next step however, a few of the returners/transfers would have to take steps forward to replace the lost production from 2023’s Lexington Regional team. That they’ve done with flying colors.

Transfer Nick Lopez has been the biggest surprise to this point in the season, as he leads the Cats in batting average (.392), hits (49), and doubles (14). Lopez, who was thought to have been a utility piece entering the season, has blossomed into one of the best transfers in the country. His 14 doubles are second most in the entire SEC.

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First baseman Ryan Nicholson, who transferred from Cincinnati over the offseason, has been on an absolute tear at the plate and seems to be producing at a rate Mingione expected when he recruited him. Nicholson has belted six home runs over the last five games (including two multi-home run games), bringing his season total to a team-leading 10 longballs. He got off to a bit of a slow start to begin the season, but he’s been one of the hottest hitters in the conference as of late.

Even right-handed pitcher Trey Pooser, who transferred from Charleston and began the season in the bullpen, has performed very well in his new role as the Friday starter. In five SEC starts, Pooser is 2-0 with a 3.65 ERA in 22 2/3 innings pitched.

Returning players from last season such as outfielders James McCoy and Nolan McCarthy and left-handed pitcher Jackson Nove are also performing at a higher level than they were in 2023. It seems as if things are clicking on all cylinders for the Cats as of now.

What’s next for No. 3 Kentucky?

The Bat Cats will be back in action on Tuesday, as they head to Louisville (20-13, 6-7) for the Battle of the Bluegrass. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST. The game will be streamed on ACC Network.



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FDA announces recall on M&M’s products in several states, including Kentucky

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FDA announces recall on M&M’s products in several states, including Kentucky


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  • The FDA is recalling several M&M’s products due to the presence of undeclared allergens.
  • The recall affects over 6,000 units of repackaged Peanut and classic M&M’s.
  • Affected products lack proper labeling for milk, soy, and peanuts.
  • The recalled items were distributed in 20 states, including Kentucky, Ohio, and Texas.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration is recalling several packages of M&M’s after unidentified allergens were found in repackaged products distributed in 20 states, including Kentucky.

The recall was issued by Beacon Promotions Inc. on Jan. 26 and classified by the FDA on Feb. 4. It affects more than 6,000 units that were repackaged without proper labeling to warn consumers they may contain milk, soy and peanuts.

The FDA labeled the recall as Class II, meaning consumption of the products could cause “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.” Here’s what to know.

M&M’s products distributed in 20 states being recalled by FDA

The voluntary recall includes 1.3-ounce packs of Peanut M&M’s and classic M&M’s sold in various branded promotional packages. The recalled peanut M&M’s feature “Make Your Mark” labels, lot code M1823200, and a best-before date of April 30, 2026.

The recalled classic M&M’s were distributed in multiple promotional formats and include four lot codes.

  • L450ARCLV03: best by Dec. 1, 2025
  • L502FLHKP01: best by Jan. 1, 2026
  • L523CMHKP01: best by June 30, 2026
  • L537GMHKP01: best by Sept. 1, 2026

Which states are being impacted by the recall?

The recalled products were distributed in 20 states, including Kentucky. Other affected states are Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

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Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.



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At the Buzzer: No. 16 Kentucky women’s basketball drops late lead in 84–83 loss to No. 7 Vanderbilt

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At the Buzzer: No. 16 Kentucky women’s basketball drops late lead in 84–83 loss to No. 7 Vanderbilt


No. 16 Kentucky women’s basketball (18-6, 5-5 SEC) was unable to maintain its lead on the Commodores, falling to No. 7 Vanderbilt (22-2, 8-2 SEC).

The Wildcats entered the court to the largest sea of blue that Historic Memorial Coliseum has seen so far this season.

Kentucky asserted control from the tip, with Key earning the Cats the first chance at offense. A three from Amelia Hassett from the jump enabled Kentucky to find a fast start to the night.

Kentucky would go on to hold the Commodores off for two minutes until leading scorer Mikayla Blakes found success from the mid-range.

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The Cats led Vandy for the first six minutes of action, shooting 57% from the field and 67% from the three. A three from Vanderbilt’s Justine Pissott sealed the Commodores’ first lead of the game at 12-11 with just over four minutes left in the first.

After the first, Vanderbilt would have the largest lead of the game so far, leading the Cats 19-16. Whether Kentucky was ahead or the Commodores, a one-point margin was the average between the two teams.

To close out the first quarter, the stat line proved to be similar between the two teams. Kentucky shot 43% from the field and 60% from the three, while Vandy shot 41% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. 

Kentucky was forced into five turnovers in the first, where the Commodores managed to convert six points from the Kentucky mistakes. 

Kentucky would hit 11 turnovers before Vanderbilt was forced into its first one. 

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Vandy would lead by as much as seven with 4:26 left in the first half, yet Kentucky managed to regain its footing and close the margin. 

Kentucky wasn’t letting up just like that, though. 

With only 39 seconds left in the half, Kentucky was holding one of the best teams in the nation to a 3:47 scoring drought, while holding a 10-0 run itself. 

A 3-pointer from Asia Boone during the Vanderbilt drought returned the lead to Kentucky, and in typical fashion, Boone closed out the first half with another beyond the arc to give the Cats a 38-34 lead. 

Kentucky also capped the half performing at some of the best numbers it has seen this season. The Cats were sitting at 54% from the field, 67% from the arc and 67% from the charity stripe. 

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Conversely, the Commodores were seeing some of its worst numbers this season, shooting 36% from the field and 31% from the arc. 

Getting the second underway, it was the Dores’ turn to keep their foot on the gas. Vanderbilt’s Blakes found herself open from the three and immediately fired 30 seconds in to close the margin back up to one. 

A layup from Vanderbilt’s Sacha Washington, followed by a Blake’s layup would see the Dores regain its lead at 41-38. Kentucky, however, was leading once again a minute later. 

With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Kentucky extended the lead to nine to force the Commodores to call a timeout. 

Coming out of the break, Vanderbilt managed to close the deficit back to four, forcing yet another turnover from Kentucky. 

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At this point in the game, Kentucky had 15 turnovers compared to Vanderbilt’s three. 

The Commodores were successful in forcing turnovers due to their intense, double-team pressure when any Wildcat got on the ball. Sometimes, the Cats would see three players on them as soon as the ball hit their hands. 

Kentucky’s height did well to expose the gaps on the court in situations where they weren’t forced into the turnover. 

After three, Kentucky was leading 58-54. 

Into the fourth, Vanderbilt’s Blakes managed to get the Commodores back on top by three, forcing the Cats into a timeout.

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At this point in the night, Tonie Morgan also asked Head Coach Kenny Brooks to leave the court, where she was seen limping off after a hard foul. 

She returned following the Kentucky timeout. 

Kentucky had the chance to get within one when Teonni Key was fouled, yet she went 1-2 from the charity line and Vanderbilt was rewarded a free throw of its own immediately after. 

With 6:31 left in the game, Vanderbilt would earn the next largest lead of the game at 10, to move to a 72-62 lead over the cats. 

At this point in the game, Vanderbilt found itself on a 6-8 run courtesy of Blakes and freshman Aubrey Galvan, who were the key contributors to the run. 

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Moreover, at this point in the game, Blakes had reached 31 points on the night. Kentucky, however, found its groove again, going on an 8-0 run over 2:30. 

Blakes is the one to answer to the Commodore scoring drought, where she went to the line and built the margin back up to four. With 2:25 left to go, the Commodores were up by six. 

With just 90 seconds left in the game, a Key offensive rebound put the Cats back within four, and a Key defensive rebound allowed Kentucky to get Strack on the ball to get it within two. 

Kentucky and Vanderbilt would go back and forth with under a minute left, where Kentucky would find success from the field, and then foul to send a Dore to the line. 

Brooks called a timeout on the game with just 19.5 seconds left in the game, where the Cats trailed 82-79. 

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Morgan drove towards the bucket to get it back within one with 13 seconds left in the game. 

The Cats and Commodores would continue to do the same song and dance, and a final layup of the night from Key would close out the game. 

The Cats finished off shooting on a 6-7 run. Kentucky led most of the game, but Vanderbilt did more to make the win happen in its favor. 

Thursday’s loss now moves Kentucky to 3-3 against top AP teams so far this regular season. 

The Commodores now lead the Wildcats 34-28 all-time. 

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Kentucky women’s basketball will return to the road, traveling down to No. 4 Texas (21-2, 6-2 SEC) on Sunday, Feb. 9, where the Cats will look to get back to winning against top AP teams.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST and can be streamed on the SEC Network. 



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The Arboretum at UK receives global accreditation

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The Arboretum at UK receives global accreditation


The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky at the University of Kentucky, has earned international accreditation from ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum for its work in horticulture and native plant conservation.

The Arboretum, located on UK’s campus,  is a 100-acre public garden with native plant collections, a living museum and walking trails. 

“ArbNet Accreditation highlights the Arboretum’s commitment to horticulture and conservation, and our commitment to serve the people and communities of Kentucky through our mission,” Scott Smith, The Arboretum director at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, said.

Founded in 1991 and designated the Official State Botanical Garden of Kentucky in 2000, The Arboretum promotes environmental education, research and conservation through year-round programming and attractions such as Walk Across Kentucky and the Kentucky Children’s Garden, according to ArbNet.

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The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, in partnership with The Morton Arboretum, recognizes arboreta that meet professional standards for plant collections, horticulture, conservation and education. 

The Arboretum has received a level three accreditation. According to ArbNet, “Level III accreditation is granted to arboreta with a minimum of 500 species or taxa and those that contribute meaningful involvement in scientific research, conservation, or ex situ collections.”

Level three accreditation also requires a governing group, paid management, extensive educational and public programming initiatives and collaboration with other institutions, according to ArbNet.

“Accreditation is a significant step on our path to excellence and distinction at the Arboretum,” Smith said. “It is worth noting that accreditation is not only about great botanical collections but is also based on excellence in community education and programming.”

With this recognition, The Arboretum is now listed in the Morton Register Arboreta, a global database that shares arboreta and gardens dedicated to plant conservation.

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