Kentucky baseball began their NCAA Tournament with a 10-8 victory over Western Michigan on Friday afternoon at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. The No. 2 overall seed Wildcats scored eight runs in four innings to pretty much put the game out of reach.

While Western Michigan battled back with a valiant effort of eight runs themselves, Kentucky was able to add two more of their own to ice the game.

James McCoy was the big bat of the day, dialing up a two-run homer along with a RBI double to lead the team’s offense.

Kentucky had seven players log a RBI, three steal a base and as many be hit by a pitch.

Next up for the Wildcats will be Illinois who defeated Indiana State 4-1 late Friday night. These two will face off at 6 PM today for the right to play in Game Five on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Western Michigan and Indiana State will play in the losers bracket at noon today with the loser being the first team eliminated from the Lexington Regional.

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LEXINGTON — Kentucky jumped to an eight-run lead Friday and then held on for a 10-8 win over Western Michigan in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament’s Lexington Regional.

Illinois never trailed in a 4-1 win over Indiana State in Friday’s nightcap.

Now, the Wildcats and Fighting Illini are set to square off Saturday.

UK, 41-14 on the season and the NCAA Tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, captured a share of the SEC regular-season title for only the second time. Illinois is a regular-season conference champ as well, winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2015.

Get to the game:  Looking for Kentucky baseball tickets in the Lexington Regional? Here are the best options for the 2024 NCAA Tournament

Here’s what to know about UK’s NCAA regional matchup against Illinois at Kentucky Proud Park, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Saturday:

Kentucky baseball vs Illinois prediction in NCAA regional bracket

Kentucky 5, Illinois 4: On paper, this matchup is like splitting hairs. Illinois averages 8.2 runs per game; Kentucky is at 8.1. The expected starting pitchers, UK’s Trey Pooser and Illinois’ Cooper Omans, have nearly identical rates in hits allowed per nine innings (7.01 for Omans, 7.14 for Pooser) and walks + hits per innings pitched — better known by its acronym WHIP — that has Pooser (1.18) slightly ahead of Omans (1.24). When teams are this evenly matched, give the most infinitesimal of edges to the squad playing in its home venue. In this case, that’s the Wildcats, who escape with a one-run victory to improve to 2-0 at the regional.

Kentucky vs. Illinois odds in 2024 NCAA tournament

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.

Spread: N/A

Moneyline: N/A

Over/under: N/A

Kentucky baseball odds to reach 2024 College World Series BetMGM

Odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds will be updated as they become available.

Kentucky: The Wildcats have the fifth-best odds at +1000 to win the College World Series, per BetMGM.

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — James McCoy hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs to break out of a hitting slump and Kentucky held on for a 10-8 victory over Western Michigan on Friday in the opening game of the Wildcats’ home regional.

The No. 2 overall seed Wildcats (41-14) got off to a hot start after earning the highest seed in program history and winning just their second Southeastern Conference regular-season title. They jumped ahead 8-0 through the first four innings before Western Michigan (32-22), the Mid-American Conference Tournament champions, rallied and put the potential go-ahead run on base in the ninth.

Western Michigan loaded the bases with two outs off Robert Hogan on Josh Swinehart’s single, a hit batter and a walk.

Hogan got a flyout to left field from Grady Mee to end the threat and earn his first save. He allowed two hits and struck out four in 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first save. Cameron O’Brien (2-0) got the win with one scoreless inning.

Western Michigan starter Brady Miller (6-6) allowed six runs, four earned, in two innings.

Kentucky will face the Indiana State-Illinois winner on Saturday.

McCoy had a double and scored twice for the Wildcats in addition to hitting his sixth home run of the season — in the second inning. He snapped out of a 0-for-21 batting slump.

Mitchell Daly added a pair of doubles and two RBIs.

Western Michigan chased Kentucky starter Dominic Niman with a five-run fifth inning. CJ Richmond’s two-run double in the sixth pulled the Broncos within two and capped the scoring.

Kentucky will face the winner of Indiana State and Illinois on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET.