Kentucky
Trey Pooser has been Kentucky's best made decision this season
Moving right-hander Trey Pooser from the bullpen to the starting rotation has been Nick Mingione and Kentucky’s best made decision this season.
For the first month of the season, Pooser, who transferred from College of Charleston over the offseason, was used exclusively as a reliever. In six appearances out of the bullpen, Pooser boasted a 5.21 in 12 1/3 innings pitched.
Right-hander Travis Smith, who was expected to make the leap as one of the breakout pitchers in college baseball this season, just never seemed to get going in that time frame. Smith made five Friday night starts in the opening month, compiling a 1-2 record with a 6.69 ERA in 24 2/3 innings pitched.
This is when Nick Mingione made a decision that would alter Kentucky’s season in a major way.
It was announced that Pooser would be making his first start as a Cat on March 22 against Missouri. However, Pooser was no stranger to being a starting pitcher. He made 36 career starts in four seasons at College of Charleston, compiling a career 3.93 ERA in 220 innings pitched.
“You know, he had experience before and starting experience at the college level,” Mingione said Saturday. “Anytime you can have that, that is a bonus. The transfer portal does allow you to be older, and it allows you to develop your high school guys. If you look at our lineup I feel like we had a great mix that played in this baseball game from a pitching and an offensive side.”
Since his move to the Friday night starter, Pooser has blossomed into Kentucky’s “ace.” Including Saturday’s masterful start where he allowed just one earned run in seven innings, the right-hander boasts a 3.57 in 63 innings pitched. Even he said he wouldn’t believe where he’d be at now at the beginning of the season.
“You always want to do good,” Pooser said. “You don’t ever know exactly how it’s going to go and everything doesn’t always go as planned, but I’m glad it has gone the way it has. Just got to keep going.”
He hasn’t been just good, he’s been absolutely shutdown. In his last 13 innings pitched against Arkansas (SEC Tournament) and Illinois on Saturday, Pooser’s allowed just one earned run (0.69 ERA) with 10 strikeouts.
When asked if Pooser has emerged as Kentucky’s ace, Nick Mingione gave a cheeky answer.
“Yes,” the head ball coach said. “We’ve got some other good ones, too. You look at Mason Moore. What is he, 8-3? He’s got beat by the same team. Twice. Two of this his three losses are from the same team (South Carolina). That guy could be sitting at 8-1. But I’ll let you guys decide what title or label you want to put on him.”
Pooser’s emergence has given Kentucky two aces down the stretch in himself and Mason Moore, who will start Sunday’s game in the Regional Final. For a staff that has been up and down this season, the Hanahan, S.C. native has provided much needed stability time and time again.
Pooser and right-hander Ryan Hagenow, who pitched the final two innings in Saturday’s win over Illinois, will be the two lone pitchers unavailable for Sunday’s game.
The Cats will now wait until Sunday at 6:00 p.m. EST, where they will play the winner of Indiana State/Illinois (who play Sunday at noon EST). With a Kentucky win, it would claim the Lexington Regional in just three games. With a loss, the Lexington Regional Championship would be Monday.
Kentucky
WATCH: Kentucky five-star signee Jasper Johnson sinks longest shot in OTE history
One of the most exciting players committed to the Kentucky in the 2025 class is five-star guard Jasper Johnson. He is a Kentucky native but plays his current hoops for OTE in Atlanta where he is playing some great basketball.
So far on the season, Johnson is averaging 21 points, 5.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Johnson is shooting 50.4% from the field and 40.4% from three on the year. The sharpshooter has proven why he will be perfect for Mark Pope’s system.
Recently, in a game, Johnson had only a few seconds before the third quarter clock expired, so he threw up a shot from the three-point line of the other end of the floor and sank it for three. This is the type of shot that would send Rupp Arena into a frenzy.
Let’s take a look at the circus shot that Kentucky signee Johnson hit in one of his recent OTE games.
Here is the scouting report on Johnson from Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports, “Johnson is a southpaw scoring guard with solid positional size at 6-foot-4, a long 6-foot-8-inch wingspan, and a still lean frame. He’s smooth, slippery, and has extremely soft natural touch in all aspects of his individual offense. He’s a shot-maker first and foremost, with a high-arcing ball and great rotation. He’s capable of making some very tough shots off the catch and the dribble, including deep step-backs, and will also have a ton of gravity as a floor-spacing threat. He made 41% of his threes during his junior year at Link Academy, and while that number decreased to 28% during the recent EYBL season, that was more a reflection of his shot selection, with close to 8 attempts per game. He’s very crafty in the mid-range area, with a deep bag of runners, floaters, and wrong-footed finishes.”
Kentucky
'He punched the baby in the head’: Kentucky father sentenced for killing 1-year-old over video game loss – Times of India
A Kentucky man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday for the brutal killing of his one-month-old son, who he punched in the head after losing a video game. Anthony Trice, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Jefferson Circuit Court, concluding a chilling case that exposed the horrifying extent of violence inflicted on the infant.
The night of violence
The tragic incident unfolded on May 3, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky. Trice, left alone to care for his infant son, flew into a rage after losing a video game. In a fit of uncontrolled anger, he threw his controller across the room and then punched the baby in the head with his fist, causing devastating injuries.
As the child cried in distress, Trice attempted to prepare a bottle but dropped the infant during the process, further injuring him. Instead of seeking immediate medical help, he propped the baby up with a bottle in a bedroom and left to use the bathroom. By the time he returned, the infant was in severe distress. Trice called 911, and the baby was rushed to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
From criminal abuse to manslaughter
Initially charged with criminal abuse, Trice’s charges escalated to first-degree murder following the child’s death. Court records revealed the brutality of the attack, which left the baby fatally injured. Trice eventually entered an Alford plea to manslaughter, maintaining his innocence but conceding that evidence against him was sufficient for a conviction.
Family’s heartbreak
The baby’s family, devastated by the events, recalled their shock and disbelief. Speaking to WLKY, the child’s aunt shared that the baby had been left with Trice while the family attended Kentucky Derby weekend festivities. “We were talking about the clothes he got and what we were about to get him,” she said, still struggling to comprehend the violence that unfolded.
The child’s grandmother also expressed her outrage. “I’m mad,” she said. “I would have never thought this would happen to our family.”
Kentucky
Nebraska lands Kentucky WR transfer Dane Key
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.
Matt Rhule sewed up a strong piece to the offensive puzzle for next season, landing former Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Key picked the Cornhuskers over Ole Miss, Georgia and others.
Rhule snagged Key at the perfect time, he’s coming off his best season with the Wildcats, securing a career-high 47 receptions and receiving yards in 715 yards.
Key’s consistency will make him an instant impact player for Nebraska next season. He’s been a starter since his true freshman season and accumulated 1,870 yards on 126 receptions and scored 14 touchdowns.
Key checked in at No. 13 overall in the Rivals Portal rankings.
Stay locked in on the Rivals Transfer Tracker to keep up with the latest transfer news, portal entries, commitments, and rankings. For a deep-dive into the transfer portal, make sure you visit the Rivals Transfer Search page.
The Rivals Transfer Portal X account is a must-follow for any college football fan.
The winter college football transfer portal window is scheduled to open on December 9th, 2024 for 20 days. Additionally, players have a 30-day window to transfer when their head coach leaves. There is also a five-day window for players to transfer after their team has finished postseason play. A 10-day transfer window will open on April 16th as well.
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