LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky is going back to the NCAA Baseball super regionals.

Only this time, the Wildcats will not be going anywhere.

Second-seeded Kentucky defeated Indiana State 5-0 on Sunday in the championship game of the Lexington Regional, and by virtue of that victory will be playing host to a super regional next week at Kentucky Proud Park for the first time in program history.

The Wildcats (43-14) will face the winner of the Corvallis Regional -- either 15-seed Oregon State or UC Irvine -- and are just two wins away from reaching the College World Series. UK remains the last SEC program that has never made the trip to Omaha.

"Proud of our guys," said Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione, who has guided his third team to a super regional since taking the job in 2017. "... To win three of these in seven seasons, after having zero in, I don't know, a hundred and how many years, I'm just so thankful for past players, coaches, staff, and everybody. This one's for you, Big Blue Nation.”

“We are not done,” the UK boss added in his postgame address to the fans who stayed to celebrate with the Cats.

A hearty crowd of 5,877 packed Kentucky Proud Park despite showers and storms that popped up around Lexington throughout the afternoon and delayed the start of the game by 90 minutes.

Once the game got underway, the Cats made it worth the wait. Kentucky scored a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Devin Burkes and never looked back.

A second-inning home run by Ryan Nicholson made it 2-0, and Nolan McCarthy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third inning to extend the lead to 3-0.

Indiana State (44-15) hung in there with the SEC co-champions until a two-run homer by Emilien Pitre broke the game open in the seventh.

With the pitching that Kentucky got from Mason Moore, Jackson Nove, and Cameron O'Brien, it only needed the first run of the game.

Moore (9-3) overcame a stomach bug that forced him to spend Saturday's win over Illinois separated from his teammates to pitch one of his best games of the season. The junior right-hander from Morehead tossed six innings of scoreless baseball, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out six.

"I could tell a little bit in warmups I wasn't feeling the greatest," said Moore, who received IV treatment leading up to the game. "But like BBN showing out really, and family and friends coming out, really wanting me to perform good. I think that helps out with adrenaline because I wasn't obviously at my best. I think with all that, it helped me get through the game today."

And Moore did it against one of the nation's top offensive clubs. The Sycamores had not been shut out in 138 games dating back to April of 2022.

"I thought he was in a way kind of effectively wild with some of the pitches he was throwing," said Indiana State third baseman Mike Sears. "... I don't know if they were trying to, but going in, going out. And he did a great job. He did. He really did."

Added ISU catcher Grant Magill: "He was just moving that sinker in and out. He peppers your hands one at-bat, and you can throw that on the outside and it looks like it's further away because you're all sped up. He was doing a good job mixing that in and out."

Kentucky had just eight hits on the night -- by eight different players -- but two of them left the park. The Cats also made several sensational defensive plays, including a double play turned by shortstop Grant Smith and second baseman Emilien Pitre and, perhaps the biggest play of the game, Smith's diving catch in shallow left field to help thwart an Indiana State scoring threat in the fifth inning when the score was still 3-0.

"Just a crazy play," Smith said with a smile. "I honestly don't even remember. I kind of blacked out. I thought me and (left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt) were going to collide, so I'm grateful that didn't happen."

Said Mingione: "He was going to do everything to get an out. He wasn't scared. He was fearless. It was amazing."

Indiana State head coach Mitch Hannahs said those type of plays make Kentucky a "nice club. They play all phases of the game."

Once Moore exited after throwing 106 pitches, southpaw Nove recorded two quick outs in the seventh inning, and O'Brien slammed the door with 2.1 sensational innings of work. The senior right-hander struck out five of the final nine Sycamores who came to the plate.

"I mean Cam had the look tonight," Mingione said. "He had the energy. He rammed multiple pitches in the strike zone. That's a guy that's thrown a lot of college baseball games... He was special tonight."

2024 NCAA Lexington Regional All-Tournament Team

(as voted on by media on site)

C: Devin Burkes, Kentucky

1B: Ryan Nicholson, Kentucky – Most Outstanding Player

2B: Emilien Pitre, Kentucky

3B: Michell Daly, Kentucky

SS: Randal Diaz, Indiana State

OF: Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky

OF: Dominic Listi, Indiana State

OF: Ryan Moerman, Illinois

DH: CJ Richmond, Western Michigan

P: Trey Pooser, Kentucky

P: Mason Moore, Kentucky

P: Brennyn Cutts, Indiana State

*****

2024 NCAA Baseball Lexington Regional

Kentucky Proud Park – Lexington, Ky. (All Times Eastern)

Friday, May 31

Game 1 – Kentucky def. Western Michigan 10-8

Game 2 – Illinois def. Indiana State 4-1

Saturday, June 1

Game 3 – Indiana State def. Western Michigan 6-4

Game 4 – Kentucky def. Illinois 6-1

Sunday, June 2

Game 5 – Indiana State def. Illinois 13-2

Game 6 – Kentucky def. Indiana State 5-0