How has Nick Mingione led Kentucky baseball to the top 10 this season? ‘Total chaos.’

On the surface, it seemed like a bold strategy to end a five-year NCAA Tournament drought. Two months later, Nick Mingione’s plan for the 2022 season has the Kentucky baseball team with bigger dreams than simply making the NCAA Tournament.

“You know what I’m looking for? Mass chaos,” Mingione said when asked at preseason media day about the 2023 Wildcats’ offensive philosophy. “We’re talking about stealing, hit-and-running, bunting, two-strike bunting, you name it. Going first to third, first to home, we’re just going to be super aggressive.

“We’re going to force our opponents to make plays.”

Kentucky (26-3, 8-1) travels to Georgia this weekend ranked 10th nationally by Baseball America, D1Baseball.com, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the USA Today Coaches Poll. With eight wins in nine conference games, Mingione’s squad is off to the best start in SEC play in program history.

Stellar pitching has been key in Kentucky’s ascendancy. Through Tuesday’s games, the Wildcats ranked third in the SEC in earned run average (3.11) and opponents’ batting average (.205).

But Kentucky ranks last in the SEC in home runs (22), 13th in slugging percentage (.462) and 12th in total bases (437).

How has Kentucky scored enough runs to back up its pitching prowess?

Chaos.

As Major League Baseball implements rule changes to increase the amount of balls in play and force teams to be less reliant on home runs to score, Mingione’s squad has already cashed in on that philosophy.

The Wildcats lead the SEC in stolen bases (56), stolen base attempts (73) and hit by pitches (70) and rank second in on-base percentage (.442).

“I think that’s a fun way to play,” Mingione said after Kentucky’s home opener. “It’s very similar to maybe an up-tempo style offense in football, to where maybe it’s just you’re just going. I think the guys enjoy it. I love playing that way, and I think it’s special for our fans.”

During its three-game sweep of No. 25 Missouri last weekend, Kentucky outscored the Tigers 25-3 despite hitting just three home runs in the series. Kentucky stole seven bases in the series.

While analytics experts have cast doubt on the value of sacrifice bunts at the professional level in recent years, moving runners is a key piece of Mingione’s strategy. Kentucky leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally in sacrifice bunts (28).

Giving away outs might be frowned upon at the sport’s highest level, but the calculus is different in college where the quality of defender is much lower. The chance of a defensive miscue anytime the ball is put in play cannot be discounted.

“This is part of what we do,” Mingione said after his team bunted five times in the home opener. “... This ballpark demands run prevention. Anytime we can get our opponents to come in a little bit more, it opens up our holes and forces them to make plays.”

Mingione’s chaos plan comes with risk.

Kentucky also leads the SEC in times caught stealing (17). When opposing defenders handle a bunt as planned, there will be times when giving away an out looks like the wrong decision in hindsight.

But it is difficult to argue with the results.

This weekend’s series at Georgia, which has just one win in nine SEC games, looks like an opportunity to continue to build a cushion in the quest to host a NCAA Tournament regional. The schedule gets more difficult with games at No. 12 Louisville and No. 1 LSU (coaches’ poll) next week. Series against No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 6 South Carolina, No. 8 Tennessee and No. 3 Florida remain.

Keeping those opponents off the scoreboard will be more difficult for Kentucky’s upstart pitching staff. The offense will need to do its part.

If Mingione’s squad is able to build on its current success, chaos will be the key.

This weekend

No. 10 Kentucky at Georgia

Friday: 6 p.m (SEC Network Plus)

Saturday: 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)

Sunday: Noon (SEC Network)

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