Kentucky Outscores Tennessee to Win Series 2-1 in SEC Showdown

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers fell to the Kentucky Wildcats 8-2 on Sunday, losing the rubber match of their three-game Southeastern Conference series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. With this victory, Kentucky captures the series 2-1.

Tennessee (33-6, 12-5 SEC) entered the game after winning the series opener but struggled against the Wildcats (21-15, 7-10 SEC), who managed to revitalize their season with the series win. The Vols dominated the first game, 8-2, but lost 4-1 in Saturday’s contest, forcing this decisive third game.

Kentucky proved to be resilient, led by strong pitching performances. Starter Nic McCay stifled the Tennessee bats, allowing just two hits during his time on the mound. Tony Vitello, Tennessee’s head coach, acknowledged the challenge posed by McCay’s performance after the game, saying, “He utilized his stuff really well, and the hitters had a tough time getting in the groove.”

In the series opener, Tennessee’s Liam Doyle bounced back after a shaky start, giving up a two-run home run in the first inning but then settled down, throwing six scoreless innings and striking out nine. However, the Vols weren’t able to replicate that offensive energy on Sunday.

The game took a turn in the second inning when Kentucky struck first with a two-run single from Ryan Schwartz, capitalizing on defensive errors from Tennessee. The Wildcats maintained control, extending their lead in subsequent innings.

Tanner Wiggins, Tennessee’s relief pitcher, was hit in the mouth by a foul ball during the game. Vitello reported, “Wiggy took the foul ball square in the mouth area… It’s not a good night for us, but he seems to be alright for now.” Wiggins’ injury added to the tension in the dugout as Tennessee faced adversity.

Tennessee failed to score until the sixth inning when Hunter Ensley hit a two-run homer, briefly threatening Kentucky’s dominance. Despite that effort, the Wildcats answered back with a flurry of runs in the eighth inning, leaving Tennessee with no chance for a comeback.

The Volunteers’ recent success included a series win against then-No. 6 Ole Miss, helping them move up in the D1 Baseball Top 25 rankings. However, the loss on Sunday reminded them of the inconsistencies they’ve faced this season.

Kentucky’s coach, Nick Mingione, expressed pride in his team’s resilience, saying, “Every game we’ve played has been a challenge, but we fought hard every time. The series win is a huge boost for us.”

Looking forward, Tennessee hopes to reset before their next series as they aim to find their rhythm after this tough competition. The loss against Kentucky marked their second consecutive defeat in the series, a trend Vitello hopes to address moving forward into the remainder of the season.