SCORE: Tennessee 1, Kentucky 4 | FINAL (Series tied 1-1)

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No. 4 Tennessee baseball (33-5, 12-4 SEC) is set to battle the Kentucky Wildcats (20-15, 6-10 SEC) Saturday in game two of a three-game series in Knoxville.

First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 6:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

For a full preview of the series, including pitching matchups, storylines and a prediction, click here.

Tennessee enters Saturday coming off a dominant 8-2 series-opening win over Kentucky on Friday. The Vols fell behind 2-0 in the first but went on to score eight unanswered runs.

Starting pitcher Liam Doyle bounced back beautifully after giving up a two-run homer in the first, giving up just two more hits in six scoreless innings. In total, Doyle struck out nine in 7.0 innings and threw 101 pitches. Tanner Franklin finished the game dealing a pair of scoreless innings.

RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Takes Series Opener Against Kentucky

Before Friday, Tennessee picked up a 13-3 run-rule midweek win over Bellarmine that followed a series win last weekend at (then) No. 6 Ole Miss.

The Vols used a career-best outing from Liam Doyle to win game one before taking the series rubber match, 10-8, on Sunday. Reese Chapman hit a go-ahead two-run bomb in the ninth, allowing the Big Orange to claim a pivotal victory in the high-scoring affair.

The Vols lost game two due to a subpar Marcus Phillips start and poor situational hitting.

With the series win, Tennessee moved up one spot in this week’s D1 Baseball Top 25 rankings. See where Tennessee landed in all five major polls below.

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Rankings After Series Win Over Ole Miss

The Ole Miss series win was a massive one for Tennessee, as it prevented back-to-back series losses for the Vols. Tennessee dropped its first series of the season and first since early March of 2024 two weeks ago against Texas A&M.

But the A&M series is an outlier on Tennessee’s otherwise dominant season so far. The Vols own road series wins over Top 15 teams Alabama and Ole Miss as well as series sweeps over Florida and South Carolina.

BLOSSOMING: Liam Doyle ‘Learning To Pitch’ And ‘Blossoming’ For Tennessee Baseball

Tennessee is fairly healthy this weekend. Star junior infielder Gavin Kilen returned to the starting lineup last weekend and remains in the lineup Saturday. With Kilen still working his way back to 100% from a hamstring injury, he will remain the designated hitter for the time being.

Additionally, RHP AJ Russell is back firmly in the weekend pitching fold for the Vols. Expect Russell to get a clean inning out of the bullpen at some point this weekend, potentially Saturday against the Wildcats.

While Russell and Kilen are full-go’s, as well as Chris Newstrom who was out all three games of the Ole Miss series with an illness, talented freshman reliever Brayden Krenzel is out for the entirety of the Kentucky series with an illness.

Krenzel’s absence is a blow to the bullpen, specifically for Sunday. Read more about Krenzel’s status HERE.

Injury/Availability Notes

• RHP Brayden Krenzel is OUT for the entirety of the series with an illness.
• UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.

Opponent Scout

Kentucky was an Omaha team last year but has come back down to Earth a bit in 2025.

The Wildcats are 6-10 so far in league play and own just one SEC series win (Texas A&M). However, Kentucky has played every opponent tough in its grueling schedule thus far and is just a handful of runs away from being a Top 10 team.

Head coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth year in Lexington. His 2025 squad contains two Preseason All-Conference selections in catcher Devin Burkes and pitcher Robert Hogan, who tossed 2.2 innings on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday should be closer battles with Liam Doyle no longer on the mound for the Vols. A Tennessee sweep would be very impressive.

Prediction: Tennessee wins two of three.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Following Series-Opening Win Over Kentucky

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast, featuring a discussion of where Tennessee baseball is at halfway through SEC play, click here.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello Recaps Series-Opening Win Over Kentucky

Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

2B Dean Curley (R)

DH Gavin Kilen (L)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

3B Dalton Bargo (L)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

SS Manny Marin (R)

LF Jay Abernathy (L)

C Stone Lawless (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Stone Lawless behind the plate, his first SEC start since the Texas A&M series.
• Manny Marin gets his third straight start at shortstop. He went 1-4 at the plate Friday and has been solid overall as of late.
• Dean Curley remains at second base for the third straight game. He has struggled defensively so far this season on the left side of the infield.
• With Curley at second, Dalton Bargo starts at third.
• Jay Abernathy gets the start in left field over Chris Newstrom, who started Friday.

KENTUCKY STARTING NINE: 

SS Tyler Bell (S)

1B Hudson Brown (L)

DH Kyuss Gargett (S)

CF Carson Hansen (L)

3B Patrick Herrera (R)

DH Dylan Koontz (L)

C Devin Burkes (R)

2B Luke Lawrence (L)

LF Ryan Schwartz (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. RHP Marcus Phillips (2-2, 3.30 ERA, 9 app., 9 starts, 1 CGSO, 43.2 IP, 33 H, 19 R, 16 ER, 13 BB, 54 K, 11 XBH, .205 opp. batting avg., 1.05 WHIP)

vs.

Wildcats Sr. RHP Nic McCay (3-0, 3.64 ERA, 9 app., 9 starts, 42.0 IP, 24 H, 20 R, 17 ER, 26 BB, 39 K, 9 XBH, .167 opp. batting avg., 1.19 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Phillips will look to bounce back after a pair of subpar outings. He got hit around two weeks ago against Texas A&M and struggled with command last week at Ole Miss.
• Dylan Loy, Nate Snead and AJ Russell will likely be the top arms out of the bullpen today as the Vols look to wrap up the series.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Orange shirts, white pants

Kentucky: Grey shirts and pants with grey caps and blue accents

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*NOTES*

• The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Kentucky leads by 10 or more runs after the 7th inning, the game is over.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Tyler Bell infield single.

• Soft chopper that looked like it was going to be a 3-1 putout, but Fischer slipped.

Bell steals second.

• Lawless would have thrown him out but lost the ball on the exchange.

-Hudson Brown strikes out swinging.

Bell steals third.

-Kyuss Gargett works a walk.

Gargett steals second.

-Carson Hansen strikes out swinging on three pitches.

• Went around on a check swing for strike three.

-Patrick Herrera grounds out to 3B.

• Nice job by Bargo to get in front of a very hard-hit ball.
• Phillips strands a pair after some early trouble that wasn’t all his own doing.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Dean Curley strikes out looking.

-Gavin Kilen singles up the middle.

-Andrew Fischer is walked on four pitches.

-Hunter Ensley lines out to CF.

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Dylan Koontz singles to left field.

Koontz steals second.

-Devin Burkes strikes out looking.

-Luke Lawrence grounds out to SS. Koontz to third.

• Really great play by Manny Marin, who was able to nab a ground ball up the middle and perfectly execute the 6-3 putout.

-Ryan Schwartz strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging on three pitches, out at first C to 1B.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Tyler Bell doubles to right-center.

-Hudson Brown reaches on a fielding error by SS. Bell scores on the error.

• Marin got his glove on it but it ricocheted into the outfield. Looked like Marin already had his mind on the throw before hauling it in.

-Kyuss Gargett grounds out to 3B. Brown to second.

• Nice charge by Bargo.

-Carson Hansen strikes out swinging.

Brown steals third, scores on a throwing error by C.

• Lawless’ throw was low and outside.

-Patrick Herrera singles to center.

Herrera steals second.

Herrera steals third.

-Dylan Koontz works a walk.

Koontz steals second.

• Eight stolen bases for Kentucky.

-Devin Burkes strikes out swinging.

• Big K from Phillips to strand a pair.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Stone Lawless flies out to RF.

-Dean Curley singles to right-center.

-Gavin Kilen works a walk.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 2

4th Inning: 

T4

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Manny Marin*

-Luke Lawrence flies out to LF at the warning track.

-Ryan Schwartz doubles down the LF line.

• Bargo leapt for it but he just missed it.

-Tyler Bell strikes out looking on three pitches.

-Hudson Brown works a walk.

-Kyuss Gargett strikes out swinging.

• Went around on a check swing for strike three.
• 8 Ks through four for Phillips (ties a career-high)

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Dalton Bargo strikes out looking.

-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.

-Ariel Antigua works a walk.

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 2

5th Inning: 

T5

Tanner Wiggins was hit by a foul ball. Was down in the dugout for a while and trainers tended to him. He eventually got up and went back to the locker room.

-Carson Hansen grounds out to SS.

-Patrick Herrera grounds out to P, interference.

• Phillips fielded Herrera’s bunt and threw to first, but Fischer couldn’t make the catch because Herrera was running inside the line. Play stood after review. Right call.

-Dylan Koontz works a walk.

-Devin Burkes flies out to CF.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Stone Lawless*

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 2B.

-Dean Curley grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Gavin Kilen strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 2

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: So. LHP Dylan Loy (4-0, 1.72 ERA) on to pitch for Phillips*

-Luke Lawrence singles to right field.

-Ryan Schwartz singles to left field. Lawrence to second.

Schwartz steals second, Lawrence steals third.

-Tyler Bell HBP.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Hudson Brown

-Hudson Brown sends an RBI groundout to 2B.

-Kyuss Gargett knocks a sac fly to RF. Bell stays at second.

*Cole Hage pinch-hitting for Carson Hansen*

*Pitching change: So. LHP Brandon Arvidson (2-0, 4.41 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*

-Cole Hage strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

*Hage to LF*

*Schwartz to RF*

*Griffin Cameron to CF for Gargett*

-Andrew Fischer flies out to CF.

-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF.

-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 4

7th Inning: 

T7

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Russell (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Arvidson*

• SEC debut for Russell this season.

-Patrick Herrera grounds out to SS.

-Dylan Koontz flies out to CF in left-center.

• Really nice catch by Ensley. Used his speed to get there and made a great running catch.

-Devin Burkes flies out to CF.

• Another good running catch from Ensley.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Reese Chapman flies out to RF.

-Ariel Antigua grounds out to SS.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out looking.

• McCay has retired 10 straight.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 4

8th Inning: 

T8

-Luke Lawrence pops up to SS.

-Ryan Schwartz grounds out to 3B.

• Tremendous play by Dalton Bargo. Dove to stop it along the LF line then fired the throw to first in time. Gets a loud applause from the fans in LNS.

-Tyler Bell works a walk.

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Michael Sharman (1-0, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Russell*

-Hudson Brown fouls out to LF.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*James McCoy to 1B for Hudson Brown*

*Shaun Montoya to RF for Ryan Schwartz*

-Cannon Peebles strikes out looking.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Gavin Kilen reaches on a fielding error by LF, advances to second on the error.

• Ball looked gone off the bat. Gets caught up in the warning track but the left-fielder drops it allowing Kilen to reach second. Ball had a tricky flight pattern.
• First baserunner for Tennessee since B4. McCay had retired 12 straight.

Kentucky challenged the ruling that it was a fair ball. The ruling stood after quick review.

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Jackson Nove (0-2, 4.63 ERA) on to pitch for McCay*

-Andrew Fischer works a walk.

-Hunter Ensley smacks an RBI single through the left side to score Kilen. Fischer to second.

-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Wildcats 4

9th Inning: 

T9

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Breedlove (2-0, 1.35 ERA) on to pitch for Sharman*

-Griffin Cameron grounds out to 2B.

• Great play by Curley. Dove to get the ball then made the throw to first in time. Some good defense from Tennessee in the back half of this one.

-Cole Hage strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Patrick Herrera is walked on four pitches.

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Andrew Behnke (2-0, 5.68 ERA) on to pitch for Breedlove*

Herrera picked off, 1-3-6.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

*Chris Newstrom pinch-hitting for Ariel Antigua*

-Chris Newstrom strikes out swinging.

*Levi Clark pinch-hitting for Jay Abernathy*

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

END OF GAME

Score: Vols 1, Wildcats 4

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 1, Kentucky Wildcats 4