SCORE: Tennessee 2, Kentucky 12 | FINAL (8 inn run-rule – Kentucky clinches series 2-0)

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Tennessee baseball (30-16, 10-12 SEC) is set to battle the Kentucky Wildcats (28-15, 10-12 SEC) Saturday in game two of a three-game series in Lexington.

First pitch at Kentucky Proud Park is at 2:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

For a full preview of the series, including first pitch times, broadcast details and a prediction, click HERE.

Tennessee enters Saturday’s game coming off a disappointing 9-2 series-opening loss to the Cats.

UT’s offense was shut down by UK starter Ben Cleaver, and Tegan Kuhns had his worst outing in over a month moving back to the Friday night role.

Read about Tennessee’s Friday loss below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball’s Offense Shut Down in Series-Opening Loss to Kentucky

Tennessee entered the weekend on a relative hot streak, having won two of its past three series. In the last three, the Vols swept Mississippi State, took one of three against Ole Miss and won two of three against Alabama.

In seven of the past nine SEC contests coming into the weekend, Tennessee’s offense had looked completely different than it did in the first half of the season. The Vols were displaying more power and consistency. Situational hitting was a strong suit.

But in game one at Kentucky, Tennessee cooled off at the plate, totaling just four hits in seven innings against Kentucky starter Ben Cleaver before scoring its only runs against the bullpen in the eighth.

Tennessee’s starting pitching has remained great aside from Landon Mack in the past couple of weeks. As a result, Mack was bumped to Sunday after serving as the Friday night guy for the past month. Tegan Kuhns started Friday and Evan Blanco is handling game two duties.

But Kuhns struggled in his return to the series opener role, allowing six runs in 6.0 innings after allowing just three runs in all of April.

ROTATION CHANGE: Tennessee Baseball Mixing Up Starting Rotation For This Weekend’s Series At Kentucky

Freshman relief pitcher Cam Appenzeller’s recent dip in production has been a troubling development for Tennessee, as time and time again, bullpen arms beyond Appenzeller, Brandon Arvidson and Bo Rhudy have proved to be unreliable.

Bullpen depth is Tennessee’s biggest problem now, but it can be avoided if starting pitching and a handful of top bullpen arms can perform well on a weekly basis.

Appenzeller started Tuesday’s midweek game against West Georgia and looked good in an opener role.

WHY APPENZELLER STARTED: Josh Elander Explains Why Cam Appenzeller Started For Tennessee Against West Georgia

Weeks ago, it was uncertain if Tennessee could do enough to make the NCAA Tournament. After winning six of its last nine SEC games, it is very likely the Vols make the dance. In fact, it is more likely Tennessee hosts than misses the tournament to begin May. But a loss Saturday would all but squash any lingering hopes of hosting.

BRACKETOLOGY: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Latest NCAA Tournament Field of 64 Projections

Opponent Scout

Kentucky came out the gates hot in SEC play, sweeping Alabama in Lexington to begin its conference slate. But the Wildcats have lost six straight series since. They have done a good job avoiding disaster, winning one game every weekend to keep them in striking distance of an NCAA Tournament appearance,

But the Wildcats likely need to get at least one more series win to make the NCAA Tournament. They had a disappointing performance last weekend, dropping two of three games against South Carolina.

With a road series against Florida and a home series against Arkansas left on the schedule, the Wildcats desperately need to win this series.

• 2025 Record: 31-26 (13-17 SEC)
• 2025 Postseason: NCAA Clemson Regional (2-2)
• 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 11^th  
• Head Coach: Nick Mingione
  • Overall Record: 320-207 (10^th year)
  • Record at UK: Same
• Preseason All-Conference Selections (2):
  • SS Tyler Bell (1^st Team), SP Ben Cleaver (2^nd Team)

SERIES HISTORY

• Overall: Tennessee leads, 184-159
• In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 104-74
• In Lexington: Kentucky leads, 83-76
• At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 4-2
• Last 10 Meetings: Tied, 5-5
• Last Meeting: May 1, 2026 (L, 9-2 in Lexington)

Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics

Prediction: Tennessee wins two of three.

It was a disappointing Friday. The offense fell flat against a lefty that shoved in Ben Cleaver, and Tegan Kuhns underwhelmed. The good news is Tennessee has all its top bullpen arms ready to go in games two and three.

Tennessee has been horrible in series openers but good in games two and three as of late. I’ll side with Evan Blanco in game two to give Tennessee a long outing, allowing more than one top bullpen arm to be available for the series finale Sunday.

Tennessee is a better team than Kentucky. It should win this series.

POLLS:

• D1 Baseball: Unranked
• USA Today Coaches Poll: Unranked
• Baseball America: No. 24
• Perfect Game: Unranked
• NCBWA: Unranked

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

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing the Ole Miss series, click HERE.

WATCH: Josh Elander Reacts to Series-Opening Loss to 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: 

KENTUCKY STARTING NINE: 

CF Jayce Tharnish (R)

SS Tyler Bell (S)

2B Luke Lawrence (L)

1B Ethan Hindle (R)

RF Braxton Van Cleave (L)

LF Scott Campbell Jr. (R)

DH Hudson Brown (L)

3B Caeden Cloud (R)

C Owen Jenkins (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Sr. LHP Evan Blanco (5-2, 3.84 ERA, 11 app., 11 starts, 61.0 IP, 48 H, 30 H, 26 R, 20 ER, 75 K, 22 XBH, .211 opp. batting avg., 1.11 WHIP)

vs.

Wildcats Jr. RHP Jaxon Jelkin (6-2, 3.96 ERA, 11 app., 11 starts, 63.2 IP, 57 H, 36 R, 28 ER, 16 BB, 69 K, 14 XBH, .236 opp. batting avg., 1.16 WHIP)

Pitching Notes:

• Blanco gets his first game two start of the year. He’s been the Sunday, or series finale, guy all year and has been remarkable.
  • With Tennessee pushing a struggling Landon Mack to Sunday, Blanco gets the game two nod.
• The former Nebraska Cornhusker and Houston Cougar, Jaxon Jelkin, has been hit or miss.
  • He has great outings under his belt this year (2 R in 8.0 IP vs Vandy, 4 R in 7.0 IP vs. Mizzou, 2 R in 8.0 IP vs. LSU, 1 R in 7.0 IP vs. Ole Miss)
  • But has also gotten touched up a bit, including last week (8 R in 6.0 IP vs. SC, 8 R in 2.0 IP vs. Auburn, 5 R in 5.0 IP vs. Citadel)
  • If Jelkin is on, it could pose issues for UT, but the Vols typically fare better against righties

Uniforms

Tennessee: Dark Mode (grey pants)

Kentucky: White tops and bottoms with camo hats and blue accents

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*NOTES*

• Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Kentucky leads by 10 or more runs at the end of the seventh inning or later, the game is over.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Garrett Wright pops up to 1B.

-Henry Ford strikes out looking.

-Blake Grimmer strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Jayce Tharnish flies out to LF at the warning track.

-Tyler Bell HBP.

• 3-2 pitch. Hit right on the hand and Bell needs a moment with trainers.
• Bell is staying in the game.
• LONG discussion from umpires on whether it was a foul ball. Clearly a HBP. No idea what that was.

-Luke Lawrence strikes out swinging.

• 8-pitch at-bat. Lawrence fouled off four.

-Ethan Hindle strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to SS.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

• 7-pitch at-bat.

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

• 7-pitch at-bat. Went around on strike three.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Braxton Van Cleave grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Scott Campbell Jr. grounds out to SS.

-Hudson Brown flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Manny Marin flies out to 2B in right field.

• Nice play by Lawrence. Wind carried it quite a bit

-Stone Lawless strikes out looking.

• Tennessee really struggling with Jelkin’s off-speed

-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Caeden Cloud pokes a solo homer to right field.

• First hit of the game. Second baserunner.

-Owen Jenkins strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Jayce Tharnish HBP.

-Tyler Bell destroys a two-run homer to left field.

• Punished it, no doubter.

Tennessee calls a mound meeting.

-Luke Lawrence singles through the left side.

-Ethan Hindle grounds out to SS. Lawrence to second.

-Braxton Van Cleave flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 3

4th Inning: 

T4

-Garrett Wright flies out to RF.

-Henry Ford flies out to LF at the warning track.

• Looked like a homer off the bat. Wind kept it in.

-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Scott Campbell Jr. strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Hudson Brown smokes a solo homer to right-center.

-Caeden Cloud works a walk.

• 7-pitch at-bat

-Owen Jenkins grounds out to 3B. Cloud to second.

-Jayce Tharnish strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 4

5th Inning: 

T5

-Trent Grindlinger doubles to right field.

• First baserunner, first hit for Tennessee today.

-Reese Chapman drives an RBI double to right-center. Grindlinger scores.

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

• Breaking ball got him for strike three, as it has many UT hitters. Jelkin at 8 Ks

-Manny Marin flies out to RF. Chapman to third.

-Stone Lawless flies out to RF.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Tyler Bell out at first 1B to P.

-Luke Lawrence grounds out to 2B.

-Ethan Hindle grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Wildcats 4

6th Inning: 

T6

-Blaine Brown ropes a solo homer to right field.

• 13th HR of the season.

-Garrett Wright singles to 3B on a bunt.

• Took advantage of infield playing back. Savvy move.

Wright steals second.

-Henry Ford flies out to CF.

-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.

-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Braxton Van Cleave doubles to right field off the wall.

-Scott Campbell Jr. singles to 3B on a bunt.

• Tremendous bunt and speed on display from Campbell. Ford was prepared for it.

*Pitching change: RHP Brayden Krenzel (2-3, 6.14 ERA) in to pitch for Blanco*

-Hudson Brown works a walk.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Caeden Cloud.

-Caeden Cloud RBI HBP. Van Cleave scores.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Owen Jenkins.

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ethan Baiotto (2-0, 4.60 ERA) in to pitch for Krenzel*

-Owen Jenkins reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to 2B. Cloud out at second, 4-6. Brown to third. Campbell scores.

• Ball was too slow for Tennessee to turn two. Slow hopper to second.

-Jayce Tharnish reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to SS. Jenkins out at second, 6-4. Brown scores.

• Should’ve been an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play but Blake Grimmer makes a poor throw to first, preventing the routine double play.
• No error given to Grimmer officially though it should’ve been a routine 6-4-3

Tharnish steals second.

• Tennessee CHALLENGED the ruling and the call was upheld.

-Tyler Bell flies out to LF.

• Great diving catch by Blaine Brown.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 7

7th Inning: 

T7

-Reese Chapman flies out to CF in right-center.

-Levi Clark grounds out to SS.

-Manny Marin grounds out to P.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Luke Lawrence grounds out to 2B.

-Ethan Hindle powers a solo homer to left field.

-Braxton Van Cleave shoots a single through the right side.

-Scott Campbell legs out a bunt single to 3B.

• Another great bunt from Campbell.

*Cameron Owens pinch-running for Van Cleave*

-Hudson Brown HBP.

• Bases loaded with one out for Caeden Cloud
• Kentucky a swing away from the run rule. Cloud has already homered today.

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Will Haas (0-0, 7.20 ERA) in to pitch for Baiotto*

-Caeden Cloud delivers a two-run double into right-center. Owens and Campbell score. Brown to third.

-Owen Jenkins grounds out to 3B.

Brown scores on a wild pitch. Cloud to third.

-Jayce Tharnish grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 11

8th Inning: 

T8

*Will Marcy to RF for Owens*

-Stone Lawless grounds out to 3B.

-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.

-Garrett Wright strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

• Jelkin three outs away from a complete game. At 105 pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Tyler Bell doubles to left field.

*Pitching change: RHP Brady Frederick in to pitch for Haas*

-Luke Lawrence drives an RBI single through the left side to end the game.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 12

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 2, Kentucky Wildcats 12 (FINAL – 8 inn. run-rule)