Well, that was gross.
Tennessee did what it really shouldn’t do: lose a series to the Kentucky Wildcats, and lose it at home at that. Kentucky delivered that on Sunday with an 8-2 win over the Vols to take the series 2 games to 1.
The Vols saw themselves stifled by an opposing UK pitcher for the second straight day, this time by lefty Ben Cleaver, who was sharp (pun completely intended) for 7 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with 7 strikeouts. The only runs off UK pitching came in the sixth, when Hunter Ensley sent one over the wall in left field to plate himself and Dalton Bargo.
The game came apart in the late innings, as UK plated five runs over the final two frames to push the game from rally cap time to heading for the exits.
Tennessee dropped their second straight home series, so things aren’t going nearly as swimmingly as they were earlier in the season, to speak the obvious. UT dropped the last two games two weeks ago to lose the series to Texas A&M. Lefty Liam Doyle has been MLB first round pick worthy, and that’s carried UT the last two home Friday games, but the Vols’ bats have gone completely in the tank, and the pitching – while far better this weekend against UK than against A&M, hasn’t been quite there. Starter Tegan Kuhns lasted 1.2 innings, allowing 2 earned runs. Nate Snead was tagged for 3 over 3.2 in relief, and Tanner Franklin allowed 2 ER in 0.2.
Tennessee returns to action on Tuesday against Lipscomb at home before traveling to Baton Rouge for a tricky weekend series against the LSU Tigers.