Bat Cats' Comeback Bid Falls Short, Tennessee Takes Series In 10-7 Thriller

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Kentucky may need to get in contact with The Undertaker if it plans on trying to dig out of holes for the rest of the season.

The No. 17 Bat Cats continued to show gusto on the diamond at Lindsey Nelson Stadium against No. 23 Tennessee, but they're still without a win in an important SEC series as the Volunteers swiped game two in exhilarating fashion, 10-7.

The Vols (35-16, 14-12 SEC) leaned on a pair of four-run innings in the early goings on Saturday afternoon while Kentucky's (34-15, 14-12) two three-run innings in the sixth and seventh weren't enough to get it over the hump.

Third baseman Zane Denton delivered a crushing two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to give UT an important three-run cushion — that was once seven runs. Kentucky continued to live by its never-quit mantra, but found itself one or two hits shy of completing what would've been a miraculous comeback.

Tennessee left fielder Jared Dickey bruised a no-doubt grand slam in the fourth and was one of four Vols with two hits. Émilien Pitre had two doubles and three RBIs for UK in the loss and was one of nine Cats who recorded a base knock.

Similar to the beginning of Friday night's 10-6 win for the Volunteers, Kentucky had a seamless start on defense. Left-hander Tyler Bosma needed only four pitches to retire the side, besting game-one starter Travis Smith, who threw just nine.

The quick start again turned tumultuous in a hurry for the Cats, however. Bosma didn't lose control or crumble under pressure, he just couldn't land put-away pitches. The Miami (Ohio) transfer faced seven batters in the second inning and allowed five singles, the last of which was a two-run slapper to left field off the bat of shortstop Maui Ahuna, plating runs No. 3 and 4, putting Kentucky in another early deficit.

Bosma (4-4) threw 29 pitches in the inning before he was pulled with one out, in what was the second shortest outing of his two-season Kentucky career.

Grant Smith put Kentucky on the board in the top of the third with a line drive solo shot to the tents in left field, his fourth homer of the season and first since April 1. That would be one of only hard-hit balls allowed by Tennessee starter Chase Dollander (6-5), who pitched into the sixth inning and struck out six on Saturday.

Kentucky turned to Austin Strickland out of the bullpen, asking for some long relief from the right-hander. Tennessee found early success against him as well, setting the table with two singles and a fielder's choice to load the bases in the bottom of the fourth.

Strickland then threw one of the only mistake-pitches he made all game, hanging a first-pitch breaking ball to Dickey, resulting in the LF smushing a grand slam off the scoreboard in right field to make it 8-1 Vols in a hurry.

"We got to start better and give us a chance to not only get a lead, but then add to your lead," Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione said postgame. "When we do that, then you may be closing out the game instead of trying to play catch-up. It becomes really difficult when you're trying to play catch-up."

Once again being presented with the option to quit and take its lumps, Kentucky instead opted to punch back as it found itself in a similar position to Friday night.

After going scoreless in the fourth and fifth, the Cats finally got to Dollander in the sixth. First baseman Hunter Gilliam and Pitre each doubled, with the latter driving home two runs to begin the comeback bid, making it 8-3. That led to the exit of the Vols' starter, who gave up just the three earned on five hits.

In came righty Camden Sewell to take things over on the mound, but it was the catcher Cal Stark who made an emphatic play, picking off Pitre at second base during the next at-bat, wiping away what would've become another run for UK.

Jase Felker and Reuben Church each singled before James McCoy drove his third double of the series to the wall in left field, scoring what should've been two runs, but was only one.

Now down four, Strickland remained settled in and stranded a runner in the bottom half of the inning, completing his fourth and final frame of work that witnessed no additional damage following the big swing from Dickey. With momentum in hand, the Cats pursued the lead harder in the seventh.

"We've gotten some great mileage out of (Strickland). Every time he takes the mound, he's so competitive, he's gonna give us a chance and just love his competitive spirit, the way he attacks, got a bunch of key outs for us today," Mingione said of the RHP. "He won't be available tomorrow, but we're going to continue to need him."

Jackson Gray led off the inning with a single, marking his fifth multi-hit outing in the last six games. A walk later brought Pitre back up to the dish with one out, leading to another double from the three-hole hitter, plating another run to make it 8-5.

Officially in the danger zone, Tennessee brought in the heavy artillery in flame-throwing righty Chase Burns. Up stepped a game Felker, who proceeded to work the best at-bat of his senior season.

After falling in an 0-2 hole, Burns flung a wild pitch to the backstop that allowed a run to score, bringing the Cats within two. The UK third baseman then proceeded to foul off four more pitches before shooting a single the other way into left, bringing Pitre home and putting the tying run on base.

Felker stole second and third, but Burns stopped the bleeding there as an eerie feel camped over top of Lindsey Nelson Stadium. In an attempt to ride the momentum, UK turned to Knoxville native Ryan Hagenow in the bottom of the seventh.

Th midseason All-American had struggled his last few times out, and unfortunately for the Cats, that trend didn't end on Saturday. He allowed a pair of singles, putting runners on the corners with no outs. That was all Mingione needed to see from the junior, as he gave him the hook and brought in the trusty Mason Moore.

Damage was unavoidable, however, as Denton broke through with the bases juiced, serving a two-run double over the head of Ryan Waldschmidt in left, putting Tennessee back ahead by three, where it would remain for the final two frames.

Kentucky had runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth, but Denton continued to be the man of the hour, as he made a brilliant diving play to rob Gilliam of an RBI single, ending the threat. The Cats went one-two-three in the ninth as Burns locked in and pushed the Vols to a huge series win over their rival.

"Just one game at a time," Mingione said when asked about the message for Sunday. "That's when we're at our best, you know, when we're not looking ahead. That's not our focus. Our focus is everything we can do to win the game today and that'll be the focus tomorrow. What can we do to win that game on that particular day, so not looking too far down the road, but trying to focus on what we're doing at the moment."

Still with plenty to play for, Kentucky will look to duck the sweep and head home with a win on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. EST and will air on SEC Network+.

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