Tennessee Falls to Kentucky in 13 Innings

Jordan Beck chased a fly ball to the wall in the bottom of the 10th inning on Thursday.

He leaped, made the grab, and robbed Hunter Jump of what would have been a three-run, walk-off homer in Lexington — a second defensive masterpiece after Beck had gunned down a runner at the plate earlier in the night.

Three innings later, Beck’s would-be heroics went up in smoke.

Buoyed by several potential game-winning opportunities, Kentucky finally broke through in the bottom of the 13th when Alonzo Rubalcaba scored John Thrasher on a two-out walk-off RBI single.

The 3-2 Kentucky win hands the Vols (41-5, 19-3) their first road loss of the season and third conference loss of the year on a night where UT matched its season low in runs scored.

Tennessee — which averages roughly 9.5 runs per game — also scored just two runs in losses to Texas and Tennessee Tech.

Inability to take advantage 

The Vols started off well in Lexington, plating one run in the top of the second off an RBI single.

But after a Cortland Lawson walk scored one for a 2-0 lead in the third, Tennessee’s scoring went deathly quiet.

UT left a season-high 15 runners on base  — nine in the first three innings — despite working its way to 12 walks on the night.

A pair of solo homers tied the game for Kentucky in the fourth inning, and Beck came close to a two-run home run in the eighth.

But, before Beck returned the favor, his own bomb was snagged to prevent a UT lead.

Neither team scored a run from the third inning to the 13th before UK walked it off.

The Vols specifically went seven innings without a hit, ranging from Luc Lipcius' infield single in the third to Jorel Ortega's single leading off the 11th. 

They didn't have an extra-base hit for the second time this season — the first time was the Tennessee Tech loss at Smokies Stadium.

Clutch pitching keeps Vols in it

Redmond Walsh closed the ninth inning by forcing an easy out to Ortega, though Kentucky had runners on first and second at the time.

Then Ben Joyce got plenty of help from Beck in the 10th before Mark McLaughlin — who inherited a runner in scoring position with no outs — managed three strikeouts and left Kentucky’s winning run stranded on third in the 11th.

But Tyler Guilfoil did the same for the Wildcats, flummoxing Tennessee throughout the night.

Vols go deep in bullpen

Chase Burns got the start for Tennessee Thursday and gave up the aforementioned UK homers.

Will Mabrey took over in the fifth before Camden Sewell entered in relief.

Sewell showed signs of discomfort in the bottom of the seventh, then was replaced by Redmond Walsh — who made his program-best 94th appearance for the Vols..

Joyce and Mark McLaughlin closed the night, with Joyce giving up the potential game-winner-turned-Beck-highlight and McLaughlin ultimately taking the loss.

In total, the Vols rotated through six pitchers in 13 innings of action.

Game 2 is set for Friday, with Blade Tidwell set to take the bump for Tennessee.