No. 2/4 Tennessee struggled at the plate for the second straight day and was unable to salvage a series win on Sunday, falling 8-2 to Kentucky in the finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols managed just six hits and two runs, with the side being retired three times following leadoff hits, stalling any offensive momentum. UT also committed two errors and allowed six stolen bases, adding to Kentucky's 11-hit, eight-run output.
Wildcats' starter Ben Cleaver earned the win, striking out seven over seven innings.
His two earned runs came on a two-run homer by
Hunter Ensley.
Ensley's blast, his seventh of the season, trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh,
Cannon Peebles caught a runner stealing,
Andrew Fischer made a diving stop for the second out and
Nate Snead ended the inning by blowing a fastball by UK leadoff man Tyler Bell for a strikeout. Tennessee recorded just two hits over the final three innings as Kentucky pulled away with five late runs.
Vols' starter
Tegan Kuhns was primed for a solid outing, retiring the first five batters he faced before allowing four straight to reach base before exiting in the second inning. Snead handled the bulk of Sunday's contest with 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out two.
Brandon Arvidson,
Tanner Franklin and
Dylan Loy also pitched in relief.
Ensley Adds to Team Lead in RBIs
Ensley accounted for all of Tennessee's offense for the second straight game, going 2-for-4 with a home run to add to his team lead in RBIs, which now sits at 45.
Up Next
Tennessee will host Lipscomb on Tuesday, April 22. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.