#11 Vols Can't Complete Sweep, Drop Finale to #15 Wildcats

Sunday, May 14

Knoxville, Tenn.

1 PM

University of Tennessee

35-17, 14-13

Kentucky

35-15, 15-12

Kentucky

Tennessee

#11 Vols Can't Complete Sweep, Drop Finale to #15 Wildcats

May 14, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Series Stats (PDF)VIDEO: Tony Vitello Postgame Media Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It was a tough afternoon for No. 11/23 Tennessee as they dropped Sunday's series finale to No. 15/17 Kentucky, 10-0, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Volunteers had their 11-game home winning streak snapped and also had a nine-game win streak in SEC home games halted with the loss.

It was all Wildcats (35-15, 15-12 SEC) through the first two and a half innings, as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead with three runs in the top of the first before adding another in the second, chasing UT starter Drew Beam from the game after just 1.2 innings.

After freshman reliever AJ Russell put up a zero in the top of the third, the game went into a 1-hour, 55-minute weather delay due to lightning in the area.

Unfortunately, it was much of the same after the delay as the Vols consistently got runners on base but were unable to cash in, leaving 16 runners on base for the game.

Seth Halvorsen took over on the mound after the game resumed and was solid in relief to keep Tennessee in the game, finishing with six strikeouts while allowing just three hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Kentucky reliever Darren Williams was just a little bit better, however, tossing four scoreless innings with five strikeouts to pick up the win.

Devin Burkes led the Wildcats at the plate with two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the eighth inning to make it 7-0. UK scored five runs over the final two innings to put the game out of reach and hit five home runs on the day.

Hunter Ensley and Zane Denton were the only two Vols with multiple hits in the game, both finishing with two knocks on the afternoon.

UT was shut out for the first time in nearly two years, with its last time being held off the scoreboard coming on June 20, 2021, in a 6-0 loss to Virginia in the College World Series.

UP NEXT: Tennessee (35-17, 14-13 SEC) hosts Belmont on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in its final regular season home game. The Big Orange will honor their seniors prior to the game, which can be seen on SEC Network+ through the ESPN app.