Kentucky Baseball Falls to No. 4 Tennessee in Series Finale

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Coltyn Kessler collected his 100^th career hit and drove in a run but it wasn’t enough as Kentucky dropped its series finale 11-2 to No. 4 Tennessee at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
Kessler, a senior catcher, came into the game leading the Southeastern Conference in hitting and continued his strong season with another collection of quality at-bats. He gave the Wildcats (26-15, 10-11 SEC) a lead in the first inning with a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield and later registered his 100^th hit with a ringing single up the middle.
 
The Cats were felled by a pair of innings that were rooted in their own mistakes. A walk and two hit batters contributed to a two-run second inning for the Volunteers (34-11, 14-7) before the dam burst in a seven-run sixth inning. A wild pitch moved a runner from first to second, eliminating a potential double play grounder that came on the batter. A throwing error and a walk then set up an RBI single and grand slam by Jake Rucker that put the game out of reach.
 
UK now enters the final stretch of the regular season, which begins next Thursday vs. Florida at Kentucky Proud Park. The Cats will face three top-15 teams over the next three weekends as they battle to add to their NCAA resume.
 
 
GAME SCORING
Top 1st – Austin Schultz doubled to CF, stole third and scored on Coltyn Kessler’s SAC fly to CF. UK 1, UT 0.
 
Bottom 2^nd – Gilbert opened with shallow double to LF and Lipcius walked. Beck doubled off the LCF wall, Gilbert scored, Lipcius to third. Lipcius scored on Derkay’s SAC fly. UT 2, UK 1.
 
Bottom 3^rd – Spence singled, Rucker reached on a fielder’s choice and Gilbert was hit by a pitch. Russell was hit by a pitch, forcing in Spence. UT 3, UK 1.
 
Bottom 5^th – Ferguson hit a leadoff double and scored on Rucker’s single. UT 4, UK 1.
 
Top 6^th – T.J. Collett walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, third on a John Rhodes groundout and scored on a ball to the second baseman that was ruled an error. UT 4, UK 2.
 
Bottom 6^th – Beck singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Greer reached on a throwing error. Spence walked to load the bases. Ferguson singled, Beck scored. Rucker hit a grand slam to CF. Russell walked. Lipcius homered to RCF. UT 11, UK 2.
 
 
NOTES

• UK is 26-15 overall, 10-11 in SEC play.
• The Cats are 6-7 on the road this season.
• The Cats are 3-8 vs. ranked teams, 2-5 vs. the Top 10.

• Junior IF/OF Austin Schultz went 1-for-3 with a run, a double and a stolen base.

  • Schultz has reached base safely in 91 of 99 career games with a plate appearance.
  • Schultz is 18-for-20 on stolen bases this season.
• Senior C Coltyn Kessler went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a SAC fly.
  • Kessler has reached safely in 27 of his past 29 games.
  • Kessler became the 55^th member of UK’s career 100-Hit Club with a single up the middle in the fourth inning.

 
ON DECK
Kentucky welcomes Florida to Lexington for a series that begins Thursday night at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. The radio call will be on the UK Sports Network.
 
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