Buzzin’: Kentucky Run Rules No. 24 Tennessee to Claim Series

Hudson Brown returned to the lineup, Caeden Cloud had a career day and Jaxon Jelkin shoved as Kentucky let its thoroughbreds run on Derby Day in a 12-2 run rule victory over No. 24 Tennessee at Kentucky Proud Park.

UK improved to 29-15 overall and 11-12 in the Southeastern Conference.

Brown, who drew a loud ovation from the Big Blue faithful, smoked a 411-foot home run in his second at bat after missing a month because of illness as part of reaching base three times. Cloud, who was one of the original players to shave his head last weekend, hit his second home run in three games, doubled home two more and drove in a career-best four runs. UK also got a long home run from star Tyler Bell and one in a second consecutive game from Ethan Hindle.

Jelkin also returned to form after getting rough up a tad at South Carolina. He struck out two Volunteers looking in the first inning, held them hitless into the fifth and finished with 11 strikeouts against no walks in a complete game effort. Uk’s starters in the series – Jelkin and Ben Cleaver – have allowed just two runs on eight hits in 15 innings.

NOTES

• Kentucky is 29-15 on the season, 11-12 in SEC play.
  • UK is 19-5 at Kentucky Proud Park in 2026.
• UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th season at the helm and now owns a 322-207 career record.
  • Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
  • Mingione is 124-136 in SEC games.
    • He is 71-57 in home SEC games overall, 59-48 at Kentucky Proud Park.
  • Mingione now is 13-13 vs. Tennessee.
  • Mingione is 40-34 teams from Tennessee.
• The Cats hit four home runs, a season high.
• Tyler Bell and Scott Campbell Jr. each recorded their 100^th career Division I hit.
• The Cats scored three runs in both the third and sixth innings and four in the seventh.
  • UK has scored three or more runs in an inning 46 times this season.
    • It has done it five times in the series.
• IF Luke Lawrence had two hits.
  • He has 18 multi-hit games this year and 39 career.
  • He has 122 hits in his two-year career, moving him into 47th place on the all-time chart.
  • He has reached safely in 46 of his past 47 games.
• IF Tyler Bell went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, a double and a home run.
  • He has reached safely in 81 of 85 career games.
  • He hit a two-run home run from the right side.
• IF Ethan Hindle hit a solo home run.
  • He has homered in consecutive games.
  • He was hit by the 36th pitch of his career.
  • He now is tied for 6th place with Keenan Wiley on the UK career list.
• IF Caeden Cloud went 2-for-2 with a run, four RBI, a double and a home run.
  • He homered for the second time in three games.
  • He drew a bases loaded hit by pitch.
  • He set a new career high in RBI and tied his career high in hits.
• IF Hudson Brown returned from missing a month with an illness and went 1-for-2 with three runs, an RBI, a walk and a HBP.
  • He hit a 411-foot home run in his second at bat.
  • He set a new career high in runs.
• OF Jayce Tharnish has a hit in 18 of his past 20 games.
  • He has reached safely in 22 consecutive games.
  • He stole his 25^th bag in 26 attempts. He ties Ryan Waldschmidt for the second-most stolen bases in a season in the Mingione Era.
• Scott Campbell Jr. had two bunt singles.
• RHP Jaxon Jelkin pitched a complete game.
  • He went 8 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts.
  • It’s the first SEC complete game for a UK pitcher since Dominic Niman vs. Alabama in April 2024.

ON DECK

UK hosts Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. It will stream on SECN+ and the contest can be heard on UK Sports Network/630 WLAP.