Kentucky evens series against No. 4 Tennessee with 4-1 road win

Kentucky baseball has forced an Easter Sunday rubber match against a conference rival.

After falling in the series opener to No. 4 Tennessee 8-2 on Friday, the Wildcats (21-15; 7-10 SEC) bounced back in impressive fashion on Saturday in Knoxville. Kentucky evened the weekend series thanks to a huge 4-1 victory over the Volunteers in game two. The win marked UK’s fourth over a top 10 opponent this season.

Much like Friday’s opener, the Bat Cats got off to a fast start with a 2-0 lead. But unlike that loss, Nick Mingione’s squad dug deep. Kentucky tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Tennessee managed a run in the bottom of the eighth, but the bats didn’t have enough juice to add anything else thanks to a career evening on the mound from Nic McCay.

Kentucky will look to win the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network+.

VICTORY, KENTUCKY!!!!!

Final | UK 4, No. 2 Tennessee 1

The Cats score their fourth win over a Top 10 team and third over a Top 3 opponent this season. pic.twitter.com/Cbo2xQK9YR

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 20, 2025

After two scoreless innings from both dugouts, Kentucky punched first with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Tyler Bell got things going with a leadoff double and would later trot across home plate to make it 1-0. A throwing error by the Tennessee catcher soon after allowed Hudson Brown to score on a stolen base attempt.

UK had seven stolen bases through three innings and finished with 10 on the night, the most in a game since at least 2007.

Kentucky would strike again in the top of the sixth inning. The ‘Cats loaded the bases with zero outs before Luke Lawrence scored on a Hudson groundout. A sac fly from Kyuss Gargett allowed Ryan Schwartz to bring home another run and make it 4-0 in favor of UK. Tennessee managed a run in the eighth, but nothing more.

Right-handed senior pitcher Nic McCay had an excellent night in his 7.2 innings pitched, finishing with two hits, one unearned run, three walks, and 12 strikeouts. McCay got Kentucky out of multiple scoring opportunities for the Vols before getting pulled in the bottom of the eighth. Jackson Nove stepped in to polish off the win and put a cap on an overall great night of pitching from the ‘Cats.

E7 | @mccay_nicholas puts up another zero, punctuating it with his 10th strikeout. pic.twitter.com/7gqmMypURv

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 20, 2025

Kentucky now has a chance to win its second SEC series of the season with another good showing on Sunday.