PREVIEW: Kentucky travels to No. 4 Tennessee for massive weekend series

Kentucky Baseball’s gauntlet against top-10 ranked SEC opponents continues this weekend when it travels to Knoxville for a weekend series against defending National Champions No. 4 Tennessee.

Kentucky and Tennessee were two of four SEC teams that made up the eight teams in the 2024 Men’s College World Series. The ‘Cats went 1-2 before being eliminated, but Tennessee went 5-1 and defeated Texas A&M in the final game to win its first ever National Championship. The ‘Cats and Volunteers also shared last season’s SEC Regular Season Championship.

Since head coach Tony Vitello took over in Knoxville, Kentucky is just 6-13 (0-1 postseason) against Tennessee. Last season’s series between the then No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the nation was an all-timer, as Kentucky won the opening game 5-3, lost the second game 9-4, and then fell in an epic series finale 13-11.

First pitch for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.

No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers (32-5, 11-4)

The 2024 Volunteers, led by head coach Tony Vitello, dominated College Baseball last season. The Vols compiled a 60-13 (22-8) record and went 9-1 in the NCAA Tournament en route to a National Championship. Tennessee shared the SEC Co-Regular Season Championship with Kentucky, earning its fifth in program history.

Although Tennessee lost a crop of major contributors from the greatest team in program history, the Volunteers returned a solid group of players along with a big transfer portal haul and a stacked incoming freshman class. It is certainly a new era for this program, looking to become the seventh team ever and first since the 2010/11 South Carolina Gamecocks to win back-to-back National Championships.

Some of these major returners include senior center fielder Hunter Ensley (.346 AVG, 42 RBI), junior right fielder Reese Chapman (.333 AVG, 10 HR) and junior left fielder Dalton Bargo (.330 AVG, 11 HR). Freshman DH Levi Clark has blossomed into one of the best first-years in all of College Baseball, as his .333 average ranks fourth in the SEC among freshmen.

As a team, the Volunteers are hitting for a .314 average (third in the SEC) with 89 home runs (second most in NCAA). Just as it did last season, Tennessee loves the longball. 13 different players have hit at least one home run, but Ole Miss transfer first baseman Andrew Fischer leads the team with 15 (T-7th most in NCAA).

Fischer isn’t the lone Ole Miss transfer to be a major contributor for Tennessee this season, as junior left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle has emerged as one of the best arms in all of College Baseball. Doyle, who will start Friday’s series opener, boasts a stellar 2.47 ERA with 95 strikeouts (most in NCAA) in 51 innings of work. He’ll be followed by right-hander Marcus Phillips (3.09 ERA in 43 2/3 IP) on Saturday and right-hander Tegan Kuhns (2.86 ERA in 22 IP) on Sunday.

Tennessee’s team 3.16 ERA ranks third in all of College Baseball.

Although the Volunteers opened conference play 9-1, they are just 2-3 in their last five games. A series win over Tennessee would do wonders for the ‘Cats, who enter the weekend as a projected No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament by both D1Baseball and Baseball America.

Kentucky Wildcats (20-14, 6-9)

After winning just one of its first five conference series of the season, Kentucky is desperately in need of a marquee SEC series victory. Although its just 1-4 through its first five, the ‘Cats have yet to be swept.

Earlier this season, Kentucky’s offense was carrying the team while its pitching staff was weighing it down. Well now the tides have changed, as Kentucky’s team batting average has dropped to .274 while its pitching staff boasted a 3.52 ERA in 64 innings pitched against No. 11 Ole Miss and No. 1 Texas over the last two weekends.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Nick Mingione said about his pitching following last Sunday’s 5-4 loss to No. 2 Texas. “Even think about [Saturday’s game] alone, I thought that piece has been awesome you know all weekend long. It’s definitely been a strength of ours and we need that to continue. It hasn’t been just one guy, it’s been a bunch.”

Just three Wildcat batters are hitting for over a .300 average, with senior left fielder Cole Hage (.322) leading the team. Freshman shortstop Tyler Bell ranks second on the team with a .321 average, which ranks fifth among SEC freshmen. Senior third baseman Patrick Herrera is now at .317, which ranks third. Bell (.348) and Herrera (.346) have been Kentucky’s two best hitters in conference play, while Hage (.224) has struggled immensely. His strong start to the season still has him over .300.

On the mound, Nick Mingione will deploy freshman right-hander Nate Harris (3.03 ERA in 29 2/3 IP), senior right-hander Nic McCay (3.64 ERA in 42 IP), and sophomore left-hander Ben Cleaver (2.87 ERA in 47 IP). Harris, who made his first two career starts against Ole Miss and Texas, allowed just seven hits and one earned run in 7 2/3 combined innings against two top-10 ranked opponents.

The ‘Cats have been living on the edge this season, as 17 of their 34 games have been contested by three or less runs/went to extra innings. Look for this continue this weekend, as EIGHT consecutive Kentucky games have checked off that box. In those eight games however, the ‘Cats are just 3-5.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tennessee leads 167-157

Probable Starters

Friday, April 18, 2025 (Lindsey Nelson Stadium – 6:30 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: RHP Nate Harris (3-1, 3.03 ERA, 29.2 IP) vs UT: LHP Liam Doyle (6-1, 2.47 ERA, 51.0 IP)
Saturday, April 19, 2025 (Lindsey Nelson Stadium –6:00 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: RHP Nic McCay (3-0, 3.64 ERA, 42.0 IP) vs UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (2-2, 3.09 ERA, 43.2 IP)
Sunday, April 20, 2025 (Lindsey Nelson Stadium – 1:00 p.m. EST) SEC Network+
UK: LHP Ben Cleaver (3-2, 2.87 ERA, 47.0 IP) vs UT: RHP Tegan Kuhns (2-1, 2.86 ERA, 22.0 IP)

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