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Kentucky takes down No. 1 Tennessee baseball, handing Vols first SEC series loss of 2022
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Kentucky is the first team of the 2022 SEC baseball season to take a series from No. 1 Tennessee. The Wildcats took the first 2 games and will go for a sweep Saturday afternoon in Lexington.
UK walked off with a 3-2 13-inning win to claim the series opener Thursday.
WALK OFF @UKBaseball takes down No. 1 Tennessee pic.twitter.com/fjEfFCwZsV
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 6, 2022
Game 2 began Friday with a delayed start but had to be finished Saturday. It was 4-2 Kentucky in the top of the 8th inning when play resumed. The Cats added another run, picking up a 5-2 win to clinch the series.
The outcomes are surprising considering where the teams entered Thursday in the SEC standings. Tennessee led the conference with a 19-2 mark, while Kentucky’s 7-14 SEC record was tied for last place with Missouri and Ole Miss.
As the low scores indicate, UK pitchers have managed to quiet the Volunteer bats:
Tennessee came to Lexington averaging 9.5 runs per game and leading the nation in HRs with 108 (2.4 per game). UK pitching held Vols to 4 combined runs in first two games, no long balls.
— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) May 7, 2022
The last time Tennessee lost a road series was in 2019 at Arkansas, when the Hogs swept the Vols. Game 3 of the UK-UT series is set for 3:05 p.m. ET, streaming on SEC Network+.
, !!
F | UK 5, No. 1 Tennessee 2
First SEC road series loss for Vols since 2019, had won 8 straight overall SEC series.
First series win vs. No. 1 for UK since 2016.#WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/53If0qbf21
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) May 7, 2022
Tennessee’s fourth conference loss also means Vanderbilt will maintain its place in the SEC record books.
After Tennessee’s loss today, Vanderbilt’s SEC record stays alive. Probably won’t be broken anytime soon.
2013 Vandy Boys. 26-3 in SEC play pic.twitter.com/Q74zeeoBbA
— 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast (@11point7) May 7, 2022
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
