The Official Kentucky @ #4 Tennessee Series Thread (Fri. April 18th 6:30PM EDT) (Sat. April 19th 6PM EDT) (Sun. April 20th 1PM EDT) All Games SECNET+

#1

NO SIR EEE

The Sultan Of Swat
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#1
Kentucky Wildcats
(20-14) Overall (6-9) SEC
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Tennessee Volunteers
(32-5) Overall (11-4) SEC
Hunter High Walkoff Celebration vs. Bellarmine (2025)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
– No. 2/4 Tennessee continues its week of games against opponents from the Bluegrass State as it hosts border rival Kentucky for a three-game set this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Volunteers and Wildcats will meet for the 78th consecutive season when the two teams square off in Friday's series opener at 6:30 p.m.

BROADCAST INFO

Myan Patel (PxP) and VFL Cody Hawn (analyst) will call the action all series long on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.

Fans can also listen to the official radio broadcast, featuring the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson, on the Vol Network (FM 99.1 / AM 990) as well as on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics Mobile App and the Varsity App.

PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday (6:30 pm):
UT: LHP Liam Doyle (9 GS, 6-1, 2.47 ERA)
UK: RHP Nate Harris (7 GS, 3-1, 3.94 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday (6 pm):
UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (9 GS, 2-2, 3.30 ERA)
UK: RHP Nic McCay (9 GS, 3-0, 3.64 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday (1 pm):
UT: RHP Tegan Kuhns (6 GS, 2-1, 2.86 ERA)
UK: LHP Ben Cleaver (9 GS, 3-2, 2.87 ERA)

SERIES HISTORY

Vols vs. Wildcats
Overall: Vols lead, 183-156
in Knoxville: Vols lead, 103-72
in Lexington: Wildcats lead, 82-76
at Neutral Sites: Vols lead, 4-2
Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 6-4
Last Meeting: W, 13-11 on April 21, 2024 (Lexington, Ky.)

The Tennessee-Kentucky rivalry on the diamond dates all the way back to 1909 when the Vols swept a three-game set in Knoxville. UT's 339 games played and 183 victories against the Wildcats both are its second most against any opponent behind Vanderbilt. The border rivals have faced off at least once every year since 1947. UT has won five of its six series and is 13-6 overall against UK under head coach Tony Vitello.

NOTABLE

Doyle Does It Again
For the third time this season and second week in a row, Tennessee's Liam Doyle was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week. Doyle set the tone for the Vols' winning weekend in Oxford with another dominant performance on the mound in last Friday night's series-opening 3-2 victory over No. 6 Ole Miss.

Pitching in a hostile road environment, Doyle was spectacular against his former team, tossing a career-high 8.1 innings while allowing just two runs on three hits to earn the win and improve to 6-1 on the year. The junior lefthander finished with an SEC career-best 14 strikeouts on the night, which also tied a career-high mark that he set earlier this season against Samford.

With Monday's honor, Doyle became the first UT player to ever be named the SEC Pitcher of the Week three times in one season.

Chapman Caps Big Weekend with Clutch Homer
Reese Chapman came up big when the Vols needed it most during last weekend's hard-fought series win at No. 6 Ole Miss. The junior right fielder led the team with a .556 batting average for the series, going 5-for-9 with three runs scored and a pair of walks. He saved his best for last, hitting the game-winning two-run homer in the top of the ninth of Sunday's rubber game, lifting Tennessee to a 10-8 victory over the Rebels to secure the series.

Chapman followed up his big weekend in Oxford with two more hits and two more RBIs in Tuesday's midweek win over Bellarmine and enters this weekend's series on a five-game hit streak.

Kilen's Return Provides Instant Spark
Junior infielder Gavin Kilen returned to action last weekend after missing the majority of the previous three weeks with a hamstring injury. In his return to the lineup, Kilen provided an instant impact with a team-leading six hits against Ole Miss, including his 11th home run of the year. The Wisconsin native also led the team with 10 total bases and had two RBIs in the series win in Oxford.

OPPONENT SCOUT

Kentucky Wildcats (20-14, 6-9 SEC)
  • 2024 Record: 46-16 (22-8 SEC)
  • 2024 Postseason: NCAA Men's College World Series (1-2)
  • 2025 SEC Preseason Poll: 10th
  • Highest Ranking: RV (NCBWA)
  • D1Baseball.com Ranking: N/A
  • Head Coach: Nick Mingione
    • Overall Record: 282-180 (9th year)
    • Record at UK: Same
  • Preseason All-Conference Selections (2):
    • C Devin Burkes (1st Team)
    • RP Robert Hogan (2nd Team)

ON DECK

The Vols host in-state foe Lipscomb next Tuesday at 6 p.m. before a highly-anticipated road series at LSU next weekend in Baton Rouge.
 
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#8
#8
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#13
#13
Pink hats, softball cheers, and general weirdness will invade LNS (at least in the visitor’s dugout) as the Mildcats will continue to lean into pitches (wearing their oversized elbow guards) in an attempt to get beaned amd play small ball. GBO!
They certainly work the HBP 52 in SEC play

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#17
#17
Can’t an ump call a player out for leaning into a pitch?
Not In college baseball. If the hitter makes no attempt to avoid the pitch or leans in and is hit, the umpire should not award the hitter first base, but should call a ball or strike based on the pitch.
 
#23
#23
Rule book question regarding safety base……If a runner is only allowed to touch the green bag running to first, then why can the first basemen touch either the white or green base?
 
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#25
#25
Rule book question regarding safety base……If a runner is only allowed to touch the green bag running to first, then why can the first basemen touch either the white or green base?
1B can only touch green bag when dropped 3rd strike occurs. This is to free up throwing lane from C to 1B.
 

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