UK Wins Weekend Series Over No. 2 Tennessee; Cats Host U of L Tuesday
- KySportsStyle.com
- 22 minutes ago
- 2 min read
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the first time in nine seasons, Kentucky baseball leaves Knoxville with a series victory, dominating No. 2 Tennessee in an 8-2 series-clinching victory on Easter Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Wildcats improved to 22-15 overall and 8-10 in the Southeastern Conference, combining outstanding pitching with relentless baserunning and timely hitting to claim the weekend. UK now has won three of its last four games in Knoxville and only allowed three total runs in those victories.
Lefty Ben Cleaver followed the lead of Nic McCay a day before by challenging one of the nation’s top power hitting teams and getting ahead in counts. Cleaver navigated the lineup through 7.0 innings, yielding only a two-run home run while walking one and striking out seven. Simon Gregersen closed things out with a pair of scoreless innings.
Cleaver and McCay laid the blueprint for success, going a combined 14.2 innings and allowing just three runs (two earned) on seven hits. They walked four and struck out 19.
UK scored a pair of runs early, led 3-2 after seven, and then added on in the eighth and ninth innings. The Cats stole 16 bases in the final two games of the series and made every critical defensive play.
NOTES
Kentucky is 22-15 (8-10 SEC) on the season.
UK now has held a lead in 17 of 18 SEC games this season.
UK stole six bases in seven attempts.
UK stole 16 of 18 on the weekend.
UK now has played its first six SEC series against No. 3, No. 16, the preseason No. 1, No. 9, No. 2 and No. 2.
UK now has four wins over Top 3 teams and five over Top 10 opponents.
This is UK’s first series win in Knoxville since 2016.
UK now has won three of the past four games at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
UK also won a series from a Top 2-ranked Tennessee club in 2022 when the Volunteers were ranked No. 1.
UK Coach Nick Mingione is in his ninth season at the helm and now owns a 285-179 career record.
Mingione is the second-winningest coach in school history.
UK is 63-65 in the month of April under Coach Mingione.
Mingione now is 11-13 vs. Tennessee.
LHP Ben Cleaver nearly matched Nic McCay’s outing from Saturday: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, BB, 7 K
The Cats’ Saturday and Sunday starters combined for the following line this weekend: 14.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 19 K
INF Dylan Koontz had two RBI.
C Ryan Schwartz went 1-for-4 with his first collegiate RBI.
C Devin Burkes went 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base.
F Griffin Cameron came on as a pinch runner and scored a pair of runs.
He also doubled in a run in his only at bat.
INF Tyler Bell now has reached base safely in 36 of 37 career games.
He hit his team-leading 15th double.
ON DECK
The Cats return home to face Louisville at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. It will air on the SEC Network+ and radio will be carried by the UK Sports Network.
