Tennessee is experiencing a Saturday slump.
The No. 3 Volunteers have lost four Saturday games in the past three weekends, with the latest a 4-1 defeat against Kentucky before a crowd of 5,801 inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium. For three consecutive series, Tennessee has won the Friday opener only to drop game two, with the Vols losing game three two weeks ago against Texas A&M in a Saturday doubleheader.
“You know you’re going to get the other team’s best bounce back when they lose that Friday game,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said Saturday night in a news conference. “I don’t think there is any one theme in particular other than their guys who have thrown on Saturday have thrown fairly well. We didn’t swing the bat well tonight or in those other occasions either, especially against their starter.”
Tennessee fell to 33-6 overall and to 12-5 in Southeastern Conference play. The Wildcats are 21-15 and 7-10.
Owning the mound Saturday was Kentucky’s Nic McCay, who threw 116 pitches and allowed only two hits in nearly eight full innings. McCay racked up 12 strikeouts in improving to 4-0 and lowering his earned run average to 2.67.