Kentucky's SEC Tournament loss followed same script that defined this season

Kentucky has gone one-and-done at the SEC Tournament again. The Bat Cats had yet another short stay in Hoover that included a game that Nick Mingione‘s team had put in cruise control only for an implosion to happen over the final three four innings. The same movie this team has been living played out on Tuesday afternoon in a game that was finished in under three hours.

Anyone who has followed or watched this team closely all season was not surprised by the final result. The postgame response is one that has been said or thought numerous times this season.

“Love the start we got off to. Give our guys a lot of credit to jump off to a good lead. And then tip your cap to Vanderbilt. They had some good swings,” Mingione told the media in his postgame press conference. “They put some good balls in play, barely were out of reach for, I think, three of them. And they put the balls in play.”

“We didn’t necessarily make the pitch or the play and that’s the difference in the game.”

RECAP: Vanderbilt 8, Kentucky 5

The game started how all good Kentucky games have started in SEC play this season. Jaxon Jelkin shined. The big right-handed pitcher who has carried the Wildcats through most of the season gave up a double and RBI single in the third inning, but seemed to have full control of this game. Jelkin got a pair of double plays and was around 70 pitches when leaving the the mound at the end of the fifth inning. Despite injury his ankle in that frame, Jelkin stayed in the game. It seemed like we were heading towards another dominant start.

We also saw the good from the Kentucky offense while Jelkin was rolling. Tyler Bell flashed off his easy power with a double and solo home run in his first two plate appearances. Carson Hansen showed his slugging potential with another opposite field home run as he fills in for Braxton Van Cleave. Luke Lawrence continued to show his value with a pair of RBI hits. UK scored runs in five separate innings and looked close to landing the knockout blow in the middle innings after chasing Vanderbilt starter Connor Fennell in the fifth frame.

But the flaws also showed up. Those flaws have outweighed the good over 31 SEC games. Kentucky could not find the winning play or hit.

Jelkin lost his grip on the game in the sixth inning. That has happened a few times this year. Kentucky typically loses when he does. The bullpen logged 2.1 innings and allowed five hits plus a pair of free passes. Vandy’s only home run occurred against the bullpen when Brodie Johnston‘s two-run blast made the score 8-4 to finish off a 7-0 blitz for the Commodores over three innings. While the pitching was struggling, the defense failed to lift up the team. A Caeden Cloud throwing error extended the sixth inning and added an unearned run. An Owen Jenkins throwing error added another unearned run in the eighth inning. Those all loomed larger in a three-run loss. UK has gone to a youth movement this season, but the the true freshman mistakes showed up at an unfortunate time. The offensive consistency also showed up. UK struggled to string hits together and could never find the big inning despite proudcing two home runs. The Bat Cats had Vandy on the ropes and couldn’t land the knockout blow. Instead, the game was flipped. UK was the one eating punches at the end.

We saw Jelkin dominance, moments of easy offensive production, and a game where you felt good about Kentucky’s standing. Does this sound familiar at all? It should because that is how just about every SEC series has played out since the Alabama sweep to start the season. UK struggles to play winning baseball when No. 0 is not dominating. This team hasn’t had the offense to get them over the hump for long stretches, the defense has failed in some critical moments, and the lack of pitching depth has been exposed throughout the season. Just look at all of the rubber match losses.

All of those strengths and flaws were on display at the SEC Tournament. They are why Kentucky is now arguing that they should be in the NCAA Tournament instead of having a fourth consecutive bid locked up. The same movie keeps playing over and over again. The same rough cycle that Kentucky has been unable to break throughout conference play has led to losses piling up. UK has struggled to make the clutch play whether that be a key out or swing. That has put this team in the bubble zone with no data points left to add to the resume.

The long wait until Selection Monday starts now after all of the good and bad this season showed up in one game.