Kentucky goes deep four times, run-rules Vols to claim series

April showers bring May power?

Kentucky entered its weekend series with Tennessee ranked last in home runs among SEC teams.

The Wildcats, who had only 38 long balls entering the new month, have now hit six in two days to clinch their three-game series with the Volunteers.

Four different UK players — Tyler Bell, Hudson Brown, Ethan Hindle, and Caeden Cloud — all went deep on Saturday to power a 12-2 run-rule win in eight innings at Kentucky Proud Park.

Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione credited the recent power surge to a change in the Cats’ routine. They’re taking more live batting practice on the field now rather than individual work against pitching machines in the batting cages under the stadium.

“You just try to find what’s right… try to find your way,” he said.

And it appears to be paying off.

Saturday marked the first game back for Brown since being sidelined with an illness on April 5, and despite losing almost 25 pounds, he did not look like a player who had missed 12 games.

“That guy has been in the fight with us, tired and all,” Mingione said. “I loved our fans’ reception for him… It meant a lot, I know, to Hudson and the whole team.”

Brown said his training regimen leading up to his return focused on just trying to hit 80% singles. “I said if I hit a double or a homer today, it’s going to be an accident,” he added.

Kentucky (29-15, 11-12 SEC) extended its win streak to three games by putting together another strong all-around performance.

In addition to the power surge — part of a 12-hit performance for the Cats, including a four-RBI day for Cloud — they also got a complete game shutout from Jaxon Jelkin (7-2). The junior right-hander scattered four hits over eight innings on the mound, struck out a career-high 11, and walked none.

That came on the heels of seven shutout innings from UK lefty Ben Cleaver on Friday night in a 9-2 win.

“Unbelievable,” Mingione said. “Just an awesome outing, to go that long, eight innings, and not walk a guy, attack the strike zone, get in a little bit of trouble, but work his way out it. Chilled out. Just kept pounding the strike zone and did exactly what our team needed against a really good Tennessee team. It was exactly what we needed.”

Tennessee (30-17, 10-13 SEC) got a solo home run from Blaine Brown, but that was the lone bright spot for the Vols.

Evan Blanco (5-3) started and took the loss for UT. The senior left-hander entered the game with an impressive 3.84 ERA, but surrendered six runs on six hits and a walk over five innings.

Up Next

The series will conclude with Game 3 on Sunday at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Junior right-hander Connor Mattison (2-1, 5.81) is scheduled to make his fifth start for the Cats. The Vols are expected to send sophomore right-hander Landon Mack (3-4, 5.01) to the mound.

FINAL UK BOX: Kentucky 12, Tennessee 2

Cats win their third straight, will go for the sweep on Sunday at KPP. pic.twitter.com/ryhDmiKmAj

— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) May 2, 2026