Everything Josh Elander said on Tennessee loss to Kentucky in Game 2 of series

LEXINGTON — Kentucky secured the series win in eight innings of run-rule fashion on Saturday, cruising past Tennessee with four home runs in the 12-2 final from Kentucky Proud Park in Southeastern Conference play.

UT (30-17, 10-13 SEC) scored one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, but was held off the base paths the first four innings of the contest. The Wildcats (28-15, 11-12 SEC) scored three runs in both the third and sixth innings, four runs in the seventh and one other in the fourth.  

Evan Blanco (L, 5-3) was chased from the ballgame in the sixth inning of a losing effort, allowing six runs off six hits and saw his quality streak end at four-straight. Jaxon Jelkin (W, 7-2) allowed two runs in eight innings for the win.  

Tennessee skipper Josh Elander broke things down with reporters following the second of three games of the weekend series on Saturday from Kentucky Proud Park. Video and written transcript unavailable.

Up Next: Tennessee and Kentucky will conclude the weekend series on Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch on the SEC Network+.

On what went wrong for Tennessee…

“A lot went wrong. Again, not a good approach by our guys, swinging at too many pitches out of the strike zone. Some good stuff by (Jaxon) Jelkin today, but didn’t get out of the gate. Slow start offensively, and then anything — just, the pen was not good, period. We didn’t throw strikes, hit batters, walks, and then barrels over the plate. So not a good formula in any capacity today.”

On why he turned to Tennessee sophomore RHP Brayden Krenzel after Evan Blanco in the sixth inning…

“Lefty matchup there, wanted to get Blanco back out there. He’s about at 80 pitches right there, and then in that situation when it becomes first and third, (you need) a strikeout or a ground ball. Had both him and EB (Ethan Baiotto) ready. (Krenzel) walks the first guy and then hits the second one in a spot trying to get a punch(out), and then a ground ball right there. Didn’t end up getting either, so just need more compete in that spot. We need to compete over the white, and when you walk a guy and hit a guy, it’s not going to work.”

On how surprising Krenzel’s struggles have been…

“Yeah, he stacked some good outings back to back and that was the hope, was get him, get his feet wet and get him in some spots where he gets up and gets down. But he just needs to go out there and compete. His stuff is plenty good enough, but it wasn’t good today.”

On what has led to Krenzel’s struggles…

“I think it’s a combination of — we got to get with (Josh Reynolds). There’s obviously something going on there and he’s incredibly talented. He’s got good stuff, but hasn’t been getting the results that we want. So we need to help him get through there.”

If he feels like Tennessee has been “hooked up” and ready to play the last two days…

“I just think we’ve gotten beat badly twice in a row. So at this point, there needs to be more sense of urgency and a little bit more pride. Very, very frustrating day all the way around, especially after the performance last night. Have to come into tomorrow and basically throw this game in the trash and reset, and be ready to go and salvage the weekend tomorrow.”

On why there was potentially a lack of pride or urgency from the hitters…

“Maybe pride is not really fair. We’ll have to get with the crew and we’ll talk to them when we give them a second to let the emotions go away, but we all know we need to be better. It’s two bad days in a row, but we need to turn the page and get on a run here and play our game in our way. But again, with the little things of giving up free 90 feet and not having competitive at-bats, when those continue back to back, that can make everything more frustrating, make guys try harder, whatnot. But at this point of the year, they know how they need to compete and they’ve come back from this before. We need to do it again.”

On what’s led to giving up several homers in the past two games…

“A little bit of it is just the balls are going to right field. (Tyler) Bell smoked that one to left. Other guy kept one fair off EB (Ethan Baiotto), but (we) just need to compete down in the zone a little bit better. Those guys are taking good swings. I know the one was 92 (mph) or whatever, the first one of the day, but again, if you don’t keep the ball in the ballpark, you don’t throw strikes, you’re not going to have a chance of winning this league.”

On what was working so well for Kentucky starter Jaxon Jelkin…

“I think just going both sides of the plate again. It’s up to 96 (mph). Cutter was good. Threw some big curveballs that froze guys. And it’s a big arm with big stuff. And when you get chances to get that guy – we had back-to-back doubles and got a chance to get 4-3 (score) and maybe changes the way we go about the rest of the game. But we don’t get it done there. He goes and gives them eight innings of good baseball.”

On if the throw was wide to the bag on the second fielder’s choice in the sixth inning…  

“I’d have to look at the film right there. But again, whether it’s wide or not, we’re going to keep that ball in front. That’s something we talked about a ton. Had a chance to turn a double play and save a run there and don’t do it. Just add it to the things we did not do well today.”

On if there is anything he can draw from the series loss at Kentucky in 2022 and take into Game 3 on Sunday…

“I think we’ve been through this this year. It hasn’t been smooth in any capacity, but we got another game in front of us and a chance to win a ball game on Sunday. It’s something we’ve talked about all year and we just need to have Mac (Landon Mack) come out, set the tone for us tomorrow. We got Appy (Cam Appenzeller) locked and loaded, ready to go. Just needs to be better all the way around. A little bit more sense of urgency and there shouldn’t be any— (it) should be very easy for the guys to get out of bed ready to rock and roll tomorrow.”