What we learned about Tennessee baseball pitching in series loss vs Kentucky

It took everything Tennessee baseball had to salvage something from its series against Kentucky . Kentucky had dominated the first two games at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, winning the first , 9-2, and the second by run rule , 12-2. Vols coach Josh Elander was honest with his team: those two performances weren’t up to the program’s standard.

Tennessee (31-17, 11-13 SEC) responded by squeezing out a 10-9 win against the Wildcats (29-16, 11-13) on May 3 that avoided a sweep. It was a game of ups and downs, in many ways a microcosm of the Vols’ season as their lead buoyed from as many as six to as few as one in a rollercoaster final three innings. “You don't really draw it up where you give up eight runs in the last three innings and still find a way to get out, but again, a Sunday win — we'll take it any way we can get it,” Elander said.

Here are three takeaways from the three-game series for the Vols: Tennessee’s bullpen struggled immensely Despite some difficulties against Kentucky, Tegan Kuhns and Evan Blanco have been reliable starters for the Vols, and an effective Landon Mack rounding out the rotation could make Tennessee a scary matchup in a regional. But questions surrounding its bullpen remain unanswered. In the series finale, Tennessee’s bullpen gave up eight runs, beginning with lefthander Cam Appenzeller allowing four in just 0.

2 innings. It was a continuation of a concerning trend for Appenzeller, who for most of the season looked like one of the best freshman pitchers in the country but has turned in some less-than-encouraging performances of late. He has allowed 14 runs in his last 6.