Hunter Ensley hit an RBI single in the eighth to put Tennessee on the board for the first time, but the No. 4 Vols weren't able to rally in a 4-1 series-evening loss to Kentucky on Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee (33-6, 12-5 SEC) struggled to piece together hits against Wildcats' starter Nic McCay, who tossed 12 strikeouts and allowed just two hits in 7.2 innings of work to force a rubber match on Sunday.

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The Vols committed two errors, both as part of a two-run third inning for Kentucky (21-15, 7-10). The Wildcats scored two more runs in the sixth to add some insurance.

Ensley, who went 1-for-4 at the plate, recorded Tennessee's first hit in four innings with two runners on, but the Vols came away with just one run and went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Tennessee starting pitcher Marcus Phillips (2-3) took the loss after allowing five hits, two runs and striking out eight in 5.0 innings.

Andrew Fischer ran towards the ball on what was setting up for an early out at first. He slipped instead and Tyler Bell ran through the base safely.

For the second-straight game, Kentucky was threatening right out of the gate. Bell stole second, Kyuss Garrett walked. Both were in scoring position with one out.

Marcus Phillips responded with his second strikeout of the frame, then a grounder off of the bat of Patrick Herrera was fielded cleanly by Dalton Bargo at third and gunned over to Fischer to get Tennessee out of the inning unscathed.

The Wildcats were threatening to score again in the second after Dylan Koontz hit a lead-off single to left and reached third via a steal and ground out, but again Phillips stranded him, tossing his fourth strikeout to end the inning.

After mustering just one hit in their first two frames and going down in order in the bottom second, Tennessee went back on defense in the third and Kentucky took advantage of a base runner.

Following a lead-off double from Bell to right-center, Hudson Brown grounded to Manny Marin at short, but the ball missed off his glove and Bell scored to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Another error, this one from catcher Stone Lawless who was trying to catch Brown stealing at third but had his throw end up in left field, instead scored Brown and extended the Kentucky lead to 2-0 with two outs.

Another stolen base, the Wildcats' eighth of the game, put two in scoring position, but Phillips sixth strikeout stranded both and left the Tennessee deficit at two runs.

Dean Curley notched the Vols' second hit with out in the bottom third and it was followed by Gavin Kilen walk. Then Kentucky starter Nic McCay threw back-to-back strikeouts and Tennessee was left scoreless through three.

The Wildcats were unable to capitalize on their lead and McCay's outing in the fourth. Ryan Schwartz doubled down the line in left and Brown walked, but Phillips left them with nothing to show for it after a career-tying eighth punch-out left them on base.

Dylan Loy pitched for Tennessee out of the bullpen in the sixth and got off to a rocky start. He gave up hits against the two batters he faced, then hit Bell to load the bases with no outs.

Brown grounded out at second in the next at-bat, allowing Luke Lawrence to score and put Kentucky up, 3-0. A fly-out to right from Kyuss Gargett scored another run for a 4-0 advantage.

Loy was pulled after that and Brandon Arvidson took over with a runner on second and two outs and stranded a runner at third with a strikeout.

Tennessee couldn't get anything going in the bottom sixth, going down in order in the frame. Right-hander A.J. Russell came into pitch the seventh, making his first appearance in SEC game in nearly a year.

Russell delivered a strikeout and Hunter Ensley caught two fly-outs, including one that he ran down and robbed Koontz of at least a single in left-center. But the Vols' lineup still had no answers for McCay in the seventh with another 1-2-3 frame.

Tennessee showed some signs of life at the plate in the bottom eighth. After two quick outs on strikeouts from McCay, Cole Hage followed a ball hit by Kilen towards left but drifted towards the foul line.

Hage appeared to make a running catch, the ball fell out of his glove and Kilen reached second safely for the Vols' first base runner since fourth. Kentucky turned to its bullpen for the first time, bringing in Jackson Nove to try and get out of the inning without any damage.

Nove gave up a walk instead, putting Fischer on first to give two base runners for Ensley. He singled through the left side to score Kilen and put Tennessee on the board for the first time, but a ground out from Bargo prevented the Vols from adding more and they trailed 4-1 heading into the ninth.

Tennessee and Kentucky will play the series finale on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Right-handed pitcher Tegan Kuhns (2-1, 2.86 ERA) is slated to start for the Vols, while the Wildcats will start left-hander Ben Cleaver (3-2, 2.87 ERA).

First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.

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