LEXINGTON, Ky. — Vanderbilt dropped the first game of the series at Kentucky, 5-2, after the Wildcats hit a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning at Kentucky Proud Park.
With Vanderbilt leading 2-1 in the ninth, Kentucky loaded the bases with nobody out. Vanderbilt got back-to-back strikeouts before Braxton Van Cleave hit the game-winning home run over the fence in right.
Both starting pitchers on Friday turned in strong outings. Connor Fennell for the Commodores went 6.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three. Kentucky’s Jaxon Jelkin tossed 8.0 innings with nine strikeouts and allowed two runs on six hits.
Braden Holcomb led off the second inning with a double to the corner in right field. After Holcomb took third on a sac bunt, Ryker Waite hit a grounder to second and Holcomb beat the throw home to score the game’s first run.
Brodie Johnston made it 2-0 with a solo blast in the third, his 12th home run of the season. Johnston reached base three times on two hits and a walk.
Kentucky cut the Vandy lead to 2-1 with an RBI single by Tyler Bell in the sixth and won the game in the ninth with the walk-off grand slam by Van Cleave.
Vanderbilt falls to 22-17 and 7-9 in the SEC while Kentucky improves to 26-10 and 8-8 in the SEC. Due to weather moving through the Lexington area Saturday afternoon, the second game of the series will now begin at 10 a.m. CT.
