LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Farragut graduate and Knoxville native got the series started against his hometown team on Friday night in Lexington.
Ryan Hagenow, a sophomore starting pitcher, struck out three batters in his second start of the season but struggled with command and walked six Vols while allowing four hits. His start ended after just 2.1 innings of work and he finished the night with 73 pitches.
Hagenow got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and struck out Luc Lipcius to get out of the frame without allowing a run.
The righty's first earned run of the game came when Jorel Ortega ripped a single through the infield to score Kyle Booker in the second inning. Tennessee took a 1-0 lead on the RBI base hit.
Hagenow was pulled in the third innings with the bases loaded, and reliever Wyatt Hudepohl walked a run home for a 2-0 Tennessee advantage.
Other local products squared off a couple of times in this matchup. Tennessee reliever Redmond Walsh, an Alcoa product, dueled against Maryville grad and Kentucky infielder Reuben Church for two at-bats. Walsh won the first meeting and struck Church out in the eighth, but Church responded with a single in the 10th inning off Walsh.
Kentucky wound up with a walk-off win to defeat Tennessee 3-2 in the 13th inning.
