Heartbreak in Nashville: Kentucky baseball falls to Vandy on walk-off homer after early surge
Kentucky baseball couldn’t have scripted a better start—or a more crushing finish.
After jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never trailing until the final swing, the Wildcats watched their hopes for a momentum-boosting SEC win vanish into the Nashville night, courtesy of a 3-run walk-off bomb by Vanderbilt’s Braden Holcomb. Final score: 8-7, Commodores.
It was heartbreak hotel for a Kentucky team clinging to the NCAA Tournament bubble and desperate for a statement road win.
Hot start, cold finish
Kentucky came out swinging. The Wildcats crushed two home runs and chased Vanderbilt starter Austin Nye before the first inning was over. Cole Hage and James McCoy helped power the opening-frame explosion, and by the end of the top half, it was 5-0 Kentucky.
They added insurance with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, building what seemed like a safe 7-2 lead. But the seventh inning told a different story. After loading the bases with one out, Kentucky looked poised to put the game away—until Vanderbilt turned a brilliant double play to escape unscathed. That missed opportunity loomed large.
Nove shines, bullpen Implodes again
Jackson Nove was spectacular out of the bullpen, giving the Wildcats four scoreless innings and striking out five. He handed a 7-5 lead to reliever Simon Gregersen in the ninth who let 2 get on base and then disaster struck with two outs and two runners aboard.
Gregersen, who’s struggled to close games in SEC play, worked ahead in the count 1-2 on Holcomb—but missed with a slider. Holcomb didn’t miss. The left fielder crushed it to deep left for a walk-off three-run homer that sent the crowd into a frenzy and Kentucky players into stunned silence.
What’s next
Kentucky (now 29-21, 13-15 SEC) missed a massive opportunity to boost its postseason resume. With the SEC standings tightening and selection day nearing, every game matters—and this one stings.
The Wildcats will try to regroup quickly. Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 7 PM ET on SEC Network+. The Cats need a bounce-back win to avoid a deflating series loss in Nashville.