John Rhodes hit two home runs against the home state team and Jake Plastiak went deep late in Friday's game as Kentucky bounced back for an 8-2 win over No. 4 Tennessee in Knoxville.

The Wildcats (26-14, 10-10 SEC) evened the series at a game apiece with the Volunteers. The rubber match is slated for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

Rhodes, a native of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and added a solo shot in the ninth to help put away the Vols. Plastiak's long ball came in clutch fashion in the eighth inning with the Cats clinging to a 3-2 lead.

Tennessee (33-11, 13-7 SEC) won Thursday night's opener 14-4 but could not match the pitching or the run production it had in that game. Much of that was thanks to UK starter Sean Harney, who turned in another impressive start since his conversion from the team's closing role. The transfer from UMass allowed just one run on four hits and a walk over five innings on the mound.

Alex Degen (2-0) worked the final four innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He struck out four and walked none.

Will Heflin (2-2) started and took the loss for the Vols, allowing three runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings of work.

Austin Schultz led UK with three hits, while Rhodes, Plastiak, Ryan Ritter, and Zeke Lewis each had two as part of a 13-hit attack by the Cats.

Tennessee's lone runs came on solo home runs by Jackson Greer and Luc Lipcius.