Tennessee’s historic 2022 baseball season ended earlier than expected with Notre Dame upsetting the Vols in the Knoxville Super Regional.
The underclassmen Vols are starting to get back on the diamond in summer leagues across the country and freshman Blake Burke continues to crush baseballs.
Playing for the Healdsburg Prune Packers in the California Collegiate League, Burke hit three home runs in three at-bats Wednesday night.
The Prune Packers got two of the long balls on video and shared the no doubt home runs — and subsequent bat flips during the game.
#BurkeBomb‼️ @blakeburke_ gives us the lead in ⬇️1️⃣, and finishes his swing this time 😉#PartyOutFront // #GBO🍊 @CCL_Baseball @VolsWire @Vol_Sports @GoVolsXtra pic.twitter.com/PW14lrWP6x
— Healdsburg Packers (@PrunePackers) June 23, 2022
#BurkeBomb #️⃣3️⃣… on the day.
Blake cuts the lead to 2 in the 5th with his third big fly in 5 innings
Pack: 6 Knicks: 8#PartyOutFront // #GBO🍊 @Vol_Baseball @VolsWire @BarstoolTenn @CCL_Baseball pic.twitter.com/U1kcwPSSMm
— Healdsburg Packers (@PrunePackers) June 23, 2022
Burke is 10 games into his summer league stint with Healdsburg and is quickly dominating the California Collegiate League. The Brentwood, California native is hitting .394 with four home runs and 14 RBIs.
The California Collegiate League is a wood bat league, making Burke’s power hitting numbers all the more impressive.
Burke flashed his power frequently in his first season in Knoxville, breaking Tennessee’s freshman record with 14 home runs.
The left-handed batter plays first base but earned his starts at designated hitter behind super senior Luc Lipcius.
Burke’s 14 home runs are all the more impressive considering he had just 95 at-bats while battling with teammates for the starting designated hitter spot. Averaging a home run every 6.8 at-bats, Burke went deep more frequently than any of his teammates.
The left-handed power hitter posted a .326 batting average and 32 RBIs during his first collegiate season.
