It didn’t take very long for Tennessee to set a new program record during the Vols’ home opener on Tuesday afternoon.
Despite a midweek game at the 4:30 p.m. time slot – coming off of an off day for some with President’s Day, no less – Tennessee set a program record for opening game attendance against UNC Asheville. The Vols’ attendance of 4,699 spectators on Tuesday is now set as the largest attendance for a home opener in Tennessee baseball history.
According to UT communications, the previous home-opener record was set at 4,550 in last year’s contest against Alabama A&M. Back-to-back attendance records to start the season show just has far head coach Tony Vitello and his staff have taken the Tennessee baseball program.
Official attendance: 4,699
Largest attendance for a home opener in LNS history.https://t.co/vBcZgo3wwY
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) February 20, 2024
More from RTI: Tennessee Baseball Earns Narrow Victory Over UNC-Asheville
Tennessee Photo Gallery: Photos from Tennessee’s Home Opening Win Over UNC Asheville
Tennessee baseball defeated UNC Asheville by a score of 3-2 in front of the home fans on Tuesday afternoon. UNC Asheville struck first with a run in the top of the first inning but Tennessee soon responded with a solo home run off the bat of Kavares Tears in the bottom of the second inning. The Vols added another in the bottom of the third as Christian Moore drove in Dylan Dreiling with a hit to left field.
UNC Asheville tied the game at 2-2 with a solo home run in the top of the fifth but Tennessee would soon find the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh when a Hunter Ensley sac-fly scored Bradke Lohry.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Derek Schaefer gave up one earned run during a solid three-inning outing on the mound but it was redshirt freshman reliever Austin Hunley (brother of VFL Sean Hunley) who came in and gave the Vols 3.1 shutout innings to close out the game.
Tennessee Athletics is about as hot as it can get right now. The football season was sold out throughout the entire home schedule, fans continue to pack the Food City Center for Tennessee’s conference basketball games, and now the baseball season is starting with a new stadium that added hundreds more seats during the offseason.
The Vols will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET for a game against ETSU in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
One Response
Vols baseball is what I wait for all year. I have noticed that local news doesn’t cover baseball the way they do football, basketball. LN stadium and the Vols opening home game deserves better !!!