Tennessee baseball fell behind early and struggled at the plate for the first couple innings of its game two matchup against UAlbany. But then the Vols’ offense exploded in the fourth inning got nine runs before they coasted to a 21-6 victory.
Here’s everything to know about the big fourth inning and more as Tennessee baseball cruised past the Great Danes on Saturday afternoon.
More From RTI: Play-By-Play Of Tennessee Baseball’s Saturday Win Over UAlbany
Tennessee Opens Things Up With Big Fourth Inning
It took Tennessee’s offense some time to get going in game two of the weekend series. The Vols didn’t score in the first three innings while stranding a pair of runners on base in both the second and third inning.
But the Vols finally got the bats going as they exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning.
Freshman shortstop Dean Curley got the Vols on the board with a three-run homer into the second deck of porches at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee loaded the bases with a Dalton Bargo single and walks from Christian Moore and Dylan Dreiling. Then Billy Amick cleared the bases by roping a double down the left field line. Amick reached third on the throw home and scored an at-bat later via a Kavares Tears sac fly.
With two outs and no one on base it seemed like the scoring was likely over. But Tennessee’s bats went back to work with a Cannon Peebles walk and a mammoth 438-foot Robin Villeneuve home run over the batter’s eye in center field.
The nine-run inning all but put UAlbany away and it ran the Great Danes solid start, Connor Eisenmann, from the game as they had to turn to a shaky bullpen.
Tennessee Newcomers Produce At The Plate
Tennessee baseball brought in a number of talented newcomers this season and many of the transfers were locked into starting spots entering the season. But two Tennessee newcomers who have been battling for consistent starting positions had big games against the Great Danes.
Dean Curley missed the opening weekend of the season with with a hamstring injury but has started at shortstop in three straight games since returning to the lineup for Tennessee.
Curley opened the scoring for Tennessee with the previously mentioned three-run homer in the fourth inning and finished the day one-of-four at the plate and was once again solid defensively. The California native now has a pair of three-run home runs in just three starts so far this season.
Junior college transfer Robin Villeneuve earned his fourth start of the season at designated hitter on Saturday and as he has in all his opportunities to date, he impressed against the Great Danes.
Villeneuve went two-of-three at the plate with a home run, walk and two hit-by pitch. Both have impressed in opportunities to date and are making it hard for Tony Vitello to take them out of lineup.
Solid Performances Across The Board From Tennessee’s Pitching Staff
Drew Beam got the ball for Tennessee on Saturday afternoon and after a rocky start turned in a solid outing. He surrendered a leadoff single to open the game and then a double to the ensuing batter which gave UAlbany runners on second and third with nobody out.
The Great Danes brought home the first run of the game on the ensuing groundout but Beam stranded the second runner at third with a pair of strikeouts.
It was an up-and-down day for Beam. He retired the side in order in the second, worked around trouble in the third, retired the side in order in the fourth inning and allowed another run in the fifth. He ended his day allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out four batters in five innings.
Tennessee used a number of arms out of its bullpen. RHP Aaron Combs retired the side in the sixth inning and LHP Dylan Loy worked around a one-out single to retire the side in the seventh inning.
LHP Luke Payne allowed a run in the eighth inning due to a double, a wild pitch and a sac fly. RHP JJ Garcia was the one reliever that really struggled, giving up three earned runs while recording the final three outs of the game.
All in all, it was a solid day for Tennessee’s pitching staff.
Final Stats
Up Next
Tennessee goes for the weekend sweep of UAlbany tomorrow. First pitch is at 1 p.m. ET at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
