KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Eighth-ranked Tennessee baseball (20-3, 3-1 SEC) destroyed Ole Miss (16-7, 2-2 SEC) en route to a 15-3 (7 inn.) run-rule win on Friday night in their home SEC opener.
The Vols tallied 10 runs in the first four innings, all against Ole Miss’ Friday night starter, while Tennessee’s starter AJ Causey was solid in his fourth straight Friday start.
With the win, Tennessee remains perfect at home this season and extends their winning streak in Lindsey Nelson Stadium to 19 games dating back to last season.
Tennessee’s offense was the story in Friday’s win, as the Vols totaled a whopping 13 hits in six innings at the plate, five of which left the yard. The win marked the 13th time Tennessee has scored double-digit runs in a game this season.
Here’s a handful of quick hitters on Tennessee’s second SEC win of the season.
Tennessee Tees Off on Ole Miss’ Starter
Tennessee used a five-run second inning and three-run third inning to take a sizable, early lead on Ole Miss.
After a Kavares Tears leadoff single and one-out Robin Villeneuve single in the second, Reese Chapman drove the first run home with an RBI single to right field. Tears made a great play to evade the tag and score, as the throw was on time.
Dean Curley then extended Tennessee’s lead by sending a 1-1 pitch to the second deck of the left-field porches for a three-run home run. Curley’s 7th blast of the year preceded Christian Moore’s 8th, as the star leadoff man hit a solo shot to left field in the next at-bat.
All five runs and three hits in the second inning came with two outs.
Tennessee added to their lead in the third, as Villeneuve hammered a three-run home run to left-field after Tears doubled and Dylan Dreiling walked. Tears finished the game a triple shy of the cycle.
Villeneuve’s 5th home run of the season got out of the park in a hurry, as it was a 112 mph missile just over the left-field wall.
The Vols continued their onslaught on Ole Miss starter Gunnar Dennis in the fourth, as Tears smacked a two-run home run to center field to score himself and Burke, who hit a leadoff double to extend his hit streak to 13 games.
Dennis exited the game after Tears’ homer, having given up 10 runs on nine hits, four of which left the yard.
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AJ Causey Remains Steady
Junior right-handed pitcher AJ Causey started for the fourth consecutive Friday and was steady yet again.
The Jacksonville State transfer dealt four scoreless innings before giving up a two-run home run in the fifth to Ole Miss’ second baseman Brayden Randle. Randle’s blast was mostly a blip on the radar for Causey, who shut down Ole Miss’ lineup for the majority of his outing.
Causey gave up five hits, two walks and two earned runs in 5.2 innings of work while striking out six batters.
Causey ran into a little trouble in the sixth, allowing a walk and a single to load the bases. Ole Miss shortstop Luke Hill then drove in teammate Jackson Ross for the third and final run for the Rebels, grounding into a fielder’s choice to get one across. However, the run was unearned for Causey, as Ross reached on a fielding error by Billy Amick.
Hill was Causey’s final batter, as senior left-handed pitcher Kirby Connell came out of the bullpen to get the final out. The final out was a significant one, too, as Connell struck out catcher Eli Berch to strand the bases loaded.
“Relatively typical,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said regarding Causey’s outing. “I think the one thing he does is has good presence or keeps things together when it doesn’t go your way. A guy makes a mistake behind you or you don’t get a call you want or a guy puts a charge in one. You’ve got to stay true to who you are, and he definitely does that. And obviously he’s out there pitching in not the best circumstances (weather) either.”
“He’s AJ Causey,” Moore said about Causey’s night. “I knew what he was going to be a lot earlier than a lot of people. The weird arm slot and the numbers on his fastball and off-speed stuff. He’s just doing what he does best and that’s going out here competing and giving us a chance to win the ballgame.”
Causey earned the win with his performance, improving to 5-0 on the season. Causey has earned the win in every start he’s made this season as well as his relief outing in Arlington. In Causey’s lone appearance that he didn’t receive a win, he earned a save against UAlbany.
Vols Secure the Run Rule
Tennessee secured the run-rule win over Ole Miss thanks to a five-run sixth inning.
Moore led off the sixth inning with a 405-foot home run to left field, his second of the day. Moore’s blast brought his season total to nine and career total to 36, putting him four away from Luc Lipcius’ program record (40).
Moore became the fourth Vol to record two or more home runs in a game this season, joining Amick, Burke and Curley. It also marked Moore’s fourth multi-home run game of his career.
Amick and Tears then worked a pair of one-out walks before Dreiling brought Amick home with an RBI single. Robin Villeneuve followed up Dreiling’s RBI with one of his own, knocking an RBI single to shallow center field.
Villeneuve’s hit gave Tennessee a 10-run lead, which is good enough for the run rule, but Chapman added some insurance with a two-run single.
“It’s huge,” Moore said about Tennessee’s big night offensively. “I think being back home on our home turf is huge. Getting a win like that was huge and it helped us save a little pitching for tomorrow an Sunday. Offense did what we needed to do for our pitching staff.”
Connell and graduate left-handed pitcher Chris Stamos combined to record a scoreless inning in the seventh to end the game.
Box Score
Up Next
Tennessee will aim to clinch the series with a win on Saturday against the Rebels. First pitch is at 6 p.m. ET inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch for Sunday’s series finale is at 1 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on SECN+.
