Whenever you have your name in the same sentence as the great crossover athlete Condredge Holloway, you’re doing something right.
While Holloway is best known for his groundbreaking story and unparalleled athleticism on the football field, the former Tennessee superstar was also a terrific baseball player. Holloway was selected by the Montreal Expos with the fourth overall pick in 1971, but his mother wanted him to attend college. That began the path for Holloway to become the first Black quarterback and the first Black baseball player in the history of Tennessee Athletics.
The Tennessee shortstop earned All-SEC and All-American honors in 1975, where he set a program-record 27-game hitting streak. Holloway has held that record for nearly 50 years, but as they say, records are meant to be broken.
With a sharp single up the middle in the first inning against Bellarmine on Tuesday night, Tennessee junior first baseman Blake Burke tied Holloway’s 27-game hit streak. Burke went on to power a grand slam out of the park in the second inning en route to a massive 20-5 victory.
“Burke’s single in the first inning also extended his hitting streak to 27 straight games, tying Condredge Holloway’s 49-year old program record that was set back in 1975,” Tennessee published in their game notes from Tuesday.
Burke will have a chance to snap the 49-year record with a hit against No. 3 Kentucky this Friday night. Considering Burke has started all 37 of Tennessee’s games this season, it seems like that will be the opportunity.
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The 6-foot-3 power hitter was named a Midseason First-Team All-American selection by D1Baseball and landed a Midseason Second-Team nod from Perfect Game and Baseball America. Burke has been a key to Tennessee’s power behind the plate this season with a team-high .422 batting average and is second on the team in home runs (14), both stats among Tennessee’s everyday rotation of players.
“He’s been a big presence for us and been a big leader for us,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said of Burke earlier in the season. “It’s great he hits homers and gets hits, but I think his defense has greatly improved. He’s turned himself into a guy we won’t pinch-run for this year. That’s not a contract but I’m kind of thinking that on how he’s done in that category. Above all, he is a team captain type guy and a great leader.”
Following a 20-5 win over Bellarmine on Tuesday night in Knoxville, Tennessee will now turn their attention to another strong team from the SEC. The No. 4 Vols will travel to Lexington to take on No. 3 Kentucky in a massive three-game series on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more complete coverage of the Vols series from Lexington.
Blake Burke, 27 straight games with a knock.
That ties UT great Condredge Holloway for the longest streak in program history!
📺https://t.co/GcMMQMdzTu (SECN+)#GBO // #OTH // #BeatBellarmine pic.twitter.com/7TMsGGOlQl
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) April 16, 2024
