Tennessee baseball’s top five series at Kentucky lived up to all the hype of the weekend. It was a back-and-forth weekend in front of the two biggest crowds in Kentucky Proud Park history. Two of the three games were extremely tight and were decided in the final innings.
“I think both teams probably played to a stalemate for most of the weekend if you were going to dissect it,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said following the Vols’ 13-11 series clinching win on Sunday.
Kentucky’s small ball offense put Tennessee’s defense to the test. There was some good but also some bad from the Vols’ defense, most notably in the seventh inning on Friday night when a pair of defensive miscues led to a three-run inning that helped Kentucky take the lead.
But Tennessee was able to overcome the series opening loss thanks in large part due to the spectacular weekend from second baseman Christian Moore.
“I feel like we made a lot of mistakes,” Vitello said. “I assumed we made more than they did. But a separator was he. Really he and Burke were the separators overall because of their leadership.”
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Over the course of the weekend, Moore went nine-of-15 at the plate with four home runs, a double and nine RBIs. He was particularly spectacular in Sunday’s series finale when he went four-of-five with three home runs, a double and six RBIs.
Moore’s third inning home run gave Tennessee a 2-0 lead. His sixth inning double helped spark a five-run inning that saw Tennessee reclaim the lead. His seventh inning home run tied the game at 8-8 and his eighth inning three-run home run extended the Vols’ lead to 13-9.
“That was pretty ridiculous, to be honest with you,” Vitello said. “There’s no real words to put into it.”
Moore’s on quite the tear the last two weeks and in SEC play as a whole. Combining the LSU and Kentucky series, Moore is hitting 13-of-26 (.500) with six home runs, a double, two walks and 13 RBIs.
In SEC play as a whole, Moore is hitting .407 with 13 home runs, six doubles and a team-best 28 RBIs from the leadoff spot. The Vols’ second baseman is turning in an incredible season and is one of the leading bats in the one of the nation’s best offenses.
“Trying to stay humble and even-keeled,” Moore said. “Staying with my work that I do every day and try not to change as much, and just try to see good pitches up there.
