Tennessee baseball made easy work of Belmont on Tuesday night, run-ruling the Bruins 10-0 (seven innings) in its final midweek game of the season.
After two shaky midweek performances the last two weeks, Tennessee made easy work of its instate foes. Here’s everything to know about the midweek matchup.
Tennessee Jumps On Belmont Early
In Tennessee baseball’s last two midweek games they started slow. Two weeks ago the Vols fell against Lipscomb and last week it took a late inning comeback to knock off Queens.
The Vols didn’t leave Tuesday night’s matchup against Belmont in any doubt, scoring five runs in the first inning thanks to some strong hitting and poor Belmont defense.
Christian Moore reached second to leadoff the game on a Belmont fielding error and scored two at-bats later on a Billy Amick double. A Kavares Tears single and Dylan Dreiling walk loaded the bases for Hunter Ensley who cleared the bases on the first pitch he saw with a double to left-center field.
Tennessee scored its final run of the inning a batter later when Belmont third baseman Mason Landers’ throw got past first baseman Brodey Heaton allowing Ensley to score from second.
After consecutive low starts, Tennessee waited no time to go to work in its final midweek game of the season.
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Johnny Wholestaff
Tennessee went with its typical midweek formula of using a number of pitchers in the Tuesday night matchup against Belmont.
The Vols used six pitchers in the win including Dylan Loy, JJ Garcia, Matthew Phillips, Marcus Phillips, Austin Hunley and Derek Schaefer
Loy got the start after a strong outing on last Tuesday and was good again, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two batters in 2.2 innings pitched. The freshman left-hander has been stout in midweek matchups as the season has progressed and the Belmont game was no exception.
Garcia was solid, allowing one walk and stranding the runner at third thanks to a nice defensive play by Dean Curley to end the third inning. The right-handed pitcher added a strikeout in his 1.1 innings pitched.
The freshman Dallas was dominant in his lone inning pitched, striking out three batters around a bloop single.
Hunley recorded the two outs in the ninth inning around a one-out double while Schaefer came in and got the final out.
Some Nice Defensive Plays From The Left Side Of The Infield
Dean Curley has been exceptional defensively for Tennessee as a true freshman shortstop this season. He includes his nice season with a couple strong plays ranging to third base and making the throw to first and made another throwing to second when that was his only possible out.
Perhaps his best defensive play of the night helped Garcia get out of the third inning unscathed.
Dean with the nice backhanded grab and strong throw from deep in the hole to keep the Bruins off the board!
📺 https://t.co/cxgEEhzxib (SECN+)#GBO // #OTH // #BeatBelmont pic.twitter.com/8QK4FXNEnM
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 14, 2024
Billy Amick also made a nice diving catch, robbing Max Jones of what would have been an extra-base hit down the left field line.
Billy flashes the leather!
📺 https://t.co/cxgEEhzxib (SECN+)#GBO // #OTH // #WebGem pic.twitter.com/OnfTXjhKT0
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 14, 2024
Amick has been a little shaky defensively the last few weeks so him making the diving catch was a nice sign as he looks to get back to the level he was out earlier this season.
Christian Moore Ties Home Run Record
Tennessee’s Christian Moore was already held the Vols’ career home run record. The star second baseman added to his legacy on Tuesday night, hitting an opposite field home run to tie Tennessee’s single-season home run record.
Moore is now at 51 career home runs and 24 home runs on the season which ties him with Sonny Cortez (1998) for the program record.
While Moore tied the record against Belmont, his ability to hit home runs against SEC teams is incredibly impressive. The second baseman has hit 18 of his 24 home runs in SEC games.
Read all about Moore setting the record and his incredible record here.
Box Score
Up Next
Tennessee opens up a three-game series against South Carolina on Thursday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The game is at 6:30 p.m. ET and the SEC Network+ is streaming the game.
