Tennessee baseball hit four home runs and a number of pitchers performed well as the Vols run-ruled Samford 11-1 in seven innings to complete the weekend sweep on Sunday afternoon.
The Vols improved to 7-0 with the win, run-ruling their opponents in five of their games to this point. Here’s how Tennessee got it done in game three of the series.
Back-to-Back Blasts Gives Tennessee Breathing Room
Entering the fourth inning, Tennessee held a modest 2-1 lead with both runs coming off on a Samford error. The Vols were one-of-seven with runners in-scoring position when Jay Abernathy stole second base with two-outs in the fourth inning. The umpires reviewed the bang-bang play for a good deal of time before confirming the call.
Tennessee made that ruling count. Dean Curley walked to put two on base and then Gavin Kilen lifted a 390-foot three-run homer to right field to give the Vols some breathing room.
Then Hunter Ensley went deep for the second time this season with a 394-foot home run off the batter’s eye in center field. It was the first time all season that Tennessee has hit back-to-back home runs.
That ran Samford starter Josh Leerssen from the game but Tennessee wasn’t done just yet. Evan Steckmesser hit Andrew Fischer on the first pitch he threw and then he scored on a Manny Marin bloop double to right field plus a Samford throwing error.
The five runs, all with two outs, saw Tennessee extend its lead and effectively take control of the game.
Austin Hunley Shines On A Johnny Wholestaff Afternoon
Tennessee started junior college transfer Brandon Arvidson in game three but he served as an opener pitching just two innings. The left-handed pitcher allowed a solo homer in the first at-bat of the game and then retired six straight batters before allowing a single to open up the third inning.
That’s when right-handed pitcher Austin Hunley came in and turned in the best outing of the afternoon. He allowed only a seeing-eye single in the third inning while striking out a pair of batters. Hunley came back out to pitch the fourth inning and retired the side.
It was the second longest outing of Hunley’s career as the redshirt sophomore is pushing for a bigger role in his third season on Rocky Top.
Three different pitchers threw for Tennessee following Hunley as Austin Breedlove, Brayden Sharp and Ryan Combs all kept Samford off the scoreboard in one inning pitched each.
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Back Of The Order Produces For Tennessee Baseball
Tony Vitello loves the idea of being able to flip his lineup card upside down and his lineup be just as productive as it would be normally. A handful of his teams have had that identity and he’s already said this season that this group has the chance to have that identity too.
That was certainly the case on Sunday as Reese Chapman, Stone Lawless and Jay Abernathy were productive at the bottom of Tennessee’s lineup.
Reese Chapman hit the ball hard all game, going two-for-three at the plate with a double to left field. Stone Lawless had a number of competitive at-bats, reaching base three times with two hits and a solo homer to the third deck of proches in left field. Then Jay Abernathy went one-for-two with a walk, a groundout that advanced runners and stole a base.
That trio didn’t have many RBI opportunities but they set the stage for the top of the order to produce runs. And with two of Tennessee’s best hitters batting in the leadoff spot and two-hole, that’s a strong formula.
Chapman, Lawless and Abernathy combined to score six runs.
Box Score
Up Next
Tennessee baseball returns to action on Tuesday afternoon when they North Alabama in a lone midweek game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m. ET and the SEC Network+ is streaming the game.
