How it Happened: Griffin Merritt walks it off as Tennessee wins in extras 4-3 over Vanderbilt
Andrew Lindsey tossed arguably the best start in a Tennessee uniform this year and the Vols didn’t let it go to waste, coming back in extras to take down Vanderbilt, 4-3 in 12 innings. Griffin Merritt had the walkoff home run for the win.
Zane Denton’s solo home run in the second was the lone run the Vols (25-13, 6-10) accounted for on the night until Kavares Tears and Dylan Drieling’s solo shots tied things up in the bottom of the ninth. Vanderbilt (29-9, 13-3) scraped across three runs on eight hits while the Vols tallied four runs off six hits.
Chase Burns picked up the win after picking up nine outs in the final three innings with seven strikeouts. Nick Maldonado is charged for the loss after giving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning. Game two of the series will begin Saturday afternoon at noon eastern time and will be televised on ESPN 2.
But first, how did this one happened for the Volunteers?
Scoring Summary
Bottom 2nd: Zane Denton homered over the left-centerfield wall to put the Vols on the board.
1R, 1H, 0E, 0LOB – Score: Tennessee 1-0
Top 3rd: Matthew Polk singled and moved over to third on a single from Jonathan Vastine with no outs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. struck out and Vastine stole second. Davis Diaz struck out. RJ Schreck singled in both runners through the right side. Jack Bulger struck out.
2R, 3H, 0E, 1LOB – Score: Vanderbilt 2-1
Top 5th: Matthew Polk doubled down the left field line. Jonathan Vastine reached on a base hit bunt. Enrique Bradfield Jr. grounded in a runner from third on a 4-3 putout. Davis Diaz struck out swinging. RJ Schreck intentionally walked. Jack Bulger walked to load the bases. RJ Austin struck out.
1R, 2H, 0E, 3LOB – Score: Vanderbilt 3-1
Bottom 9th:
Bottom 9th: Kavares Tears led off the frame with a solo home run off the batter’s eye. Two batters later, Dylan Drieling’s pinch-hit home run tied the ballgame at three-all.
2R, 2H, 0E, 0LOB – Score: Tied 3-3
Bottom 12th: Griffin Merritt launched a solo home run to win the ballgame in walk off style.
The Final Stats
Postgame Video
Tennessee’s weekly schedule
Tuesday: Tennessee Tech 12, Vols 5 | Box Score | How it Happened | Four Takes | Vitello Transcript
Friday: Tennessee 4, Vanderbilt 3 (12 inn) | Box Score
Saturday: Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt | 12 pm ET | ESPN 2
Sunday: Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt | 1pm ET | ESPN 2
Tennessee in the weekly polls
Perfect Game – No. 19
USA Today – No. 20
NCBWA – No. 21
D1 Baseball – NR
Baseball America – NR
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