Vols prevail over Belmont: How it happened
Tennessee had to outlast Mother Nature and multiple weather delays on Tuesday night, but the Vols prevailed 9-5 over Belmont. Here’s how it happened.
SCORING SUMMARY
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND — It looked like Tennessee was going to go quietly in the second inning when the Vols were looking at a two out situation with Christian Moore on first base after a walk.
Christian Scott drew a walk himself and then both players stole second and third respectively without a throw, giving the Vols an excellent scoring opportunity with two outs.
Charlie Taylor plated both players when he hit a fly ball to centerfield that was grossly misplayed and went down as a two RBI single.
Ethan Payne followed that up with a walk and then Maui Ahuna brought Taylor around from second with a ground ball double that just snuck inside the right field line, giving the Vols a 3-0 lead after two.
TOP OF THE THIRD — Following a nearly 90 minute weather delay Belmont suddenly got hot to start the third inning.
Facing the bottom of the order, Tennessee’s Jacob Bimbi walked eighth place batter Jeff Clarke and then gave up a double to ninth hitter Ethan Harden putting runners on second and third.
Bimbi looked like he might be getting out of the jam with two straight strikeouts but was pulled after a two out walk to Brody Heaton.
Kirby Connell came on in relief and gave up back-to-back hits that drove in four runs and gave Belmont a 4-3 lead.
BOTTOM OF THE THIRD — Down a run, Tennessee immediately struck back.
Blake Burke opened the third with a single through the right side of the infield but the potential rally seemed to die when Griffin Merritt hit into a double play.
Not so fast.
Christian Moore reached first after being in hit in the head with a pitch with two outs.
Zane Denton made Belmont pay for that mistake by stroking a two run home run over the fence in center to put the Vols up 5-4.
TOP OF THE FOURTH — Matt Joyce, who finished the third for Connell, got a ground ball out to start the fourth inning. The then gave up a single to Clarke, and allowed him to advance all the way to third on consecutive wild pitches. Rando brought Clarke home with a two out single on a hot shot to third base that was too hot for Zane Denton to make a clean play on. That tied the game back up at 5-5.
BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH — Tennessee, once again facing a two out situation, found a way to get a guy across the plate.
With two outs Ahuna smacked a double to left field. Ensley cashed the opportunity in when he spanked a double of his own down the left field line to put the Vols back on top (for good as it turned out) 6-5.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH — This time the Vols didn’t wait until there were two outs. Griffin Merritt led the inning off with a check swing double to right field that landed safely and seemed to surprise him more than anyone.
Two batters later Christian Scott singled to right field to bring Merritt home for a 7-5 Tennessee lead.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH — This one was pretty simple.
Blake Burke tripled down the right field line with one out.
Merritt nonchalantly scored him on the very next pitch with a fielders choice to third, 8-5 Tennessee.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH — The Vols grabbed an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a second triple in as many innings, this one to right field from Christian Scott. Cal Stark brought him home in the next at bat with a sacrifice fly, giving the Vols their final margin of 9-5.
TONY VITELLO RECAPS WIN OVER BELMONT
TENNESSEE’S SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Tuesday: Tennessee 9, Belmont 5
Thursday: Tennessee at South Carolina | 7:00 pm ET | SEC Network+
Friday: Tennessee vs. South Carolina | 7 pm ET | SEC Network+
Saturday: Tennessee vs. South Carolina pm ET | SEC Network
Tennessee in the weekly polls (May 15)
D1Baseball.com — 18th
Baseball America — 19th
Collegiate Baseball — 29th
USA TODAY — 19th
Perfect Game — 9th
The post Vols prevail over Belmont: How it happened appeared first on On3.
