Four Quick Takes on a final midweek blowout of the season
Tennessee run-ruled Belmont 10-0 in the final midweek game of the regular season. Here’s Four Quick Takes on the action from Lindsey Nelson Stadium on a Tuesday night.
Christian Moore makes history, again
Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore’s home run in the bottom of the sixth inning tied Sonny Cortez (1998) for the most home runs in Tennessee single season history at 24. Ty Allen was the Bruins pitcher and the count was 3-1. The ball travelled 351 feet – just over the right field wall – with 101 miles per hour exit velocity. The next home run for the slugging infielder will be his 25th of the year and that will move him int sole possession of the record.
The Brooklyn, NY native already owns the program record for home runs with 51 in his career. That’s six more than teammate Blake Burke, who originally broke the record at 40 home runs, set by former Tennessee first baseman Luc Lipcius. Moore caught up with Burke and surpassed him just weeks later with a three-homer day against Kentucky and now has a comfortable lead in the category.
The record-tying blast was one of three in the bottom of the sixth inning. Colby Backus started the trend and Moore followed in back-to-back fashion. Reese Chapman followed suit two batters later to make the score 10-0. All three were solo shots. Moore capped the fun day at the ballpark by playing centerfield for the final inning he was in the field. It was the first appearance in the outfield this season for Moore.
Vols Unload in the First
Belmont third baseman Mason Landers had a rouuuuuugh fist inning at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. He let a routing ground ball off the bat of Christian Moore roll between his legs to get things going for the Vols in the first inning. Later on, Landers committed a two-base throwing error on a routine play to third that allowed the final run of the inning cross the plate to make it 5-0.
In-between the defensive struggles, Billy Amick doubled to the wall in left-centerfield to bring in the first run of the ballgame. After a Kavares Tears infield single and Dyan Dreiling walk to load the bases, Hunter Ensley’s double to the gap in left-centerfield cleared them to make it 4-0.
In all, the Vols were halfway to the run-rule after the first inning of play, plating five runs on just three hits while taking advantage of two Mason Landers errors at third base.
Bottom of the Order Comes Through
Tennessee had an opportunity to throw up a crooked number once again in the third and that’s exactly what the Vols did with two runs off two hits, though the Vols did leave a pair stranded.
Dylan Dreiling doubled to the gap in left-center to kick things off. Hunter Ensley and Dean Curley both walked to follow, loading the bases for catcher Cannon Peebles. The reserve player, who is in competition for at-bats as the team’s designated hitter on weekends, registered a sacrifice fly to left field as Dreiling came around to score the sixth run of the ballgame. Colby Backus, who drew the start at DH on Tuesday, singled in another with a rocket through the left side, making the score 7-0 in favor of the home team.
As the lineup card flipped over for the second time, Christian Moore reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second base but was left stranded there when Blake Burke flew out to left-center. Tennessee left a pair on but did drive in two and had a seven-run cushion after three at the ballpark.
Johnny Wholestaff
Dylan Loy picked up a quick two outs before allowing a two out single and walking the next batter to put runners on with one in scoring position. Still, a groundout to Christian Moore at second base ended the would-be threat and it was a quick and scoreless inning for Loy in the first.
In the second, the leadoff man reached on a throwing error from shortstop Dean Curley, but it was later erased on a 6-4-3 double play the next at-bat. Loy fired off a strikeout to bring the scoreless frame to a close as the Bruins sent he minimum to the plate.
Loy allowed a single around a strikeout and a flyout before being lifted for JJ Gacia with two gone in the third inning. The lefty starter tapped out at 2.2 innings on 42 pitches (27 strikes) while allowing just tow hits but no runs with two strikeouts to one walk. Garcia induced a 6-3 groundout to strand a base runner – who stole both second and third – 90 feet away by inning’s end. The sophomore worked around a one out walk in the fourth to put up a zero no the scoreboard before being relieved by Matthew Dallas to begin the fifth.
Th lefty allowed a two out single to right but struck out three in the fifth before turning things over to Marcus Phillips. Needing a good outing in the worst way, the righty tossed a quick 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts, topping 98 miles per hour on the radar gun. In the seventh Austin Hunley picked up the first two outs before handing the ball over to Derek Schaefer to end the game with the final out.
In all, Tennessee used six pitchers I the shutout effort that was shortchanged two innings because of run-rule. The group combined to allow only four hits with nine strikeouts to two walks.
The post Four Quick Takes on a final midweek blowout of the season appeared first on On3.
