Tennessee had to outlast Mother Nature and multiple weather delays on Tuesday night, but the Vols prevailed 9-5 over Belmont. Here\u2019s how it happened.<\/p>\n
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND<\/strong> \u2014 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n TOP OF THE THIRD \u2014<\/strong> Following a nearly 90 minute weather delay Belmont suddenly got hot to start the third inning.<\/p>\n Facing the bottom of the order, Tennessee\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n BOTTOM OF THE THIRD \u2014<\/strong> Down a run, Tennessee immediately struck back.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Not so fast.<\/p>\n Christian Moore reached first after being in hit in the head with a pitch with two outs.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n TOP OF THE FOURTH \u2014<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH \u2014<\/strong> Tennessee, once again facing a two out situation, found a way to get a guy across the plate.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH \u2014<\/strong> This time the Vols didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Two batters later Christian Scott singled to right field to bring Merritt home for a 7-5 Tennessee lead.<\/p>\n BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH \u2014<\/strong> This one was pretty simple.<\/p>\n Blake Burke tripled down the right field line with one out.<\/p>\n Merritt nonchalantly scored him on the very next pitch with a fielders choice to third, 8-5 Tennessee.<\/p>\n BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH \u2014 <\/strong>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.<\/p>\nTONY VITELLO RECAPS WIN OVER BELMONT<\/h2>\n