Tennessee wrapped up its three-game series with Dayton in commanding fashion, stringing together eight hits while giving up just two in a 6-0 win on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
First baseman Blake Burke was the catalyst, headlining the No. 3 Vols (6-2) at the plate with a pair of homeruns while a committee of pitchers gave the Flyers (0-6) very few opportunities to salvage Game 3.
Here are the takeaways:
Burke was the tone-setter
A day after Tennessee's bats were relatively quiet, Blake Burke made an early impression in his first at-bat.
His solo home run that covered a distance of 428 feet before settling beyond the center field wall gave the Vols a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Tennessee batters opened it up a little bit more in the second with a four-run frame that included RBIs from Austin Jaslove, Jared Dickey and Christian Moore to extend the lead to 5-0.
After the Vols went scoreless in back-to-back innings, Burke added another run with his second homer, this one going 375 feet with an exit velocity of more than 100 MPH into the second deck of the left field stands.
"First at-bat, I got a fast ball first pitch," Burke said. "Second pitch, I was kind of looking at the same thing. Saw it hanging and I took my best swing at a curve ball."
Burke finish 2-for-4 at the plate with the two homers bringing him to four total just eight games into the season.
He's currently hitting .357 overall.
"It's not just today, it's everyday," Assistant coach Josh Elander said. "The stuff he does, it's just not normal. He hits balls in batting practice and you kind of scratch your head and say, 'did that really just happen?' I don't know if he gets enough fanfare or credit because he's a hitter, too. It can really leave the yard. That ability to just flick that ball...It's special and not a lot of guys in the country can do that."
Beam recovers, turns in strong outing
Tennessee's coaching staff and players undoubtedly held their breath when starting right-handed pitcher Drew Beam took a ball off his leg in the top of the third.
He laid on the turf briefly but managed to get up on his own and return to the mound where he proceeded to retire the next eight batters he faced.
Elander credited Beam's prep football background at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro two years ago for being able to shake off the contact and return to form.
"(Beam) is just a tough kid," Elander said. "I think the football background helped him out a little bit there. ...I think it got him right in the thigh. I don't know if that's not the best spot or the worst spot, but it didn't get him in the knee cap. Tough kid. He's going to going to stand there and do his thing. I just thought he was really good today."
"It helps that I've been hit before," Beam added. "It's not a new feeling, I guess. It doesn't always feel good but it's just something you've got to live with. It's just part of the game."
Beam earned the win to move to 2-0 on the season. He tossed 75 pitches, four strikeouts and allowed just one hit in 5.1 innings of work. He's combined for 10 strikeouts and given up four hits in his two appearances dating back to last Sunday's game vs. UC San Diego.
"I think I could have been better," Beam said. "I got a lot of three-ball counts and I walked a few guys, so I don't love that. Overall, felt good. I'm feeling good with my pitches. I feel a lot better comfort-wise. Arm's feeling good, body's feeling good. Can't complain."
Up next
Tennessee will face Charleston Southern in a two-game midweek series starting Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET and concluding Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols will follow that up with a three-game home weekend slate versus Gonzaga.
All five games will air on SEC Network Plus.
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