After a tough weekend featuring a pair of losses to Texas A&M in a Saturday doubleheader to drop the series, Tennessee baseball hosted Alabama State on Tuesday.

The result was the Vols using an eight-run fourth inning to win 10-2.

Fifth-ranked Tennessee (29-4) mashed three home runs in the inning to help reach the high total. Those shots came off the bats of Reese Chapman, Chris Newstrom and Dean Curley.

This left the Hornets (16-18) in far too big of a hole to scratch back from. As a team, they recorded just six hits to score two runs on a solo shot and deep double with two outs in the top of the ninth.

For the second straight Tuesday, AJ Russell got the ball to get things started. Once again, he sat down the first three batters he faced in order. However, this time, he went into the second inning, as well.

His final line sat at one allowed hit, no runs and a pair of strikeouts.

In relief, Bryson Thacker, Austin Breedlove, Andrew Behnke, Michael Sharman, Austin Hunley, Ryan Combs, Thomas Crabtree and Nic Abraham.

Breedlove was handed the win after pitching 1.1 frames while allowing a hit and no runs. He struck out one.

Behnke also impressed in his inning of work. He threw one complete frame without allowing a hit, striking out one and doing so in just 10 pitches.

Russell got the ball to start and looked dominant again. He sat down Alabama State in order with a pair of strikeouts.

For the first time this year, Russell stayed in the game for another inning of work. This time, he allowed a poke to right field with two outs. The single was the extent of the damage he allowed, though.

Tennessee got its first hit of the game in the third. With two outs, Blake Grimmer poked a ball into left field for a single. The following at-bat, Hunter Ensley joined him with a hit to the same spot. However, the Vols couldn't get a run to cross.

The stalemate was ended in the bottom of the fourth, though. Chapman lifted a ball off the top of the scoreboard in right field to give Tennessee the lead. The following at-bat, Newstrom sent one to the top of the porches in left.

In two quick swings, it became a 2-0 game in the favor of the Vols. That lasted until Curley went yard in the same inning. His two-run shot make it a 4-0 game. The swing was 435-foot shot that was 110 mph off the bat.

Tennessee wasn't done there, either. The Vols played a fifth run off a wild pitch. Levi Clark hit a sac-fly to deep center to push in a sixth. Then, Newstrom roped a double to send another pair home.

This left the score at 8-0 in favor of Tennessee after four innings of play.

The Vols had chances in the following innings to score, but Alabama State beat them to the punch with a solo shot in the top of the seventh. Tennessee found itself a swing away from the run-rule again, but got caught stealing and popped out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, the bases loaded for Newstrom with two outs. One run scored on a wild pitch to make it just two runs with a pair in scoring position from the run-rule.

Newstrom would single to score one but Clark was held at third to ensure the run-rule didn't go into effect.

This made way for a final inning of work for pitchers to take home an eight-run win. The final run of the game came on a deep double with two outs.

Tennessee now heads to Oxford, Mississippi to face No. 6 Ole Miss for a weekend set. First pitch of the series is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Saturday's match is scheduled for 5 p.m. Both games will air on SECN+.

The Vols and Rebels will meet on TV for Sunday's game. Slated to be played on SEC Network, first pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Tennessee will be back at home on Tuesday for a mid-week clash with Bellarmine. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. ET and will air on SECN+. Then, the Vols will host Kentucky for a series spanning from Friday through Sunday.

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