Tennessee baseball got its toughest test yet this weekend.
After reasonably narrow games won by the Vols on Friday and Saturday, Tennessee finally broke through for a run-rule, 11-1, win over Samford on Sunday.
The Vols (7-0) used the longball to power past the Bulldogs (3-4) this time. Tennessee left the park four times in the game with a pair of back-to-back home runs.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Going the distance were Gavin Kilen, Hunter Ensley, Levi Clark and Stone Lawless.
The second back-to-back between Clark and Lawless was enough to put the run-rule into play. It was the second-straight game that Clark had pinch-hit for a bomb. It was Lawless' first home run of his young career.
On the mound, Brandon Arvidson got the ball to start. After also starting on Tuesday, the lefty went two innings while allowing two hits and a run. The lone score of the game for Samford came on a lead-off home run off Arvidson.
He was replaced by Austin Hunley. He went two innings himself while allowing two hits but no runs. That made way for Austin Breedlove who tossed an inning while allowing one hit and no runs.
Brayden Sharp was the most impressive pitcher of the day. He started his outing by striking out the side in the sixth. He handed the ball to Ryan Combs, the younger brother of Aaron Combs, to round out the game.
Like his older brother, Ryan Combs shut things down as the closer to secure the 10-run win. He struck out two in his inning of work.
WHAT HAPPENED
In the first at-bat of the game, Samford continued to be a pest. The Bulldogs' lead-off batter took Arvidson yard to take a 1-0 lead off the jump.
With nothing going Tennessee's way in the bottom of the first, it was another early deficit for the Vols in the series.
Tennessee got it going in the second, though. Dean Curley grounded into what should've been an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded and one out. However, an error on the throw to first resulted in a pair of runs coming across to take the lead.
In the third, Samford threatened again. Arvidson was yanked to make way for Hunley. He got out of the inning unscathed.
The Vols blew things open in the bottom half of the fourth. With two outs, Kilen went the distance for a three-run shot. Ensley followed it up for back-to-back home runs to make it a 6-1 game in the favor of Tennessee.
This caused a pitching change for Samford. That didn't matter, though. Andrew Fischer was hit by a pitch before Manny Marin roped a double. An error getting the ball in allowed Fischer to score from first to make it a 7-1 game after four.
Two more runs were tacked on in the fifth. Kilen pushed a runner home on a sacrifice fly before Enlsey singled to score another.
In the top of the sixth, Sharp entered. He struck out the side to keep the 9-1 lead intact. This made way for Clark to smack a solo shot for his second home run in two days. He was the hero in game two, with the go-ahead grand slam on Saturday. Both of his homers came as a pinch hitter.
Lawless followed it right up with one of his own. This was the second back-to-back home runs of the game for Tennessee. This put the Vols up 10 and in position to earn the first run-rule victory of the series.
Combs came in to close things out in the seventh and slammed the door shut on the win.
UP NEXT
The Vols will then have a midweek clash with North Alabama on Tuesday before hitting the road. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET and will air on SEC Network+.
Next weekend, Tennessee will face Oklahoma State, Rice and Arizona in Houston for the Astros Foundation College Classic. These games will stream on Astros.com.
– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.
– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.
– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.
