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Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s game two win over Iona.
Rounding 1st – Trey Lipscomb is on fire
Prior to being retired in the fifth, Tennessee’s third baseman had hits in his last eight at-bats. The streak began with a 5-for-5, nine RBI performance in Friday’s opener where the senior hit for the cycle.
Lipscomb nearly did it again – needing only the double after homering in his third trip to the plate. The senior ended the game 3-for-4, with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen bag. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning.
For context, there’s only been two players to hit for two cycles in a single college baseball season – both coming in the 1998 season (UT Sports Information). Derek Nicholson and Spencer Oborn accomplished the feats while Lipscomb came close.
Rounding 2nd – Dollander could be a special one
Tennessee’s newcomer once again looked sharp on the mound in orange, really working his off-speed well on Saturday to fool the Gaels. The righty went another five innings for the second-straight start, but this time didn’t run out of gas.
Dollander struck out 10 over the scoreless five frames, walking only one while allowing just two hits. 47 of his 58 pitches on the afternoon were strikes. At one point on Saturday, the new Vol led all of college baseball with 21 strikeouts – compared to only one walk.
Tennessee is in excellent shape in the rotation as Dollander will do his best to rival Blade Tidwell as the team’s ace when he returns. Chase Burns will also have something to say about that.
Rounding 3rd – Two-out Magic
The Vols continue to be a good two-out hitting club, driving in 12 of the squad’s 29 runs Saturday with two outs on the scoreboard.
Tennessee first rallied in the third inning as Gilbert, Lipscomb and Lipcius each drove in a run with two gone. One inning later in the fourth, Beck added another with a run-scoring single. Gilbert doubled in two more and Lipscomb capped the frame with a two-tun shot to right field. Moore later walked with the bases loaded to add another.
In Tuesday’s contest against Tennessee Tech that was suspended, Tennessee scored all five runs in the first inning with two gone.
Headed for Home – Bombs Away
It was another home run parade at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Saturday as the Vols tallied four long balls, from four separate batters, in the blowout win.
All four of Tennessee’s home runs on the day came with men on base. Lipscomb plated two with his bomb in the third inning. Jordan Beck followed suit with a two-run blast in the fourth. Scott and Moore both drilled three-run homers in the sixth to account for the six runs in the frame.
So far on the weekend, Tennessee has hit nine home runs. (including the five from Friday’s 21-1 victory).
Tennessee stats
Key plays
T1st - Iona 0, Tennessee 0
Chase Dollander retired the side in order with two strikeouts and a 4-3 groundout. Worked fast and changed speeds well. The top of the first took about three minutes to complete.
B1st - Iona 0, Tennessee 2 (+2)
Jordan Beck stroked a full-count offering to the wall in left-center field, scoring Ortega from first. Beck advanced to third on a throwing error and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Drew Gilbert.
T2nd - Iona 0, Tennessee 2
Chase Dollander allowed a two-out Vicente Mendoza double off the right-centerfield wall, but the Gaels failed to bring him in. Tennessee's righty struck out a pair in the frame.
B2nd - Iona 0, Tennessee 2
For the first time in the series, the Vols were retired in order as Evan Russell and Christian Moore grounded out to short, and Cortland Lawson flew out to center field.
T3rd - Iona 0, Tennessee 2
Anthony Febo led off the inning with an infield single to deep short, but Dollander responded by striking out the side. The right-handed hurler had seven punchouts to end the frame. 35 pitches, 30 strikes to that point in the ballgame.
B3rd - Iona 0, Tennessee 5 (+3)
The Vols sparked some more two-out magic, scoring three runs on three extra-base hits. Drew Gilbert doubled to left, plating Jorel Ortega. Trey Lipscomb tripled to right, scoring Gilbert. Luc Lipcius doubled to right to bring in Lipcomb.
T4th - Iona 0, Tennessee 5
The highlight of the inning came with Evan Russell throwing out Nick Forney, who was trying to steal second base. Russell had a great throw and was there for the tag when Forney slid through the second base bag. Dollander collected the other two outs - one groundout, one flyout.
B4th - Iona 0, Tennessee 10 (+5)
Cue the two-out rally again as the Vols plated five runs with two gone in the frame. Jordan Beck drove in Cortland Lawson for the first run. Gilbert followed with a double to right to plate two more. Lipscomb then smashed a two-run shot to blow the game wide open. Following the at-bat, Lipscomb needed just a double to hit for the cycle in consecutive days.
T5th - Iona 0, Tennessee 10
Chase Dollander strikes out the side. Great use of off-speed again. Had 10 strike outs at that point in the game.
B5th- Iona 0, Tennessee 14 (+4)
Jordan Beck's mammoth two-run shot to straight-away center field capped the four-run inning. Kyle Booker pinched hit for Seth Stephenson with one away, and drove in Christian Moore on a single through the right side. Booker later scored on a wild pitch.
B6th- Iona 0, Tennessee 21 (+7)
Logan Steenstra had the big knock in the seven-run frame with a single through the left side. The junior came on to pinch hit for Jorel Ortega and drove in two. Tennessee followed with four-straight bases-loaded walks to score four more. Credit Christian Scott, Logan Chambers, Blake Burke and Evan Russell with hitless RBIs. Moore came back around to drive in another as Chambers came home on a deep fly ball to left field.
T7th - Iona 0, Tennessee 21
Ben Joyce came on for Tennessee and tossed a scoreless seventh inning. He struck out two and worked around a two-out hit-by-pitch. Joyce was clocked as fast as 101 mph on the scoreboard radar gun.
B7th - Iona 0, Tennessee 27 (+6)
A pair of three-run homers told the story for the Vols in the seventh. Christian Scott's long ball brought home Logan Steenstra and Jared Dickey while Christian Moore's blast welcomed home Blake Burke and Hunter Ensley.
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, February 22
Midweek game – Tennessee Tech @ Tennessee – GAME SUSPENDED
Wednesday, February 23
Midweek game – UNC Ashville (1) @ Tennessee (16)
Friday, February 25
Game 1 – Iona (1) @ Tennessee (27)
Saturday, February 26
Game 2 - Iona (0) @ Tennessee (29)
Sunday, February 27
Game 3 – Iona vs. Tennessee – 1pm ET
