After two-straight games of hitting woes, Tennessee didn't need its bats to take an early lead Saturday.

Helped along by an abysmal start from Florida pitcher Jac Caglianone, the Vols scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on their way to a 14-2 Game 3 win in eight innings at a soggy Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

In fact, No. 10 Tennessee (22-10, 5-7 SEC) did just enough at the plate, totaling seven total four hits. A dominating performance on the bound from right-handed starter Drew Beam (W, 4-1) helped.

He tossed 10 strikeouts–a season high–and held No. 3 Florida to just four hits in 7.0 innings of work. At the plate, Griffin Merritt finished 3-for-4 with three hits and six RBIs including two home runs in a triumphant return to the lineup.

After throwing a strike on his first pitch, Caglianone tossed 15-straight balls and walked six of the 10 Tennessee batters he faced.

Merritt drew the fourth walk to score an unearned run from Jared Dickey, then a wild pitch scored Christian Moore. Zane Denton's RBI ground out swelled the lead to 3-0 before Florida reliever Tyler Nesbitt got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Tennessee's first hit came in the third off of a Merritt leadoff double to left, opening the way for a three-run frame. Merritt scored on a Florida fielding error, then Cal Stark homered over the stands behind the left-center field wall, extending the advantage to 6-0.

Merritt continued his impressive afternoon with a two-run home run in the fourth to up the Vols' lead to 8-0.

Florida (27-6, 9-3) got on the board with a two-run shot from Luke Heyman in the seventh, but Tennessee answered back with three runs in the sixth and seventh.

.A three-run home run from Merritt in the eighth invoked the run-rule.

Tennessee will face Eastern Kentucky in a midweek game on Tuesday before playing at No. 5 Arkansas in a three-game series

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