Tennessee baseball fell to ETSU for the first loss of its season, 7-6. The No. 1 Vols (20-1, 3-0 SEC) couldn’t put together a complete pitching game, allowing four home runs to the Bucs (16-4).
Here’s how it went down on Tuesday night.
First inning action
The game started an odd way for the Vols. Right-handed pitcher Austin Breedlove got the first two outs quickly in the top of the first. Within three pitches, he notched a flyout and a groundout, but that didn’t discourage the Bucs.
The next at-bat, Breedlove allowed a single to center field, which turned into a runner at third base. A fielding allowed him to advance, but Tennessee still had two outs. After working a full count, the next batter singled into left field, driving home the first run of the day. Tennessee secured the final out with a flyout to right field to end the damage.
It didn’t take long for the Vols to regain the lead.
They loaded the bases with one out remaining, but Reese Chapman made it worth it. He drilled the ball to the right, where the second baseman couldn’t get ahold of it. Two runs scored, as Andrew Fischer jogged across, and Hunter Ensley pulled off a tough slide to avoid the catcher.
Bullpen game for Tennessee
The Vols elected to heavily use the bullpen in Tuesday evening’s game.
Breedlove got his first career start on the rubber, but he was on an extremely short leash. After allowing two hits and a run in the first inning, the Vols decided to relieve him with left-hander Brayden Sharp.
Sharp’s outing was a quick one as well. He threw 19 pitches in the second inning, striking out two but allowing a home run to right field. Thomas Crabtree was the man on the rubber in the third, but he had a short night. He lasted 15 pitches and one out in the inning, walking one and allowing a two-run shot to left field. He was replaced by Austin Hunley who lasted just 0.2 innings. He tossed 14 pitches, the fewest of the night. He struck out his first batter but was pulled after hitting one batter and walking the next.
Andrew Behnke was the fifth pitcher in four innings for Tennessee. Behnke lasted two innings, tossing 25 pitches. In seven batters faced, he allowed one hit and one walk, registering no strikeouts.
“Andrew was himself, which is what we expected,” head coach Tony Vitello said. “He did a great job for us, and he could’ve gone on longer. It’s a quick turnaround and we expect him to make an impact and throw vital pitches and maybe vital innings in Tuscaloosa.”
Bryson Thacker was called upon in the sixth inning. He threw 16 pitches in .2 of an inning, walking one and striking out two batters. Brayden Krenzel finished off the sixth, forcing a groundout. He had the longest outing of the night, taking the rubber for 2.1 innings and throwing 38 pitches. He struck out two and allowed two hits after facing eight batters.
Ryan Combs was supposed to be the closer, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. He allowed a single but struck out the next batter. However, he allowed a two-run home run, which tied the game up in the top of the ninth. Tanner Franklin relieved him, finishing the game for Tennessee. He saw 1.2 innings of work, throwing 27 pitches for three strikeouts. Franklin also allowed a solo home run to left field, which won the game for the Bucs.
Unable to close
After Tennessee secured a two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, it seemed like it was over for ETSU.
However, the Bucs continued the fight.
With two outs left to tie the game or lead, ETSU’s Jamie Palmese launched a two-run bomb into the scoreboard to tie the game. Tennessee closed the inning, striking out the next batter and Tanner Franklin catching a foul ball to end the inning.
The Vols had a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth, but great defense stifled them. Levi Clark reached first, putting the winning run on base with no outs. Seven pitches later, the Vols had two outs and still hadn’t advanced the runner. Chris Newstrom, who was pinch running for Clark, stole second base to put the winning run in scoring position.
Manny Marin reached on a walk and Jay Abernathy stepped up to the plate. He hit a nice shot out to right field with a full count, but a diving grab by the right fielder sent the game to extra innings.
After two strikeouts, ETSU’s Grant Gallagher mashed a ball to left field, securing the winning run off a home run. Tennessee couldn’t respond, losing the game after leading by two in the ninth.
“I think it was a team just making plays,” Vitello said. “Whether it’s hitting the ball out of the ballpark or making plays on defense. There were a couple of times they didn’t make plays on defense that we could’ve taken advantage of and didn’t fully do. Credit to them, and a lot of it is poor decisions by me and it came back to bite us.”
Up next
Tennessee faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa from March 20th to March 22nd for its second conference series. The Crimson Tide have had a successful year, sitting at 20-1 as well as a 3-0 conference record.
“His (Rob Vaughn) ability to get those guys to play together and play hard and have a plan has already been evident to us last year,” Vitello said. “We went down and lost the series, and I don’t see how it would change.”
