by Tristan Thornhill
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On a cloudy Saturday afternoon, No. 2 Tennessee snuck in a good one against No. 7 Florida, winning 10-0 before the storms rolled into Knoxville.
Tennessee opened SEC play with a series win against the Gators, and if that wasn’t impressive enough, they exploded for another run-rule victory, stretching their winning streak to nineteen.
Marcus Phillips dazzled once again and dropped his ERA to 0.82 after his second win. He pitched seven innings of scoreless ball and was assisted with some seventh-inning stretch fireworks to capture the complete game shutout.
Phillips was impressed with his ability to keep his pitch count down, especially with a formidable offense like Florida’s. He credited his success to “competing in the zone… just trying to get ahead to strike one and work from there.” He emphasized “getting in [his] own way.”
As for Florida, freshman star, Aidan King takes the loss even after a six-inning one-run performance. The Florida offense couldn’t scratch anything across for King, and he wasn’t helped by his bullpen either.
Before the offensive explosion, Tennessee’s pitching and defense were on full display, having four “ESPN-type plays” throughout the game, according to head coach Tony Vitello.
In the first inning, Jay Abernathy built on his impressive freshman campaign with one of the nicer defensive highlights this year for the Vols.
After a single and stolen base from Florida shortstop Colby Shelton, Blake Cyr singled to left field, and Shelton came hauling around second base. Abernathy fielded and came up firing towards the dish, as the crowd slowly rose to their feet realizing there was a chance.
There was more than just a chance, as Stone Lawless grabbed the ball on a hop to the right side of the dish and slid back to the left side to tag Shelton with plenty of time, recording the final out of the inning.
Abernathy pounded his chest, screaming towards the Tennessee dugout, as the crowd gave him a hand into the dugout.
However, that was just the beginning for Abernathy’s defensive web gems.
Only one inning later, Abernathy made another remarkable play to end the inning. Stripling lined a ball to deep left field, as Abernathy ranged back on it, he realized it was on the other side of his body, so he adjusted mid-sprint, made an over-the-shoulder snag, then did his best Hunter Ensley impression and banged into the wall, only to get up immediately, scream and pump his chest to the dugout.
The play was so incredible it left Stripling with nothing to do but tip his helmet as he rounded second heading back to the Florida dugout.
On his way into the dugout, Abernathy received a loud hand from the home crowd, probably the loudest I have heard it this year.
“Our crowd was awesome… I love Jay. It’s kind of hard not to like Jay, but I think his confidence is really high in the team, in combination with himself.” – Tony Vitello on Jay Abernathy.
In the bottom half of the second, Tennessee freshman Levi Clark doubled down the right field line, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Then on the third pitch of the at-bat, Manny Maring singled to center field.
Before the inning concluded, Abernathy stepped to the dish receiving a huge hand from the crowd, took a minute to take it in, and then acknowledged the remarkable game he was having without recording an at-bat yet. Nevertheless, the inning ended with him striking out looking, and the Vols took a 1-0 lead all the way to the seventh inning.
It was a classic pitcher’s duel, but as Marcus Phillips came off the hill for what he didn’t realize was his final inning, something started brewing.
As the wind started picking up, so did the pressure. After another phenomenal defensive inning from the Vols, they turned around and had one of the most dominating innings I have ever seen.
It all started with a Chapman single through the right side. Marin immediately followed with a single of his own, then, Chapman caught the Gators sleeping and promptly stole third base.
After Lawless struck out, Marin stole second, and Abernathy walked after a seven-pitch at-bat, loading the bases for the Big Orange.
Curley credited Abernathy for his presence in the lineup, and his ability to flip it so well. “He just scraps, you know, he wants to win and he wants to compete, he’s very fast.”
Another gauntlet of an at-bat followed, this time in the form of Dean Curley. Curley worked an eight-pitch at-bat that included four foul balls. On the eighth pitch, he rocketed a ball down the left field line for a bases-clearing double, giving Tennessee a commanding 4-0 lead. Lindsey Nelson Stadium exploded once again, not stopping until Rocky Top stopped blaring over the speakers in center.
Curley was happy with his at-bat and credited it to his “teammates support… Everyone else has been doing it all game, so I just want to keep going.” `1
“Dean’s the type of guy that will adjust as the game’s going on. He’ll think through the game, he’ll compete in all situations, and it’s what makes him a good baseball player… He’s got the right baseball brain.” – Tony Vitello on Dean Curley’s performance on Saturday.
But it didn’t stop there, that’s the best part of this team, they can explode at any given moment, so you’d be a fool to rule them out of any game.
Curley advanced on a wild pitch, then Gavin Kilen walked, bringing up Ensley with still only one out.
Ensley singled through the left side scoring Curley, making it 5-0 Tennessee. He then advanced on another wild pitch, making it second and third for Andrew Fischer.
Fisher hit a 2 RBI single, expanding the lead to 7-0. Dalton Bargo even got into this game, pinch-hitting for Levi Clark, and promptly smacked a double into the right field corner, making it second and third for Chapman.
It seemed like it was something out of a movie from this point on, as everyone in the stands turned to one another and half-jokingly said “Imagine he hits this one out?”
Chapman did exactly that on the second pitch of the at-bat, with a missile to right field, that fought the wind blowing in, all the way to the bullpen for the walk-off blast.
Tennessee, in a pitchers’ duel that featured two of the most prolific arms in the Southeastern Conference, exploded for nine runs in an inning. Ridiculous stuff going on in Knoxville, Tennessee as they improved on an already ridiculous start, going 19-0.
As for the series finale tomorrow, coach Vitello said “Everybody’s available,” in terms of who will start. You can credit Marcus Phillips and Tennessee exploding for nine in the seventh for saving the bullpen.
Tennessee will face Florida one final time at 1 PM EST tomorrow at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.