by Jay King
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Despite heavy rainfall, head coach Tony Vitello decided to go on with the game, so the game started.
The start was not an ideal one for the Vols, as at the top of the first, after Auburn’s Chris Rembert struck out, Cade Belyeu drew a walk. Ike Irish came up and hit an early two-run home run to take the lead for the Tigers. After a replay, it showed that the ball did not go over the wall, but Vitello did not challenge, so it remained a home run. Liam Doyle was able to get back-to-back outs to end the first.
After the top of the first, the game was called off on an extended rain delay. The game had to be resumed as a doubleheader starting on Saturday, May 3rd, at 11 am.
After another rain delay that extended the start time to 11:35 on Saturday, but it was then time to play ball once again.
Tennessee started the bottom of the first in a 1-2-3 inning on a Gavin Kilen lineout, Dean Curley strikeout, and an Andrew Fischer groundout.
The top of the second inning saw Tegan Kuhns come in for Liam Doyle. Eric Snow came up and hit a leadoff single to right field. A few plays later, he then stole second base after the attempted throw out by catcher Cannon Peebles ended up in center field. No damage was done, though, as Kuhns was able to get three straight outs, two of which were strikeouts.
The bottom of the second saw another 1-2-3 inning, as this time Hunter Ensley grounded out on a tough play by second baseman Eric Snow. Dalton Bargo struck out, and Levi Clark grounded out to end the second.
This frame was another struggle for the Vols, but they were able to get out with limited damage. It started with a Chris Rembert leadoff bunt single. Rembert was then able to steal second. Cade Belyeu then got a bunt single, which brought Rembert to third base. Belyeu then stole second, but then kept on running, and he ended up at third base, while that happened, though Rembert got thrown out at home. Ike Irish, who hit the home run in the first, then hit a single that scored Belyeu. Auburn went up 3-0. After Irish stole second base, Tennessee got back-to-back outs to end the top of the third.
The bottom of the third was yet another 1-2-3 inning, as Reese Chapman flied out and Cannon Peebles and Manny Marin struck out.
The Vols were able to take care of the top of the fourth as after an Eric Snow flyout, Deric Fabian drew a walk, but got caught stealing second. Chase Fralick struck out to get the Vols back to hitting.
The bottom of the fourth was their fourth straight 1-2-3 inning, as Gavin Kilen flew out to left field, Dean Curley struck out, and Andrew Fischer grounded out. Samuel Dutton was having a perfect game.
Tegan Kuhns was able to get back at the Tigers with his own 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth, as he got back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to bring the Vols back to the plate.
After a Hunter Ensley leadoff strikeout, Dalton Bargo was the first Vol to get on base with a single to right field, ending Samuel Dutton’s perfect game bid. The Vols were unable to capitalize on it, though, as Levi Clark struck out and Reese Chapman flew out.
In the sixth, Auburn added more damage, as after an Ike Irish groundout, Cooper McMurray hit a solo home run to extend Auburn’s lead, 4-1. After one more out, Tegan Kuhns’ game was over, as Tanner Franklin came in to replace him. He then got the third out.
The bottom of the sixth started with a Cannon Peebles single to right field, and he was able to get to second on a passed ball. No damage was done, though, as Manny Marin, Gavin Kilen, and Dean Curley all got out,
The Vols got a much-needed 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh as Deric Fabian grounded out, and Tanner Franklin recorded back-to-back strikeouts.
The bottom of the seventh looked like a potential turning point for the Vols, as after back-to-back outs by Andrew Fischer and Hunter Ensley, Dalton Bargo hit a double to right, then Levi Clark hit the ball all the way to the right-center field wall, but bounced off, barely keeping the ball from leaving the stadium. It was ruled a double and got upheld after a Tennessee Challenge. Bargo still scored, though, putting Tennessee on the board 1-4. Samuel Dutter got replaced after the hit by Clark, and his replacement, Ryan Hetzler, was able to strike out Reese Chapman to end the seventh.
At the top of the eighth, Tennessee needed to make sure Auburn couldn’t score, but Chris Rembert had other plans, as he hit a leadoff home run to right field. It was now 5-1, Auburn. After Cade Belyeu lined out and Ike Irish fouled out, Cooper McMurray hit a single. He was unable to score, though, as Eric Guevara grounded out to third.
The bottom of the eighth started with a Cannon Peebles flyout. Jay Abernathy came in for Manny Marin to try to be a spark offensively. It worked out as Abernathy hit a single to center field, but Gavin Kilen then grounded into a double play to end the eighth,
Austin Breedlove came in to pitch in the top of the ninth, and hit Eric Snow two pitches in. Snow then instantly stole second. Breedlove was then able to strike out Deric Fabian, but that was all for him, as Michael Sharman came in. Sharman walked Chase Fralick, and then he got pulled. Andrew Behnke came in, and after a sac bunt that advanced Fralic and Snow to second and third base, Chris Rembert also got hit by a pitch. This ended up loading the bases. After that, Behnke threw a wild pitch that scored Eric Snow from third. Auburn now led by five. Cade Belyeu flew out in foul territory to prevent more damage.
The bottom of the ninth started on a Dean Curley ground out, then Andrew Fischer was able to get to first safely on a single. Hunter Ensley then struck out, and Dalton Bargo grounded out to end the game.
The Vols’ second game of the double header is also on Saturday, May 3rd, as Auburn has a 1-0 series lead.