By Nick Rose
The No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers handled business against their midweek opponent, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, winning 10-3 on a warm February afternoon.
After smashing three home runs Opening Weekend versus Nicholls and notching four RBIs, sophomore transfer Blaine Brown showcased his unique two-way talent on the mound for Tennessee. The Rice transfer had the diamond for his first start in orange and struck out the side, including two backwards Ks.
“I thought he was really, really good today,” Tennessee Head Coach Josh Elander said. “[He] was attacking the strike zone, threw a couple good changeups, good sliders too. … he’s such a special talent. You’ve got to be kind of delicate by how you attack with him.”
Though Brown got the start, freshman Cam Appenzeller got the win in relief, pitching four innings for the Vols.
Appenzeller’s start was shaky, allowing two hits, a walk, and two runs all in his first out of work; however, he found a rhythm after, retiring 11 batters consecutively before being pulled.
“I think I kind of just locked it in. I think 1st inning, I was a little sped up, just kind of by the game and pitch clock,” Appenzeller said. “But I think I just slowed down the game and went out there in the 2nd and 3rd inning.”
The bats aided the pitching, going 14-for-35 with two home runs, hit by Henry Ford and Stone Lawless. The Vols also got help from their eight-hole hitter, sophomore Jay Abernathy, who went 3-for-4 with a triple that almost turned into an inside-the-park home run; however, he was tagged out at home by a heroic effort from the catcher.
“Jay took some good swings, hit some balls to the track. I think he’s capable of being a great player in this league. There’s no doubt about it,” Elander said. “He’s always shown flashes and just want to let him settle, get him in the lineup, let him do his thing.”
The Vols look to continue their hot start as they host Kent State, which sits atop the Mid-American Conference, for a weekend series.