KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee baseball fell to Evansville in Game 2 of the Knoxville Super Regional inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The final score was 10-8. The Vols scored three home runs in the first inning, but couldn't maintain momentum to compete with a feisty Purple Ace team.
First baseman Blake Burke hit an early solo home run to put the Vols on the board first. Two batters later, Dylan Dreiling and Hunter Ensley hit back-to-back bombs to give Tennessee three long balls in the first inning. The Vols led 3-0.
Kavares Tears ended a 1-2-3 inning with an excellent diving catch for the final out of the frame.
In the second inning, Cal Stark hit a double, and Dean Curly and Christian Moore walked to load the bases. Evansville swapped pitchers, and Jakob Meyer took the mound before Blake Burke flew out to center field to plate Curly. It was the only run the Vols could capitalize on to make it a 4-0 game.
The Purple Aces came back in the fourth. The three-run inning was highlighted by Cal Mcginnis’ two-run homer, his second long ball of the series. Evansville was down one, 4-3.
Tennessee responded in the fifth inning with a two-out double from Kavares Tears to plate Dreiling and pushed the lead to two. Bradke Lohry flied out to right field to end the inning, and the Vols had a 5-3 advantage.
Evansville would not go away. Once again, the Purple Aces made it a one-run game after Kip Fougerousse hit an RBI single to center field. Tennessee switched pitchers with two outs in the fifth, and Kirby Connell entered in relief for Drew Beam. Beam finished pitching 4.2 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, and striking out five batters.
Connell did not pitch for long. He allowed a double down the right-field line to score another Purple Ace. Tennessee made another change on the mound, and Nate Snead entered. However, Evansville continued to play tough.
Still, with two outs in the fifth, Brent Widder singled to center field to tie things up 5-5. If that wasn’t enough, the next batter doubled to bring another run to take the lead by one. Tennessee finally got off the field with a final out at second, and the Aces led 6-5.
In the sixth inning, with two on and two outs, Dreiling singled out to first to end the inning. The Vols challenged the call, but it was upheld, and no runs were scored, which cost the Vols the tie.
Evansville’s momentum continued to roll into Lindsey Nelson. The Aces went on to slam two two-run homers in the bottom of the frame to push its lead to 10-5. One was hit shortly after Andrew Behnke was pulled in to pitch for the Vols.
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings. Tennessee had one more shot to make a comeback in the ninth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Ensley hit an RBI single, Tears walked to bring in a run, and Dean Curly flew out to score another Vol. The score was 10-8, and there was hope for Tennessee.
Cannon Peebles walked to load back up the bases, and Cal Stark was up to bat for UT but he struck out. It was all up to Moore with the bases loaded and two outs. Moore flew out to right center field to end the game.
Tennessee will play the Purple Aces in the Game 3 rubber match Sunday at 6 p.m. inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
