COLUMBIA, Mo. — No. 2 Tennessee baseball lost both games of Sunday's doubleheader against Missouri as the Tigers swept the three-game series in Columbia, Mo. to start SEC play. The Vols did not get swept in any series last season.
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello was ejected in the fourth inning of an eventual 7-4 loss to the Tigers in the first game on Sunday. He was arguing a balk call that sent a Missouri runner home and was tossed from the game. The run that scored on the balk ended up being the game-winning tally and Missouri clinched the series victory with the win.
Missouri swept the series with a 7-1 victory to close the doubleheader against Tennessee. Drew Beam went three innings in the start but finished without an earned run. Missouri's first five runs were unearned in the third and fourth innings.
Chase Burns struggled on the bump in the first leg of the twin bill. The sophomore allowed eight hits and seven runs (six earned) in five innings of work, but also struck out a staggering 12 runners in his first pitching loss of the year.
Tennessee returns home for a midweek game against Western Carolina on Tuesday, March 21. The Vols will host a three-game conference series against Texas A&M starting Friday, March 24 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
