University of Tennessee Athletics
Tuesday, March 27
Cullowhee, NC
5 P.M. ET
University of Tennessee
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Western Carolina
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Photo by: Alison P. McNabb\Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Knocks Four Homers in 17-3 Rout of Western Carolina
March 27, 2018 | Baseball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Tennessee jumped out to an early two-run lead in the first inning and went on to add 15 more runs in Tuesday's 17-3 win over Western Carolina at Hennon Stadium. With the win, the Vols take a 17-9 record (4-2 SEC) into the weekend series at South Carolina.
In the midweek contest, Tennessee set a season-high in runs scored with 17. The effort was led by redshirt sophomore Nico Mascia, who went 4-for-4 with three RBI and scored five runs in the game, tying a school record for runs scored. Senior Brodie Leftridge also went 3-for-3 and added two runs for UT.
To start the contest, the Vols batted around and scored four runs on four hits. Sophomore Justin Ammons began the inning with a leadoff walk before Jay Charleston hammered a ball over the left-center fence for a two-run homer. UT used a flyout and a groundout to plate two more runs, taking a 4-0 lead.
In the second frame, the Big Orange scratched three more runs across. Charleston scored on a single to left by Leftridge after reaching on a hit-by-pitch. With runners on first and second, Pete Derkay then roped a bases-clearing double down the right field line to give UT a 7-0 lead.
Tennessee opened the top of the third with a two-run homer to right-center field by Ammons. The Vols then used back-to-back extra-base hits by Mascia and Leftridge to extend their advantage to 10-0. Western Carolina broke through in the bottom of the inning, plating one run on a 6-3 groundout after a lead-off double by Spencer Holcomb.
UT answered in the fourth and fifth frames with solo shots by freshman outfielder Zach Daniels and Mascia, furthering Tennessee's lead to 12-1. Daniels' homer marked his team-leading fourth of the season.
The Catamounts cut UT's lead to 11 runs in the sixth, scoring Bryson Parks from second using Holcomb's second double of the game.
After being held scoreless in the sixth, the Vols plated three runs on two hits in the seventh inning. Mascia doubled to score sophomore shortstop Andre Lipcius from first before Brandon Trammell notched his first triple of the season to make it a 15-2 ballgame.
WCU scored again in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch before Tennessee plated the last two runs of the game in the eighth for the 17-3 final.
Starting pitcher Sean Hunley tossed 5.0 innings, allowing one run on eight hits while fanning four batters in the outing to earn the win. UT's relievers allowed just two runs on four hits and combined for four strikeouts.
Vols Go Yard
Tennessee hit four home runs in a game on Tuesday for the first time since April 21, 2015 at ETSU. The Vols also hit four earlier that season at Florida on March 13.
Sophomore second baseman Jay Charleston started Tuesday's slugfest in the first inning, hitting his third homer of the season to left field. Justin Ammons then hit a longball to right center in the third before Zach Daniels hit a mammoth shot to left field in the fourth frame. Nico Mascia notched his first-career home run in the fifth inning, hitting a solo shot over the right field wall.
Mascia Ties UT Record
Redshirt sophomore Nico Mascia tied a Tennessee record for runs scored in a game with five at Western Carolina on Tuesday. The Knoxville native became the first Vol since P.J. Polk at Georgia on May 8, 2010, to accomplish the feat. Mascia reached base in all seven plate appearances, advancing on two hit-by-pitches, a walk, three doubles and a home run.
Largest Win Margin Since 2015
With Tennessee's 17-3 win over Western Carolina on Tuesday, the Vols posted their largest margin of victory since 2015 when UT recorded a 25-8 victory over Grand Canyon in the Grand Canyon Classic.
Up Next
The Vols continue their road trip in Columbia, S.C. for a three-game series against SEC East rival South Carolina. The series opener is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPNU. Friday and Saturday's games will be carried on the SEC Network. John Wilkerson will have the call on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1/AM 990) and UTSports.com for all three games.
In the midweek contest, Tennessee set a season-high in runs scored with 17. The effort was led by redshirt sophomore Nico Mascia, who went 4-for-4 with three RBI and scored five runs in the game, tying a school record for runs scored. Senior Brodie Leftridge also went 3-for-3 and added two runs for UT.
To start the contest, the Vols batted around and scored four runs on four hits. Sophomore Justin Ammons began the inning with a leadoff walk before Jay Charleston hammered a ball over the left-center fence for a two-run homer. UT used a flyout and a groundout to plate two more runs, taking a 4-0 lead.
In the second frame, the Big Orange scratched three more runs across. Charleston scored on a single to left by Leftridge after reaching on a hit-by-pitch. With runners on first and second, Pete Derkay then roped a bases-clearing double down the right field line to give UT a 7-0 lead.
Tennessee opened the top of the third with a two-run homer to right-center field by Ammons. The Vols then used back-to-back extra-base hits by Mascia and Leftridge to extend their advantage to 10-0. Western Carolina broke through in the bottom of the inning, plating one run on a 6-3 groundout after a lead-off double by Spencer Holcomb.
UT answered in the fourth and fifth frames with solo shots by freshman outfielder Zach Daniels and Mascia, furthering Tennessee's lead to 12-1. Daniels' homer marked his team-leading fourth of the season.
The Catamounts cut UT's lead to 11 runs in the sixth, scoring Bryson Parks from second using Holcomb's second double of the game.
After being held scoreless in the sixth, the Vols plated three runs on two hits in the seventh inning. Mascia doubled to score sophomore shortstop Andre Lipcius from first before Brandon Trammell notched his first triple of the season to make it a 15-2 ballgame.
WCU scored again in the bottom of the seventh on a wild pitch before Tennessee plated the last two runs of the game in the eighth for the 17-3 final.
Starting pitcher Sean Hunley tossed 5.0 innings, allowing one run on eight hits while fanning four batters in the outing to earn the win. UT's relievers allowed just two runs on four hits and combined for four strikeouts.
Vols Go Yard
Tennessee hit four home runs in a game on Tuesday for the first time since April 21, 2015 at ETSU. The Vols also hit four earlier that season at Florida on March 13.
Sophomore second baseman Jay Charleston started Tuesday's slugfest in the first inning, hitting his third homer of the season to left field. Justin Ammons then hit a longball to right center in the third before Zach Daniels hit a mammoth shot to left field in the fourth frame. Nico Mascia notched his first-career home run in the fifth inning, hitting a solo shot over the right field wall.
Mascia Ties UT Record
Redshirt sophomore Nico Mascia tied a Tennessee record for runs scored in a game with five at Western Carolina on Tuesday. The Knoxville native became the first Vol since P.J. Polk at Georgia on May 8, 2010, to accomplish the feat. Mascia reached base in all seven plate appearances, advancing on two hit-by-pitches, a walk, three doubles and a home run.
Largest Win Margin Since 2015
With Tennessee's 17-3 win over Western Carolina on Tuesday, the Vols posted their largest margin of victory since 2015 when UT recorded a 25-8 victory over Grand Canyon in the Grand Canyon Classic.
Up Next
The Vols continue their road trip in Columbia, S.C. for a three-game series against SEC East rival South Carolina. The series opener is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and will be broadcast on ESPNU. Friday and Saturday's games will be carried on the SEC Network. John Wilkerson will have the call on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1/AM 990) and UTSports.com for all three games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hunley, Sean (4-0)
L: Caleb Bishop (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Mascia, Nico 3 ; Derkay, Pete 1
3B: Leftridge, Brodie 1 ; Trammell, Brandon 1
HR: Ammons, Justin 1 ; Charleston, Jay 1 ; Mascia, Nico 1 ; Daniels, Zach 1
RBI: Ammons, Justin 2 ; Charleston, Jay 2 ; Mascia, Nico 3 ; Leftridge, Brodie 2 ; Trammell, Brandon 1 ; Derkay, Pete 4 ; Russell, Evan 1 ; Daniels, Zach 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ammons, Justin 2 ; Charleston, Jay 3 ; Lipcius, Andre 2 ; Sosnowski, Alex 1 ; Mascia, Nico 5 ; Leftridge, Brodie 1 ; Trammell, Brandon 1 ; Daniels, Zach 1 ; Chinea, Brandon 1
SB: Ammons, Justin 1
HBP: Ammons, Justin 1 ; Charleston, Jay 1 ; Mascia, Nico 2
PO: Ammons, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: Spencer Holcomb 2
3B: Cameron Blaquiere 1
RBI: Spencer Holcomb 1 ; Justice Bigbie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spencer Holcomb 1 ; Cameron Blaquiere 1 ; Bryson Parks 1
SB: Bryson Parks 1
HBP: Clay Hodges 1 ; Bryson Parks 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
5
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4
RBI
3
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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OF
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UTL
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RHP
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INF
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INF/RHP
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