Vols Prevail in Extras to Win Series Finale at No. 20 Georgia

Sunday, April 29

Athens, GA

1 P.M. ET

University of Tennessee

25-21, 8-13

#20 Georgia

30-14, 12-9

Tennessee

Georgia Bulldogs

Vols Prevail in Extras to Win Series Finale at No. 20 Georgia

April 29, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score Highlights Postgame Media PDF Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – Tennessee won the series finale at No. 20 Georgia, prevailing 6-5 in extra innings of a wild game on Sunday afternoon at Foley Field in Athens.

The Bulldogs clawed their way back from a 5-0 deficit and eventually tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras.

The Volunteers would not be denied, however, as Justin Ammons doubled to drive in Jay Charleston in the top of the 10^th for the game-winning run. It was the only hit of the game for the Memphis native but there were none bigger on the afternoon.

On top of scoring the game-winning run, Charleston also tied a career high with four hits and set a new career best with three stolen bases to lead UT. Brodie Leftridge also had a pair of hits and drove in three runs with a bases-clearing double in the third inning.

Will Neely and Garrett Crochet combined to pitch the entire game for the Vols. Crochet earned the win to improve to 4-5 on the year. The freshman gave up two runs (one earned) on just three hits in 4.1 innings of relief to go along with four strikeouts. Neely recorded his seventh straight start of five innings or more and was in line for the win before the blown lead in the ninth.

For the second day in a row the Vols jumped out to an early lead, scoring a run in the top of the first. Ammons reached on an error and scored all the way from first on a double to the wall by Pete Derkay to give UT a 1-0 lead.

An infield single by Charleston and back-to-back walks by Derkay and Andre Lipcius loaded the bases with two outs for the Big Orange in the third. Leftridge cleared the bases with one swing of the bat, ripping a double into left field to give Tennessee a 4-0 lead.

Another big two-out hit gave the Vols a 5-0 lead in the fourth as Charleston singled up the middle to score Benito Santiago from second. UT had a chance to do some more damage but left the bases loaded to end the inning.

Georgia scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to get right back in the game. Michael Curry doubled down the left-field line to drive in two runs before Adam Sasser brought in another with an infield single to cut the UT lead to 5-3.

Tennessee was unable to cash in on a great scoring opportunity in the top of the seventh as Nico Mascia grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

The Bulldogs were able to scratch across another run in the eighth to make it a one-run ballgame. Keegan McGovern led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Aaron Schunk.

UT left the bases loaded again in the top of the ninth with a chance to add some insurance. The Vols struggled with runners in scoring position all day, leaving 13 runners on base.

After retiring the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth, a hit batter and a critical throwing error allowed Georgia to tie the game at five and send the contest to extra innings.

The Big Orange got the lead right back with two huge hits by Charleston and Ammons in the top of the 10^th. Charleston legged out an infield single for his fourth hit of the afternoon and then stole second for the third time in the game to move into scoring position. Ammons drove him in with a double to right field to put the Big Orange ahead 6-5.

Georgia loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 10^th, but Crochet was able to get LJ Talley to pop up to shortstop to end the game and help the Vols salvage a game from the series.

Notable
Charleston's Career Day
Sophomore leadoff man Jay Charleston had his best game of the year, going 4-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and three stolen bases. The four hits and three steals were both career highs for the Florida native. Charleston entered the day second in the SEC in stolen bases and increased his season total to 18 after three in Sunday's win.

Next Up
The Vols will host Morehead State in the final midweek game of the season on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ (WatchESPN) and feature a live radio broadcast on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1 / AM 990).