Vanderbilt Pulls Away Late to Earn 7-2 Win

Saturday, May 12

Knoxville

6 P.M. ET

University of Tennessee

27-25, 10-16

Vanderbilt

27-23, 13-13

Vanderbilt

Tennessee

Photo by: John Golliher/Tennessee Athletics

May 12, 2018 | Baseball

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Despite a hot start from Tennessee, Vanderbilt was able to battle back and pulled away late to win game two of the weekend series, 7-2, on Saturday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Volunteers got off to a hot start with two runs in the first and six hits over the first two innings, but were shut down offensively for the remainder of the game, collecting just two hits over the final seven innings.

Justin Ammons scored a run and had a three-hit night to lead the Vols at the plate. He and Jay Charleston were the only Tennessee players to record multiple hits in the game.

Commodores' starter Patrick Raby got the win to improve to 4-5 on the season after giving up two runs on six hits while striking out four in six innings of work.

UT starter Sean Hunley was stuck with his third loss of the season after giving up four runs on eight hits over six innings of work. The freshman right hander did hold the Commodores scoreless in four of the six innings he pitched.

The Vols jumped on Raby early, scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. Back-to-back singles by Charleston and Ammons put runners on the corners with nobody out for Pete Derkay, who brought in Charleston with a sacrifice fly to open the scoring. After another single by Andre Lipcius, Ammons scored from third base on an RBI fielder's choice by Evan Russell to put UT ahead 2-0.

The Big Orange nearly took a 3-0 lead in the second but Brandon Chinea was barely thrown out at home on a great throw by JJ Bleday in right field to end the inning. Vandy carried that momentum into the third inning, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead.

UT threatened in the eighth with two on and nobody out after Ammons doubled and Derkay walked to start the inning, but Commodores' reliever Zach King retired the next three batters to end the threat.

Vanderbilt scored three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, all with two outs, to put the game out of reach. Chinea and Charleston both reached base with two outs in the ninth, but Vandy closer Tyler Brown was able to get Ammons to ground out to end the game.

Next Up
The Vols will look to avoid the series sweep in tomorrow's series finale. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. As always, fans can also listen to the game live on Sports Radio WNML (FM 99.1 / AM 990).