University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, May 19
Columbia, MO
3 P.M. ET
University of Tennessee
29-27, 12-18
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Photo by: Adrien Terricabras/Tennessee Athletics
Vols Come Up Short in Season Finale at Missouri
May 19, 2018 | Baseball
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Tennessee was unable to hold on to a one-run lead, giving up seven combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings in an 8-3 loss to Missouri on Saturday afternoon at Taylor Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
The Tigers hit two home runs and a two-run double to score six runs and break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh. With the win, Mizzou advances to next week's SEC Tournament while the Volunteers' season comes to a close.
UT starter Will Neely threw six solid innings before running into trouble in the seventh, allowing a leadoff homer to Zach Hanna that gave the Tigers their first lead of the afternoon. Neely allowed a single and a walk following the home run before being pulled from the game. Garrett Stallings didn't fare much better in the inning, allowing a two-run double to Matt Berler and a three-run homer to Trey Harris that made it 8-2 and blew the game open.
Jay Charleston and Brandon Chinea were the only Vols to record multiple hits in the game, both going 2-for-4. Andre Lipcius hit his team-leading seventh home run of the year to drive in one of UT's three runs while Charleston and Justin Ammons drove in the other two.
Nile Ball earned the win for Missouri after giving up just one run on three hits in four innings of relief for the Tigers.
The Vols struck first for the first time in the series, courtesy of a no-doubt solo home run off the scoreboard by Lipcius in the top of the first.
The Tigers answered with a solo shot of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one. One pitch after Benito Santiago threw out Harris attempting to steal second, Brian Sharp went deep to left field for his eighth homer of the season.
Chinea continued his hot hitting in the series with a one-out double in the third. The sophomore third baseman moved to third on a bunt single by Charleston and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Ammons later in the inning to give UT a 2-1 lead.
Tennessee was able to chase Mizzou starer Tyler LaPlante from the game after he walked Lipcius and Pete Derkay to lead off the sixth inning. The Vols had runners on the corners with one out later in the inning but were unable to take advantage as Ball recorded three straight outs to end the threat.
A pair of costly errors by the Vols allowed the Tigers to tie the game at two in the bottom of the sixth. Harris reached on an infield single and was able to advance to second after Lipcius' throw to first ended up in the UT dugout. One batter later, Derkay was unable to make a play on a hard-hit ground ball to first base as the ball got into right field, allowing Harris to score from second to tie the game.
UT threatened again in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third with two outs, but Ball was able to get Lipcius to fly out to left field to escape another jam and keep the game tied at two.
Missouri went on to score six runs on four hits, including a pair of home runs, in the bottom of the seventh to pull away. The Vols loaded the bases with no outs and were able to score a run in the ninth, but the Tigers turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Notable
- Tennessee finishes the year 29-27 overall and 12-18 in SEC play in the first year under head coach Tony Vitello.
- 12 wins in the most by a team not to make the SEC Tournament under the new format that was implemented a few years ago.
- The Vols' 12 conference wins are its most since also posting 12 in 2014.
The Tigers hit two home runs and a two-run double to score six runs and break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh. With the win, Mizzou advances to next week's SEC Tournament while the Volunteers' season comes to a close.
UT starter Will Neely threw six solid innings before running into trouble in the seventh, allowing a leadoff homer to Zach Hanna that gave the Tigers their first lead of the afternoon. Neely allowed a single and a walk following the home run before being pulled from the game. Garrett Stallings didn't fare much better in the inning, allowing a two-run double to Matt Berler and a three-run homer to Trey Harris that made it 8-2 and blew the game open.
Jay Charleston and Brandon Chinea were the only Vols to record multiple hits in the game, both going 2-for-4. Andre Lipcius hit his team-leading seventh home run of the year to drive in one of UT's three runs while Charleston and Justin Ammons drove in the other two.
Nile Ball earned the win for Missouri after giving up just one run on three hits in four innings of relief for the Tigers.
The Vols struck first for the first time in the series, courtesy of a no-doubt solo home run off the scoreboard by Lipcius in the top of the first.
The Tigers answered with a solo shot of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one. One pitch after Benito Santiago threw out Harris attempting to steal second, Brian Sharp went deep to left field for his eighth homer of the season.
Chinea continued his hot hitting in the series with a one-out double in the third. The sophomore third baseman moved to third on a bunt single by Charleston and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Ammons later in the inning to give UT a 2-1 lead.
Tennessee was able to chase Mizzou starer Tyler LaPlante from the game after he walked Lipcius and Pete Derkay to lead off the sixth inning. The Vols had runners on the corners with one out later in the inning but were unable to take advantage as Ball recorded three straight outs to end the threat.
A pair of costly errors by the Vols allowed the Tigers to tie the game at two in the bottom of the sixth. Harris reached on an infield single and was able to advance to second after Lipcius' throw to first ended up in the UT dugout. One batter later, Derkay was unable to make a play on a hard-hit ground ball to first base as the ball got into right field, allowing Harris to score from second to tie the game.
UT threatened again in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third with two outs, but Ball was able to get Lipcius to fly out to left field to escape another jam and keep the game tied at two.
Missouri went on to score six runs on four hits, including a pair of home runs, in the bottom of the seventh to pull away. The Vols loaded the bases with no outs and were able to score a run in the ninth, but the Tigers turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Notable
- Tennessee finishes the year 29-27 overall and 12-18 in SEC play in the first year under head coach Tony Vitello.
- 12 wins in the most by a team not to make the SEC Tournament under the new format that was implemented a few years ago.
- The Vols' 12 conference wins are its most since also posting 12 in 2014.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ball (2-1)
L: Neely, Will (4-2)
Batting:
2B: Chinea, Brandon 1
HR: Lipcius, Andre 1
RBI: Charleston, Jay 1 ; Ammons, Justin 1 ; Lipcius, Andre 1
SF: Charleston, Jay 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lipcius, Andre 1 ; Mascia, Nico 1 ; Chinea, Brandon 1
CS: Charleston, Jay 1
HBP: Mascia, Nico 1
Batting:
2B: Berler 1
HR: Harris 1 ; Sharp 1 ; Hanna 1
RBI: Harris 3 ; Sharp 1 ; Hanna 1 ; Berler 2
SH: Cornelius 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harris 2 ; Sharp 1 ; Hanna 1 ; McDaniel 1 ; Bond 1 ; Cornelius 1 ; Berler 1
CS: Harris 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballOF/INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
UTL
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
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/ Baseball
RHP
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