University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Escape Tennessee Tech with 8-7 Win
April 11, 2001 | Baseball
Cookeville, Tenn. - The No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers got home runs from Matt Sternberg, Chris Burke, Dan Wilson and Kris Bennett, while Will Curtiss worked into and out of a tough jam in the ninth as the Vols held off a furious rally by the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles to post an 8-7 win at Bush Stadium.
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| Chris Burke |
Leading 8-5 heading into the ninth, Ben Cunningham pulled Tech to within 8-6 with a towering home run to straightaway center field. Mark Gilliam then singled home Matt Curtis who doubled to right following Cunningham's blast to cut the lead to 8-7. After a fielders choice in which Curtiss cut down the lead runner at second, Casey Benjamin got hit by a pitch to put the tying and winning runs on base. Cunningham and Curtis each collected three hits to lead the Eagles.
Curtiss, who worked out of a jam when he entered in the seventh, relied on his curve ball to strikeout Tech's eight and nine hitters for his third save.
Tennessee improved to 29-8 while Tech dropped to 16-19.
Trailing 5-4 in the seventh, Sternberg put the Vols up for good with a two-out three-run home run, while Burke belted his 13th home run in the eighth as Tennessee took an 8-5 lead.
The game went back-and-forth all night as the Vols got on the board in the second on Wilson's fourth home run leading off the inning. They added two more in the frame on a fielders choice and a two-out single by Stevie Daniel for a 3-0 lead.
A Tennessee error cost it a run in the second as Chad Livingston, who reached on the miscue, scored on a sacrifice fly by Mark Meihls. Tech took the lead in the fifth as Curtis delivered a run scoring single and Livingston laced a two-run double down the right field line as the Eagles pulled ahead 4-3.
Bennett tied the game 4-4 with his second home run in the sixth, but Tech retook the lead as Wes Dunn walked and scored on two Devon Nicholson wild pitches to take a 5-4 lead.
Nicholson (3-0) picked up the win in 1 1/3 innings of relief, striking out two.
Bubbie Buzachero (2-1) took the loss as he allowed seven runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with five walks and three strikeouts.
Dennis Gomez made his first career for the Vols, working a predetermined three innings. Erik Filsinger allowed three runs on four hits in two innings of work.
Matt Powell, a true freshman who missed the first 36 games with an arm injury, issued two walks before being lifted in the sixth inning.
Tennessee plays host to the No. 19 Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend, Apr. 13-15. Game times are 7 p.m., 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. all three days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| Tennessee | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 1 | |
| Tennessee Tech | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 0 |
Tennessee - Gomez, Filsinger (4), Powell (6), Nicholson (6), Curtiss (7) and Herrera. Tennessee Tech - Buzachero, Fessler (7) and Meihls. W-Nicholson (3-0). L-Buzachero (2-1). Save-Curtiss (3). HR-UT-Wilson (4), Bennett (2), Sternberg (3), Burke (13) TT-Cunningham (4). T-3:00. Att-655.
