University of Tennessee
Florida International
#25 Vols Fall To FIU In Opener, 4-3
February 13, 2015 | Baseball
MIAMI -- The #25 Tennessee Volunteers held Florida International to just two hits through six innings in their 2015 season opener in Miami, Fla., but the Panthers fired back in a late-inning rally to take a 4-3 win at FIU Baseball Stadium.
With the loss Tennessee moves to 69-35-2 all-time in season openers, 4-4 in the all-time series against Florida International and 33-31 against Conference USA opponents.
"I thought we were in character - personality wise - but we didn't play with the crispness that we have been playing with," Head Coach Dave Serrano said. "We have to fix some things and I know it was a tough loss. This wore on the players, I could tell. Losing hurts to these guys, like it should but they're smart. We didn't expect to win all 55 games on the schedule but it comes down to who throws the most strikes, who puts the ball in play and who plays the best catch. We didn't do the best of that tonight."
The Vols' Opening Day lineup boasted eight returning players, including four positional starters from Tennessee's 2014 SEC Tournament squad. New to the order was right fielder Chris Hall, who made his debut for Tennessee at the leadoff spot against the Panthers.
Tennessee began Friday night with a strong performance from the mound. Senior Bret Marks went 5.0 scoreless innings in his first start of the year, allowing just one hit while striking out five batters. His five strikeouts established a new career high, passing his previous single-game mark of two strikeouts in 2014. The right-hander used 81 pitches in the outing and walked just two of his 18 FIU batters faced. Marks' 5.0 innings are also his most as a starting pitcher for the Vols.
"Bret Marks was on an 80-pitch pitch count and he threw 81 pitches," Serrano said. "We should have enough bullpen depth that we shouldn't go out and give up a crooked number in the sixth inning. We walked the leadoff guy and didn't make some plays on bunt plays and that kind of backfired on us. In our first regular season games, that's what Drake [Owenby] and Kyle [Serrano] are going to be on, as well. It's an 80-pitch limit and I'm going to stick to that because it's marathon, not a sprint."
The Vols scattered seven hits on the Panthers, led by sophomore second baseman Nick Senzel (3-for-4, one RBI) and junior left fielder Christin Stewart (1-for-3, RBI). Stewart, who led the entire Southeastern Conference last year in triples, began his 2015 season with an RBI-triple to right field, putting the Vols on the board early in the first inning.
Right-handed pitcher Peter Lenstrohm (1.0 IP) entered the game in the sixth frame in relief of Marks. FIU took advantage of multiple fielding errors by the Vols to take a 3-2 lead that inning. With runners on first and third, Lenstrohm struck out FIU right fielder Brandon Cody to end the frame.
Steven Kane (0-1) took the loss after allowing FIU's go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh. Kane pitched the final two frames and also tallied three strikeouts.
Tennessee's offense went on to load the bases on two occasions, but the Vols couldn't manage to push across the go-ahead runs. In Tennessee's seventh inning, Derek Lance reached base safely on a fielder's choice, followed by Stewart being hit by a pitch to make it Vols on first and third with one out. Nick Senzel drew a walk to load the bases, but Tennessee's streak ended with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame. In the ninth, with Christin Stewart representing the tying run on third and Senzel close behind on second base, the Panthers intentionally walked center fielder Vincent Jackson to load the bases but UT again had back-to-back strikeouts, securing the win for FIU.
"I think the one good I'll find out of a loss is that, we played not-so-great baseball and yet we were one swing away from taking the lead in the ninth inning," Serrano said. "I can hold onto that. FIU is a good team. They ran some arms out there tonight and to me, that's a team that's going to be reckoned with in their conference."
Tennessee faces FIU again on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. ET for Game Two of the Vols' opening weekend series in Miami, Fla. Live audio and video streams are available at FIUSports.com. Fans are encouraged to tune in for live updates, blogs and videos at Baseball Central on UTSports.com.
