Grand Slam, Late Rally Lead UT Past Vandy, 9-3

Saturday, April 29

Nashville

5:00 PM

University of Tennessee

22-18, 6-14

Vanderbilt

26-17, 10-10

Tennessee

Vanderbilt

April 29, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

April 29, 2017

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In Tennessee's second game of the series at Vanderbilt, the Volunteers used a late rally and grand slam by senior Jordan Rodgers to drive past the Commodores, 9-3, at Hawkins Field on Saturday.

With the win, Tennessee moves to 22-18 (6-14 SEC) while Vanderbilt is now 26-17 (10-10 SEC) on the year.

Tennessee's starter Garrett Stallings held the Commodores scoreless through 5.0 innings before VU plated three runs on three hits and an error in the sixth inning. Vanderbilt was held scoreless the remainder of the game.

The Vols reached base in the fourth and fifth innings on a walk and fielding error, but struggled to notch a hit until the seventh frame. With one out, Rodgers sent a hard knock to third base, ending the Dores' bid for a no-hitter. The Bartlett, Tenn. native then took advantage of a throwing error by Vanderbilt's pitcher to advance to second base but the inning ended with two fly balls to the outfield.

To lead off the eighth, Tennessee loaded the bases with a walk, hit-by-pitch and single to right field. Senior Jeff Moberg then hit the Vols' second single to right field of the game with one out to score the Vols' first run of the series. Two at-bats later and with the bases loaded, Rodgers tallied his team-leading seventh home run of the series, a grand slam over the left field wall, to lift the Orange and White past Vanderbilt, 5-3.

UT furthered its lead in the ninth inning, scratching four more runs across for the 9-3 final. Andre Lipcius led off the frame for Tennessee with a double to center. A walk and double-steal then put runners on second and third for Moberg, who drilled a two-RBI single to center field. The Vols scored their final two runs of the game on an error by Vanderbilt's first baseman.

On the mound, Stallings tossed a career high 7.1 innings in his fifth start of the season for the win.

Relief pitcher Zach Linginfelter (1.2) entered the game in the eighth with a runner on second and one out. He threw back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning and faced five batters in the ninth to pick up the save.

TENNESSEE QUICK HITS

With the win, Tennessee moves to 174-154-2 in its all-time series against Vanderbilt, including a 55-45 mark in Nashville.
Jordan Rodgers' 8th-inning grand slam marks the first for a Vol since VFL Vincent Jackson did so vs. Tennessee Tech (March 22, 2016).
With two walks in Saturday's game, Pete Derkay extended his team-leading count to 31. The outing marked his first game with multiple walks since April 4 against MTSU. He tallied three free passes in the game.
RHP Zach Linginfelter made his first career plate appearance for the Big Orange with a strikeout in the ninth. He led Sevier County High School with a .434 batting average, nine home runs and 48 RBI as a senior.
On Deck for the Vols: Game Three of the series between the in-state rivals is set to begin Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. The rubber match will be aired on SEC Network with VFL Chris Burke and play-by-play broadcaster Tom Hart on the call.
Saturday's attendance at Hawkins Field: 3,603