University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
23-14
Tennessee Tech
11-24
Ensley's Four RBIs Not Enough as #19 Vols Fall to Tennessee Tech, 12-5
April 18, 2023 | Baseball
The loss was the fourth straight for the Volunteers (23-14) and just their second midweek setback of the year after entering the contest 8-1 in such games.
UT used 11 different pitchers in the game, none of which threw more than two innings. AJ Russell was Tennessee's most effect hurler on the night, tossing two shutout innings without allowing a hit.
Ensley drove in three of his four runs with a home run in the bottom of the third to bring the Vols within two runs after falling behind 5-0 early in the game.
It was Ensley who came up big again one inning later with a two-out RBI single to make it a one-run game, but that's as close as the Big Orange would come to drawing even on the night.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Golden Eagles (11-24) added to their lead with a two-run homer from John Dyer to make it 7-4.
A Christian Scott RBI single in the bottom of the eighth breathed some life into the Vols, but five runs by Tennessee Tech in the top of the ninth quickly erased any momentum UT had gained and put the game away.
Ensley and Scott combined to drive in all five of Tennessee's runs and for half of the team's eight hits with two apiece.
Hayden Gilliland, Dyer and Preston Ford all had multiple RBIs to lead the Golden Eagles offensively, while left hander Brock Smith got the win after throwing five innings of relief, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four batters.
UP NEXT: The Vols will look to end their losing streak on Friday night when they kick off their home series against No. 2/4 Vanderbilt. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised live on the SEC Network. Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SMITH, Brock (1-1)
L: Sechrist, Zander (0-1)
Batting:
2B: GILLILAND, Hayden 1 ; DYER, John 1 ; FORD, Preston 1
HR: DYER, John 1
RBI: BAUNSGARD, Troy 1 ; GILLILAND, Hayden 3 ; DYER, John 3 ; LONG, Will 1 ; FORD, Preston 2 ; BRYANT IV, Theo 1 ; GARZA, Eddie 1
SH: TURNER, Austin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BAUNSGARD, Troy 2 ; GILLILAND, Hayden 2 ; MILLS, Peyton 1 ; DYER, John 2 ; LONG, Will 1 ; FORD, Preston 1 ; GREEN, Jackson 1 ; BRYANT IV, Theo 1 ; TURNER, Austin 1
SB: FORD, Preston 1 ; GARZA, Eddie 1
HBP: MILLS, Peyton 1
Batting:
HR: Ensley, Hunter 1
RBI: Ensley, Hunter 4 ; Scott, Christian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ensley, Hunter 1 ; Dreiling, Dylan 1 ; Scott, Christian 2 ; Chambers, Logan 1
HBP: Chapman, Reese 1
