KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 2/4 Tennessee found the win column for the 32nd times this season with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Bellarmine on Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Knights (9-27) got on the board early with a leadoff home run, but UT (32-5) quickly answered back and took control of the game. Reese Chapman sparked a six-run offensive surge in the second inning with an RBI triple, part of a rally that saw nine Volunteers reach base and was capped by a three-run blast from Andrew Fischer.
Andrew Behnke earned his second win of the season, coming on in the second inning and stranding a pair in scoring position with back-to-back strikeouts. Michael Sharman, Ryan Combs, Luke Payne, Tanner Wiggins and Austin Hunley all delivered scoreless outings in relief.
Chapman stayed hot at the plate, notching his second extra-base hit of the night with an RBI double in the fourth, followed by an RBI single from Manny Marin to increase UT’s lead to six.
The Vols added insurance in the seventh with back-to-back homers from Dylan Bargo and Chris Newstrom to pull them closer to a run-rule victory. Hunter High capped the night with a walk-off infield single in the eighth.
Offensive Output Throughout the Lineup
Dean Curley led the charge at the plate, turning in his third three-hit performance of the season, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. In all, 11 different Volunteers tallied hits, with four turning in multi-hit efforts as Tennessee’s offense continued to roll. Seven different UT players recorded an RBI, as well.
Chapman Continues to Rake
Following Tuesday’s performance, Chapman is now 8-for-13 with four extra-base hits over his last five games. The Colorado native boasts a .333 batting average with 10 home runs and 38 RBI to go along with an OPS of 1.090 on the season.
Up Next
Tennessee will be back at home this weekend as they host the Kentucky Wildcats fora three-game set starting Friday night at 6:30 p.m. All three games will be streamed on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
