The Tennessee baseball team earned a critical SEC series victory against No. 3 Texas on Saturday, downing the Longhorns 14-9 in front of 7,194 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee (34-17 overall, 13-13 SEC) won its fourth straight game and can earn a series sweep by defeating the Longhorns on Sunday (Noon ET, ESPN2). Texas (36-12, 15-10) has not absorbed a three-game series sweep all season.
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Texas jumped out to an early lead Saturday, recording a three-run first inning capped by Temo Becerra’s two-run home run. Tennessee claimed its first lead of the game in the third via a Trent Grindlinger RBI double, though, and didn’t look back.
Grindlinger, Garrett Wright, Manny Marin, Blake Grimmer, Reese Chapman and Stone Lawless all homered for the Volunteers in the 16-hit barrage – tying for the most homers by the Vols in a single game this season. Grindlinger went 4-for-5 to lead Tennessee at the plate.
Becerra was 4-for-5 with five RBIs for Texas and Anthony Pack Jr. was 3-for-5 – the only two Longhorns to record more than one hit.
Tennessee starter Evan Blanco (6-3) scattered seven hits and struck out eight over seven innings to earn the victory. Texas starter Luke Harrison (5-3) took the loss.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
