Tennessee Pokes Past Missouri in Game Two to Make More SEC History
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With the bases loaded and his team trailing by a run in the sixth inning Saturday night, Jordan Beck stepped to the plate.
An energized crowd could feel the buzz, and so could Mike Honcho when he hammered an 0-1 fastball 414 feet toward the Tennessee River — the first grand slam of his career.
Beck backpedaled toward first base, spiked his bat into the turf, and Tennessee never looked back in a series-snagging 11-4 victory over Missouri — UT’s 22nd straight W this season.
With the win, the Vols have surpassed the 1994 Florida Gators for the best start in league play (11-0) since the conference expanded in 1992.
Saturday’s victory also ties Tennessee with three teams (1940 Alabama, 1964 Ole Miss and 1991 LSU) for the best start in conference history.
The Vols would achieve a new all-time best in league starts with a sweep-clinching win over the Tigers on Sunday.
Vols Storm Back in Third Inning
When Trey Lipscomb led off Tennessee’s second inning in Game Two, Tennessee trailed 2-0.
Naturally, Lipscomb sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in left field for his 13th home run of the season.
Then Jorel Ortega followed suit, tying the Vols with Missouri at two runs apiece.
Seconds after Ortega returned to the dugout, he came racing back toward home plate — toward Evan Russell — with Tennessee’s cheetah print coat trailing behind him.
He had to give Russell his due following Russell’s home run — the Vols’ third homer in as many batters.
The last time Tennessee hit three straight bombs? Three years ago to the day, April 9, 2019, against Lipscomb.
Saturday also marked the 10th time UT has hit four or more home runs in a single contest.
Giving Some Cushion
UT added another pair of runs in the bottom half of the seventh, with Jared Dickey slamming a two-RBI single into center on a full count.
The hit scored Evan Russell and Luc Lipcius, who matched his bat-checking pettiness when he skirted around the catcher, scooted toward home plate and — knowing he’d be safe — reached back to tag the dish with one finger.
Tony Vitello’s club made the score 10-4 off a bases-loaded walk from Trey Lipscomb in the same inning.
Finally, a wild pitch allowed Lipcius to (actually) slide across the plate in the eighth to make it 11-4.
Comeback Vols Do It Again
Before Tennessee’s response, Missouri used back-to-back solo shots to claim its second 2-0 lead in as many games.
Chase Dollander gave up the homers in the bottom half of the first inning, and Mizzou plated two runs in the third to retake the lead.
Dollander induced a groundout, then wiggled out of the fourth frame before getting three straight strikeouts in the fifth.
Tennessee’s bats had long since lit up, as Beck ignited the Vols’ second comeback victory in as many games.
Dollander Deals, Gilbert Snags
Dollander continued rebounding through the sixth frame, as he totaled 10 strikeouts with four runs, four errors and seven hits allowed in 6.2 innings of work.
The transfer leads the SEC in strikeouts (70) for the second time this season, as Saturday’s outing pushed him to past Florida’s Hunter Barco (65) Mississippi State’s Preston Johnson (67)*.
He was not the only Vol to impress defensively, as Drew Gilbert made a pair diving grabs on the night.
Mark McLaughlin and Kirby Connell finished the job, with McLaughlin mowing through a pair of strikeouts in 1.2 innings before Connell slammed the door on the last two outs of the night.
Nico and Recruits Make Noise
Tennessee baseball (30-1, 11-0) has attracted all comers, not the least of which were 5-star quarterback commitment Nico Iamaleava, his family and coveted wide receiver prospect Kyler Kasper on Saturday.
Fans chanted “Nico!” at one point in the game and offered a “We Want Kyler!” chant earlier in the contest.
Iamaleava and Kasper will lead Team TOA in Pylon 7-on-7’s championship Sunday at Farragut High School, while the Vols will take on Missouri at 12:30 p.m. ET at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
*conference pitching stats courtesy of D1 Baseball