Vols Survive James Madison in Delayed Midweek Contest

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– The No. 10 Vols defeated James Madison for their 11th win of the season with a 9-8 victory over the Dukes on Wednesday once the game resumed play after a Tuesday night weather delay caused the game to be finished a day later.

Zander Sechrist started for the third time this season, and the Dukes gave him the most trouble of any team this year. The sophomore tossed 37 strikes on 67 total pitches and gave up four hits and one run (ER). Sechrist threw four more strikeouts to bring his season total to 17.

Sechrist was one of six pitchers to take the mound for Tennessee against JMU, as the Dukes scored seven runs through the first seven innings to tie the game at 7-7, heading into the bottom of the seventh. Kirby Connell, Ethan Smith and Mark McLaughlin all saw time on the mound after the fourth inning until the eighth, and the trio allowed six of James Madison's seven runs.

The bulk of Tennessee's runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Vols scored five runs to take a six-run lead (7-1). Outfielders Seth Stephenson and Jared Dickey came up big for the Vols in the frame, booming back-to-back two-run doubles. Jorel Ortega also made contact for an RBI double in the frame, and Tennessee soon had the bases loaded for the second time in the fourth.

After James Madison made things interesting before the rain delay on Tuesday night, the Vols were able to survive the battle with the Dukes and win by one run in extra innings. The Vols scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to take the 8-7 lead, but in top of the ninth, JMU sent a solo shot over the right field wall to tie it up at 8-8. After the Vols went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, a Tennessee baseball game went into extra innings for the first time this season.

Quick Takeaways

-Christian Moore follows up his sensational weekend in Houston with another RBI in the bottom of the second. Moore got the scoring started for the Vols early on, logging his 11th RBI in 13 at bats.

-Vols bullpen runs into trouble.

After Sechrist allowed one run during his time on the mound through three innings and change, five Vols took the bump throughout the rest of the game. Camden Sewell did well cleaning up the trouble Sechrist left behind in the top of the fourth, but that was the only inning the senior pitched. Ethan Smith and Kirby Connell followed Sewell, allowing four hits and five runs in 1.3 IP.

Mark McLaughlin did well in the 7th and 8th innings, giving up only one earned run and delivering four strikeouts.

Despite giving up a home run on his first pitch of the game, Vols senior Redmond Walsh kept the game tied, heading into the bottom of the ninth, where Tennessee sealed the deal.

-Jared Dickey continues to impress.

Vols OF Jared Dickey continued his impressive start to the season with a 3-6 night at the plate, dinging three hits and a pair of RBIs. Dickey also scored three runs, with his final home plate tag coming in the bottom of the tenth to end the game.

-Cortland Lawson displays great infield athleticism.

On many occasions this season, lawson has shown he is a sneaky god option at the plate for Tennessee at the end of the order. Against JMU, the junior made a handful of plays in the infield to prove he is deserving of his starting spot. Lawson's biggest play came in the top of the ninth when he made a diving catch at short stop to end the inning and leave a pair of Dukes stranded.

-Tennessee finds itself in a pickle after Jorel Ortega replaces Luc Lipcius at first base.

Jorel Ortega took over first base for Luc Lipcius before the top of the fifth inning, and Logan Steenstra took Ortega's spot at second.

Ortega committed an error and an unofficial error during his time at first after already committing an unofficial error at second base earlier in the game. Ortega's infield issues contributed to James Madison finding success in back-to-back three-run innings in the sixth and seventh.

-Redmond Walsh rebounds after allowing a home run on his FIRST PITCH.

After Fenwick Trimble delivered a solo shot over the right field wall in the top of the ninth to tie the game, Redmond Walsh struck out two of eight BF and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 10th.

Stat Corner

Final stats from Tennessee's 9-8 win over James Madison are below, courtesy UT Athletics.

Tennessee stats:

James Madison stats:

The Vols' second game against James Madison will begin at 5:55 p.m. ET on Wednesday evening. Follow the action here.