• Box Score (PDF)
• SEC Tournament Stats (PDF)
• Postgame Press Conference
• Postgame Presser Transcript (PDF)
• Bracket
• Photo Gallery

Game Recap: Baseball | May 24, 2024

HOOVER, Ala. – For the third time in the last four years, Tennessee is headed to the SEC Tournament semifinals after earning a hard-fought 6-5 win over No. 14/15 Mississippi State on a muggy Friday night at the Hoover Met.

Blake Burke’s eighth-inning solo home run broke a 5-5 tie and stood as the game-winning hit for the top-ranked Volunteers as they improved to 5-2 all-time against the Bulldogs in the SEC Tournament.

UT built a 3-0 lead by scoring a run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings but fell behind after Mississippi State struck for five runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-3 advantage.

Vols’ starting pitcher Drew Beam was dominant in the early going and carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before running into trouble in the fifth. Beam was nearly out of the inning but a foul tip into the glove of catcher Cal Stark barely popped loose and kept Bryce Chance’s at-bat alive before he eventually drew a walk to load the bases.

David Mershon walked one batter later to bring in State’s first run before back-to-back singles from Connor Hujsak and Dakota Jordan drove in four more runs for the Bulldogs (38-21).

Reliever Aaron Combs was able to steady the waters and keep MSU off the board for the next 2.1 innings, posting four strikeouts en route to earning his second win of the season.

The Big Orange (48-11) were able to scratch across a pair of runs to tie the game in the top of the seventh after loading the bases with one out. Pinch hitter Cannon Peebles’ RBI fielder’s choice scored Hunter Ensley from third before second baseman Armani Larry’s throw to try and double up Peebles sailed into the netting over UT’s dugout, allowing Dean Curley to score on the play, as well, and tie the game at five.

Burke led off the eighth with his 17^th homer of the year, blasting a 1-1 pitch 392 feet over the right-center field wall to put the Vols back in front.

Andrew Behnke retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth before Kirby Connell and Nate Snead combined to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to slam the door. Snead recorded the final two outs to pick up his team-leading fifth save of the year.

Burke, Ensley, Curley and Reese Chapman all finished the night with multiple hits as the Vols finished with 10 total for the game.

STAT OF THE GAME: Burke reached base in all five of his plate appearances on Friday night, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI. For the tournament, the California native leads the team with a .600 batting average, six hits, a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .714 on-base percentage.

UP NEXT: A rematch of Wednesday’s SEC Tournament opener awaits the Vols on Saturday afternoon as they’ll look to exact some revenge against No. 8 seed Vanderbilt at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.

A win would send Tennessee to its third SEC Tournament championship game appearance in the last four years after finishing as the runner-up in 2021 and winning the title in 2022.

• Box Score (PDF)
• SEC Tournament Stats (PDF)
• SEC Tournament Bracket
• Postgame Press Conference
• Press Conference Transcript (PDF)
• Photo Gallery

Game Recap: Baseball | May 23, 2024

HOOVER, Ala. – No. 1/1 Tennessee rebounded from its opening-game loss at the SEC Tournament with a 7-4 victory over No. 3/4 Texas A&M in Thursday’s elimination game at the Hoover Met.

The Volunteers used a well-rounded effort from their pitchers and hitters as numerous individuals played key roles in the win over the Aggies (44-13).

Kavares Tears led the charge offensively with a big day at the dish, going 3-for-5 with a home run and game-high four RBIs. Leadoff man Christian Moore also finished with three hits, an RBI and a run scored as he and Tears combined for six of the team’s 10 total hits.

Veteran lefthander Chris Stamos got UT off to a solid start on the mound with a career-best 3.1 innings to open the game, holding the Aggies potent lineup to just one run on one hit while striking out three batters before handing the ball off to AJ Causey in the fourth inning.

The Alabama native put forth another strong relief effort for the Big Orange to pick up his SEC-leading 11^th victory of the year, scattering five hits and allowing two runs while racking up seven strikeouts in four innings of work.

After having its lead cut to one in the top of the sixth inning, Tears’ three-run opposite-field blast gave Tennessee some breathing room in the bottom of the seventh before senior catcher Cal Stark added a homer of his own in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 7-3 game heading into the ninth.

Texas A&M leadoff man and SEC Freshman of the Year Gavin Grahovac hit his second solo home run of the day in the top of the ninth to bring the Aggies within three, but that was as close as they would get as Kirby Connell struck out first-team All-SEC outfielder Braden Montgomery to end the game. 

Reliever Brock Peery was stuck with the loss despite not allowing a hit over 1.1 innings of action after walking three and allowing one run to score.

STAT OF THE GAME: By earning his 11^th win of the year, Causey moved into a tie for sixth in UT single-season history for victories, tying five other players including Chad Dallas, who reached the milestone most recently by doing so in 2021.

The junior righthander has now recorded a win in each of his last five appearances and has tallied seven or more strikeouts in six of his last seven outings.

UP NEXT: The Volunteers await the loser of Thursday’s final game between No. 5 seed Mississippi State and No. 8 seed Vanderbilt, who they’ll play in Friday’s nightcap at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. The winner of that contest will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.