Auburn, Alabama – No. 4/4 Tennessee’s red-hot hitting continued from Saturday’s victory with another powerful offensive outburst on Sunday afternoon, running past Auburn for the second straight day to take the series 19-5 at Plainsman Park.
For the second game in a row, the Big Orange (26-6, 7-5 SEC) hit six home runs and finished with 14 for the weekend, the most in any series during Tony Vitello’s tenure.
UT’s 19 runs were the highest it had scored in a conference game this season, and it was the sixth time it has scored double-digit runs in SEC play. After going down in order at the top of the first, the Vols scored in each of the following six innings.
The game is open.
Cal Stark led the way in Sunday’s power display, with two home runs and seven RBIs, both career highs. Stark also had a career-high three hits and four runs scored that day.
His first hit of the afternoon was a grand slam in the top of the second inning, putting the Vols ahead 5-3 after trailing 3-0 in the first. It was his second home run of the season, and Tennessee’s second in as many days.
The Knoxville native smashed a 0-1 pitch over the tall left-field wall in his second at-bat for a three-run blast, then added a double later in the game to finish 3-for-3 while also earning a walk and getting hit by a pitch.
Blake Burke also had three hits on the day, extending his hit streak to 22 games, the fourth-longest in program history and the most since the 1998 season, when Jeff Pickler and Justin Ross each hit safely in 26 and 24 games. Condredge Holloway set the program record for a 27-game hit streak in 1975.
Christian Moore built on his excellent weekend with another multi-hit day, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. The product of Brooklyn, New York, launched his team-leading 13th home run in the second inning and finished the series with seven hits, three doubles, three home runs, ten RBIs, and 19 total bases.
Christian Moore built on his excellent weekend with another multi-hit day, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. The product of Brooklyn, New York, launched his team-leading 13th home run in the second inning and finished the series with seven hits, three doubles, three home runs, ten RBIs, and 19 total bases.
Kavares Tears, Hunter Ensley, and Dean Curley hit the Big Orange’s other three long balls to secure the victory.
Nate Snead earned his team-leading sixth victory after pitching four innings of relief with three strikeouts. Andrew Behnke returned to the mound and retired the side, bringing the game to an end in the bottom of the seventh.
After back-to-back singles to begin the frame, Cooper McMurray got the Tigers.
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