Tennessee trounced Arizona 5-1 to complete a perfect weekend in Houston, completing a 3-0 road sweep and staying unbeaten this season. Given that the Wildcats presented their most difficult test to date, the victory was the Vols’ most spectacular of the season.
Only one baserunner was allowed in the first three innings, keeping Tennessee’s offense in check early on. Arizona scored a run off an RBI triple to take the lead in the second inning. But the Vols turned the tide of the game in the fourth inning when Andrew Fischer and Levi Clark hit back-to-back home runs.
The game-changing two-run homer by Cannon Peebles in the seventh inning gave Tennessee a commanding 4-1 advantage. In the eighth, Kilen hit an RBI single to add an insurance run.
Once again, the Vols’ pitching was excellent. Nate Snead, Drew Kuhns, and Brandon Arvidson worked together to keep Arizona off balance. In the fifth inning, Snead got out of a jam after Jayden Abernathy hit a runner at home with a flawless throw. In the last two innings, Dylan Loy and Ryan Combs put an end to the game, guaranteeing victory.
Tennessee is one of the most complete teams in the nation, as seen by their ability to rely on their deep bullpen and grind out runs late. Now that the journey to Houston is over, the Vols will try to maintain their momentum as the season progresses.
