There is still more to come for the Tennessee Vols in Hoover. In the SEC quarterfinals, the Volunteers overcame a 4-0 deficit and came back to defeat the #1 Texas Longhorns 7-5. On Saturday, UT will play the winner of OU/Vanderbilt in the semifinals.
Liam Doyle started and had trouble. For the second consecutive week, he looked nothing like the SEC Pitcher of the Year he was named last week, giving up four runs and six hits in just 3.2 innings.
Early on, Tennessee’s offence wasn’t any better. The Vols’ bats were held totally in check for the first four innings, just one day after they had scored 15 runs.
But the switch flipped the rest of the way at the plate and on the mound. In the fifth inning, a short fly ball from Cannon Peebles slid in and gave Tennessee two runs. Two more runs were added to the score after a bases-loaded walk by Dean Curley and a crisp fly ball to left by Reese Chapman two innings later.
Thanks to the outstanding efforts of Vols reliever Brandon Arvidson, the score would remain tied at four. went 4.1 innings in relief and struck out nine Longhorns, making him simply unbeatable.
A throwing mistake by Arvidson put a runner at third, who then scored to tie the score after Gavin Kilen hit a solo home run in the top of the tenth to give the Longhorns a 5–4 lead.
Arvidson was replaced by Nate Snead, who was outstanding as well, recording three strikeouts in the final 2.2 innings to keep the Horns off the board.
In the twelfth, Kilen would score the game-winning runs for the Vols. He hit a pitch to deep right centre that the Texas outfielder was unable to field on a slide after a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out. The Vols would win 7-5 after the double-plated two.
The pitching staff will get some rest as the Vols get a day off before their semifinal clash with the Commodores or Sooners. After the victory, the Vols ought to have secured a hosting spot anyway. Certainly one more on Saturday would help.
