Christian Moore breaks Tennessee single-season home run record in first inning vs. South Carolina
Christian Moore broke Tennessee‘s single-season home run record in the first inning vs. South Carolina on Thursday, mashing his 25th of the season during his first plate appearance of the day.
Moore was batting lead-off in for the Vols in the bottom of the first when he broke the record, squaring the game at one run each after the Gamecocks hit a solo shot to start the game as well. It was a no-doubter to center field.
Check out Moore’s record-setting 25th home run of the season in the video below:
The junior slugger tied the Tennessee single-season record on Tuesday during a 10-0 win over Belmont. Before Thursday’s game, Moore had averaged a team-high .377 batting average to go with 80 hits, 37 extra base hits and 57 RBI’s. And he’s only expected to add more to that before the end of the regular season.
After the win, Vols head coach Tony Vitello spoke to the importance of having someone like Christian Moore who is so influential at the plate — and in the locker room.
“When we first got here, people didn’t believe they could win,” Vitello explained after the Belmont win. “We needed to work a little harder to win, so everything is pushing forward as a winning approach and if you do well enough, you’ll get some feedback from the game that it’s either a homer or a win. [Moore] and Blake Burke are winners.
“They find ways to do different things whether it’s a hit in the first inning or a hit in extra innings with the game on the line. Extra base hits or just getting on base. C-Mo reached on an error the first (at-bat), but he was 0-2 in a hurry and then extended it five, six more pitches, puts the ball in play, everybody knows he’s a green runner, so maybe you hurry a little bit. Just winning is the word that comes to mind.”
After the Vols wrap up Thursday’s opener, Friday and Saturday’s games against South Carolina will close out the regular season and just a few days later — Tennessee will be due up in in Hoover for their opening game in the SEC Tournament next week.
Friday’s opening pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET and will air live on the SEC Network Plus. Sunday’s game is slated for a 1 p.m. ET start on the same broadcast.