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Zane Denton breaks down what has led to his recent success

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•06/18/23•

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Photo by Eakin Howard | Getty Images

When opposing pitchers see Zane Denton in the batter’s box, it’s a bad day. The Tennessee infielder recently discussed his hot bat after Tennessee defeated Southern Miss to advance to the College World Series.

“I can’t really remember a stretch like that. I’d like to mix in a couple hits too, but it’s working right now,” Denton said during the postgame press conference. “We’ll take it.”

Zane Denton’s streak

Denton was unbelievable at the Clemson Regional and Hattiesburg Super Regional. The 6-foot-1 senior recorded three home runs during regionals, tallying five RBIs. Fueled by Denton’s hot hitting, the Volunteers went 3-0 on enemy turf in the Clemson Regional, boasting a 23-8 run differential.

Denton disappeared in the first two games of the Hattiesburg Super Regional against Southern Miss. In the two contests, Denton put up one hit on seven at-bats. Nonetheless, when Tennessee needed him most, Denton came back to life.

Game-changing play

With the season on the line in Game 3 versus the Golden Eagles, Tennessee had a narrow 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two runners on and two outs, the game’s momentum hung in the balance. Then, Denton stepped up to the plate.

The first two pitches were balls. The third was exactly what Denton was looking for. Denton slapped a three-run shot over the right-field fence, giving the Volunteers a comfortable 4-0 lead. After UT’s victory, Denton broke down the at-bat.

“I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit, just like any at-bat. And, I worked a 2-0 count and had a pretty good feeling I was going to get a heater. So, I just tried to cheat to it a little bit. Luckily, I got it, got it in the air and it went far enough,” Denton said.

Looking forward

It certainly did. The homer was a 410-foot shot; something Denton could not reproduce in the Vols’ first game of the College World Series. In Tennessee’s 6-3 loss to LSU on Saturday, Denton couldn’t find a hit in three at-bats. In fairness, he was facing arguably the best pitcher in the country, Paul Skenes.

In the contest, Skenes gave up a mere five hits. Denton won’t have to wait long to redeem himself. On Monday, Tennessee will take on Stanford at 2 p.m. in an elimination game. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.