Tennessee handles Kentucky in game two, here are four quick takes from the ball park

Tennessee took the second game of the weekend series from Kentucky today and at 14-12 the Vols and Wildcats are now tied for fourth place in the SEC East heading into the final week of the regular season. Here are four quick takes on the win.

GET OUT OF THE GATES QUICK

Tennessee’s bats didn’t get off to the most auspicious start this afternoon. The Vols went down in order in the first inning and the first three batters only saw a grand total of four pitches in the opening frame.

If you thought that quick work in the first inning was a sign that the Wildcats Tyler Bosma was going to have a strong day on the mound that notion was quickly dispelled.

Tennessee might have gone quietly in the first inning, but that was far from the case in the second.

Blake Burke started things with a leadoff walk. Christian Moore moved him to second with single to left. Garrett Miller plated Burke with a ‘seeing eye’ single to center field. Zane Denton scored Moore with a single up the middle to make the lead 2-0, but the Vols weren’t done.

Christian Scott laid a nifty bunt down the third base line and beat the throws to first to load the bases.

After a Cal Stark struck out Maui Ahuna brought home Denton and Miller with a ground ball single into left to put the Vols up 4-0 after two.

TIMELY RALLY (twice)

It looked like Tennessee was going to go out meekly in the fourth inning. Denton flied out and Scott struck out to start the inning.

Stark notched a two out single to left, but there still didn’t seem to be much to get excited about.

Ahuna then squeaked a single through the right side of the infield to put runners on first and second.

Hunter Ensley loaded the bases when he reached on a fielder’s choice after Ahuna beat an attempted force out at second.

Jared Dickey made sure all those two out heroics didn’t go for naught when he drilled a grand slam off the scoreboard in right field to put the Vols up 8-1.

Tennessee’s bats went cold for the next couple of innings after that four run outburst, but they heated back up when the Vols really needed it.

After Kentucky had cut the lead to 8-7 with three runs in both the sixth and seventh inning it felt like the Vols might be trouble.

Tennessee responded by getting back-to-back singles from Jared Dickey and Blake Burke to start their half of the seventh. Denton then came through once again with a double to the wall in left field to score both Dickey and Burke and give the Vols some much needed cushion at 10-7.

DOLLANDER WAS DEALING (for a while at least), BULLPEN STRUGGLED, BUT CLOSED STRONG

Kentucky’s Grant Smith touched up Chase Dollander for a solo home-run in the top of the third inning, but that was pretty much the only mistake that the Vols’ right hander made through the first five innings.

Dollander worked five innings, throwing a total of 103 pitches giving up three earned runs while striking out six batters. Of Dollander’s 103 pitches 69 went for strikes.

Outside of Smith’s dinger Dollander allowed just three other base runners in the first five innings today before running into some trouble in the top of the 6th. He was really sharp for most of the early going and after he got staked to an 8-1 lead he was on cruise control until the Wildcats got to him in the sixth inning.

It was a strong outing for the junior who has been up and down in SEC play, but has now won three of his last four starts.

Dollander’s exit led to some struggles from the Vols’ bullpen. Camden Sewell got out of the sixth after surrendering one run which cut the Vols’ lead to 8-4, but Sewell ran into trouble in the seventh.

Sewell gave up two hits, a walk and a run while recording just one out in the seventh. He was relieved by Chase Burns who promptly allowed a run to score on a wild pitch and then gave up an RBI single that cut the lead to 8-7.

After Burns muddled through the seventh inning he settled down. He got into a spot of bother in the eighth when two batters reached base but Denton bailed him out with a great play and throw at third base for the third out of the inning.

Burns then sat the ‘Cats down in order in the 9th to seal the win for the Vols

SIGNIFICANT SWING

Tennessee entered the weekend at 12-12 in SEC play, two full games behind Kentucky, who at 14-10, were in solo fourth in the SEC East race.

The Vols have picked up two timely wins in the first two games of this series. A win on Sunday in the series finale would put Tennessee one game ahead of the ‘Cats heading into the final week of the regular season with a chance to further improve their positioning in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

Both squads have a challenging closing series in front of them, but given Tennessee’s struggles on the road in league play, they task is probably a little trickier.

The Vols close at South Carolina next weekend while Kentucky hosts Florida in their last regular season action before the SEC Tournament in Hoover.