Infield trio carry Vols offensively in Knoxville Regional win over Bearcats

Before the season started, the common fan would assume one of the three of Gavin Kilen, Andrew Fischer or Dean Curley would lead the Vols in most offensive categories. Or at the very least, the three would share multiple leads in the categories.

All three have performed well at the plate this season. Curley hit double-digit home runs and for an average north of .300. Fischer led the league in walks and home runs and Kilen was an All-SEC selection as well.  

It’s only fitting that those three were the story offensively in a postseason game late in May from Lindsey Nelson Stadium as Tennessee defeated Cincinnati in regional play. Just as we all assumed would be the case back in February.

Tennessee’s shortstop, Kilen, tied a career-high of four hits against Cincinnati on Saturday, accomplishing the feat for the second time since doing it against Rice back in February in Houston. He singled and scored n the first, singled in the second, tripled and scored in the fourth and singled and scored again in the sixth.

“Gavin is kind of this year’s Billy [Amick] a little bit,” Vols skipper Tony Vitello said. “Billy was in such a great groove. He has the appendicitis thing pop up and it kind of takes him out of his rhythm a little bit.”

Kilen took third base on the triple as the bag was uncovered. It’s the second time this weekend he’s had some solid base running and was able to advance an additional 90 feet. After Saturday’s contest, Kilen has six hits on the weekend for the Vols.

“I think Gavin has been very accepting of his new role at short has played well there,” Vitello continued. “The base running has been special out of Gavin and I think he’s most known because he can hit.”

Curley tallied at least four RBI in a game for the second time this season, the most since driving in five against UNC Asheville on Feb. 18. His two-run single in the first inning got the scoring going. Curley send a solo shot off the batter’s eye in center in the third and walked with the bases loaded in the sixth.

“Dean is the one that sticks out. How he’s just freed himself up to play and he’s done very well defensively. He’s done well on the bases, and then the at-bats have been really good,” the coach said. “He’s hit a lot of balls hard that he hasn’t got credit for in recent weeks. But he’s also doing it so often that he is getting some credit. So, it’s great to see.”

Fischer, who continues his streak of reaching base safely in every game this season, drove in one on an RBI groundout in the fourth and two on a double in the sixth. He later doubled again in the eighth, scoring two runs on the night.

Cannon Peebles also had a stellar night, doubling twice and scoring two runs. When you add in Manny Marin’s two-run single in the ninth inning, the Tennessee infield went for a combined 11-for-24 (.458) with nine RBI and eight runs scored.

“I think for me, it’s just eliminating distractions. We got a great team, we got a great vibe,” the catcher said postgame. “I got a lot of great teammates behind me and they’ve been a huge part of helping me out this year just by being good teammates and whatnot. But I think for me, it’s just focusing on playing ball and competing. Getting the job done is very important to me and I pride myself in it.”

When the Vols get this type of production from these soon-to-be draft picks this summer, UT is extremely hard to beat. Here’s to it carrying over into the Sunday Regional Finale.