How It Happened: No. 11 Tennessee beats No. 3 Florida 14-2 in series finale

Tennessee showed up for another series finale, beating Florida 14-2 Saturday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson to avoid being swept by the Gators. Griffin Merritt went 3-for-4 with six runs batted in and two runs scored, hitting two home runs, including a walk-off for the run-rule win in the bottom of the eighth. 

Tennessee starter Drew Beam got the win, working seven innings, giving up just two runs on four hits while tying a career high with 10 strikeouts.

The Vols (22-10, 5-7 SEC), who avoided a sweep at LSU with a win in Baton Rouge in the series finale on Sunday, scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning Saturday against Florida (27-6, 9-3) without recording a hit. Florida starter Jac Caglinone issued four straight walks and had six total before being pulled. 

Griffin Merritt doubled in the third and Cal Stark later in the inning added a two-run home run to make it a 5-0 lead after three.

Merritt had a two-run home run of his own in the fourth and the Vols scored again on a walk in the bottom of the sixth, stretching the advantage to 9-0. Florida got on the board in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run, but Beam ended the inning with his 10th strikeout of the day to match a career high. 

Tennessee scored two more in the bottom of the seventh, with Blake Burke scoring the 11th run on Florida’s 17th walk of the afternoon. Merritt went deep with a three-run home run in the eighth to end the game with the run rule.

Scoring Summary

First Inning: Drew Beam got two strike outs and a fly out, working around a single, to get out of the top of the first without any damage. Florida starter Jac Caglianone issued four straight walks to start the bottom of the first, handing the Vols a 1-0 lead, then Tennessee went up 2-0 after a wild pitch. Caglianone threw 15 straight balls before getting his first strike across the plate. Zane Denton made it 3-0 with an RBI groundout. Caglianone was pulled after issuing his sixth walk.

Tennessee 3, Florida 0

Second Inning: Drew Beam went through Florida in order in the second with a ground out, fly out and a strikeout swimming. The Vols then went down in order in the bottom half, with a Jared Dickey fly out, a Christian Moore ground out and a Blake Burke fly out.

Tennessee 3, Florida 0

Third Inning: Drew Beam got a fly out and a ground out before issuing a walk. He had a wild pitch to advance the runner to second after the walk but got out of the inning with an infield pop out from Jac Caglianone. Griffin Merritt doubled into the corner to start the bottom of the third, Tennessee’s first hit of the game, then scored when Kavares Tears reached on an error with a ground through the right side. Cal Stark made it a 6-0 lead with a two-run home run to left.

Tennessee 8, Florida 0

Fourth Inning: Drew Beam went ground out, pop out and strike out with another clean inning against the Florida lineup. Beam through four innings has allowed one hit, has struck out four and issued just one walk, with five fly outs, three ground outs and 37 strikes out of 59 pitches. In the bottom of the fourth, Griffin Merritt launched a two-run home run 435 feet to left center, hitting a tent on the third row of the porch and giving the Vols an 8-0 lead.

Tennessee 8, Florida 0

Fifth Inning: Drew Beam started the inning with a strikeout, gave up a double then recorded two more strikeouts to continue his shutout. Austen Jaslove reached on a Florida throwing error in the bottom of the fifth and advanced to second a passed ball. Christian Moore walked to reach base but both runners were left stranded on a pair of fly outs.

Tennessee 8, Florida 0

Sixth Inning: Drew Beam in the top of the sixth went strike out, fly out and strike out, matching a season high with nine strikeouts through six innings of work. He needs one more to tie a career high. So far he’s given up just two hits, walked one batter and has thrown 58 strikes in 86 total pitches. Florida walked in another run in the bottom of the sixth, with Zane Denton crossing the plate after the Gators’ 13th walk of the game.

Tennessee 9, Florida 0

Seventh Inning: Florida got on the board with a two-run home run from catcher Luke Heyman in the top of the seventh. BT Riopelle started the inning with a single before Cade Kurland flied out to left. Drew Beam got out of the inning with a groundout and a strikeout, his 10th of the game to match a career high. Christian Moore scored on a Hunter Ensley infield single in the bottom of the inning and Blake Burke scored after the Florida pitching staff issued its 17th walk of the afternoon. 

Tennessee 11, Florida 2

Eighth Inning: Kirby Connell replaced Drew Beam to start the eighth, getting one strikeout before being replaced by Aaron Combs, who recorded two more strikeouts to end the inning. Griffin Merritt hit his second home run of the day, giving him six RBI and ending the day with the three-run shot for the run-rule win.

Tennessee 14, Florida 2

Tennessee’s weekly game schedule

Thursday: Florida 6, Tennessee 1 | Box Score | How it Happened | Four Takes | Vitello Transcript

Friday: Florida 9, Tennessee 3 | Box Score | How it Happened | Four Takes | Vitello Transcript

Saturday: No. 11 Tennessee 14, No. 3 Florida 2 | Box Score | How It Happened | Vitello Transcript

Tony Vitello Postgame Press Conference