KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Blake Forsythe’s two-out two strike two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th lifted Tennessee to a 4-2 win over Vanderbilt in the first game of the Sunday doubleheader at Lindsay Nelson Stadium.
Matt Duffy led off the inning with a single to left, but was eliminated on a double play on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Chris Fritts. Jason Esposito fielded the ball and fired to second for the first out and then on to first for the second out. Josh Liles was walked by Russell Brewer, before Forsythe ended the game with the two-run shot into the stands in left.
Matt Ramsey (2-1) pitched 3.2 innings of no-hit relief with three strikeouts to earn the win, while Brewer (1-1) allowed the two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings to take the loss.
UT lead 2-1 in the top of the seventh with the Commodores down to their last at-bat when Curt Casali tied things up with a solo homer to left-center. It was an impressive shot that cut through the 25 mph wind and got out from the deepest part of the park. It was his first homer since the Illinois State game on March 6. The run was the first earned run of the game.
The teams then used stellar relief pitching to get to the 11th where the Vols walked off with the win.
The Dores got on the board in the first inning of game when Anthony Gomez reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brian Harris and scored on Jason Esposito’s RBI single up the middle.
The Vols scored an unearned run of their own in the bottom half when Khayyan Norfork singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and over to third on an infield single by Matt Duffy. Norfork scored when Jack Armstrong threw wide at first to get Duffy.
UT scored another unearned run in the third when Norfork reached on a fielding error by Harris at short, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a grounder to second. He scored on another wild pitch by Armstrong to give the Vols a 2-1 lead.
The Vols threatened to add to the lead in the fifth with runners and first and second and two outs. Relief pitcher Richie Goodenow came on and faced pinch hitter Matt Ramsey who singled to right. The runner at second rounded second and tried to score, but Joe Loftus threw a strike to Andrew Giobbi at the plate who tagged him out to end the inning.
Armstrong gave up two runs, both unearned, on four hits in 4.2 innings with three walks and no strikeouts.
McCray allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 7.1 innings of work in the no-decision.
Chase Reid was brilliant in relief throwing 4.1 innings of one-hit relief with four strikeouts. He gave up a leadoff single in the sixth and then retired 12 in a row before Zach Osborne reached on an fielding error in the 10th.
(Photo by Jimmy Jones)
