Tennessee’s baseball team secured a weekend sweep of UAlbany by defeating them 12-0 in seven innings at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Tony Vitello entrusted Zander Sechrist with pitching duties for the second consecutive Sunday. Despite a more effective performance compared to last week, Sechrist’s time on the mound was brief, spanning two scoreless innings against UAlbany.
Speculation arises whether Vitello would have extended Sechrist’s innings if not for the run rule in place. Nevertheless, Sechrist delivered a solid performance, conceding only one hit and striking out three batters.
Following Sechrist, Nate Snead, known for his powerful right-arm throws, took over in the third inning. The Wichita State transfer exhibited dominance, retiring all eight batters he faced with his high-velocity fastball.
Kirby Connell made his season debut, concluding the fifth inning with a groundout before Andrew Behnke relieved him in the sixth, retiring the side in order.
In the final inning, freshman Derek Schaefer closed the game, allowing only one walk. The Tennessee pitchers showcased their prowess, retiring 17 consecutive batters from the first inning until the seventh, limiting UAlbany to just two baserunners throughout the game.
Tennessee’s offense displayed inconsistency throughout the season, alternating between explosive performances and struggles to maintain momentum across games. Vitello expressed appreciation for the team’s explosiveness while emphasizing the need for greater consistency.
On Sunday, Tennessee’s offense capitalized, scoring runs in six out of seven innings, including several one-run innings and crucial two-out RBIs.
Unlike the previous games in the series, Tennessee’s offense ignited early, scoring three runs in the first inning, highlighted by Dalton Bargo’s two-run single.
The momentum surged further in the sixth inning, with Tennessee scoring six runs, featuring key contributions from Blake Burke and Robin Villeneuve.
Tennessee’s lineup saw constant changes this season due to its depth and versatile hitting options. Vitello capitalized on this depth by rotating players frequently, providing opportunities for various combinations.
In the series finale, Vitello continued to shuffle the lineup, maintaining consistency only with Christian Moore, Blake Burke, and Billy Amick as regular starters. Notably, Kavares Tears started for the second consecutive day in center field, while Hunter Ensley remained on the bench. Robin Villeneuve and Dalton Bargo took outfield positions, while Dylan Dreiling was rested.
Additional lineup adjustments included Cal Stark behind the plate for the second game, and Dean Curley at shortstop for the fourth consecutive game, although Curley exited the game in the fifth inning after being hit by a fastball.
For the first time this season, Tennessee didn’t alternate left- and right-handed batters throughout the lineup, instead featuring consecutive right-handed batters in the eighth and ninth positions
