Raleigh era starts right

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Tennessee’s Cody Brown tries to outrun Morehead State’s Tyler Bess after being caught in a rundown between third base and home plate during UT’s 9-4 win on Friday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Tennessee’s Todd Raleigh, reminds the Vols there are two out while coaching third base at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

UT’s Andy Simunic beats the throw for a second-inning double. The Vols defeated Morehead State 9-4 in their season opener on Friday.

There were a few collective sighs of relief near the first base dugout at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday.

Game one was in the books.

The Todd Raleigh era of University of Tennessee baseball got underway with some first-game jitters and ended with a 9-4 victory against Morehead State.

"First one, second one, I'll take all of them I can get," Raleigh said after his first game as UT head coach. "Obviously you want to come out and get off to a good start so it's a little bit of a relief to be undefeated."

Raleigh admitted even he had to battle with some raw nerves the closer it got to the first pitch.

"I was pretty good all day until it got to about an hour before the game, and I said to myself, 'You know, it's here,'" he said. "I started to get a little excited."

Obviously, so were his players.

The Vols (1-0) committed four errors in the first of a three-game series with the Eagles (0-1). Game time today is 2 p.m.

"Baseball's a little different sport," Raleigh said. "You don't want them to go out there too excited because if you get too jacked up you make errors and you swing too hard."

UT managed to counter the defensive lapses with a strong outing on the mound from junior college transfer Steve Crnkovich and timely hitting from a few highly touted freshmen.

Crnkovich went seven innings and limited Morehead State to four hits with all four of the Eagles' runs unearned.

"It's awesome," the Illinois-Chicago transfer said. "I can't say how much of an honor it is to start off the season for this program, the coaches and my team.

"Everything's new here. We've got pretty much a new team, a new coach and hopefully a bunch of new fans. I'm just glad we got it off on the right foot."

UT definitely got out to a fast start, sending nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and taking a 4-0 lead.

Freshman Josh Liles (2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs) had a two-run single in his first plate appearance as a Vol. Kentrail Davis, another freshman, roped the first pitch he saw up the middle and finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

"I thought our young guys, particularly Josh and Kentrail, really swung the bat," Raleigh said. "We had some other hits, but I thought they were the ones who really squared the balls up and swung the bat better than anybody."

UT finished with 11 hits, junior Andy Simunic going 2-for-5 with three runs, senior designated hitter Shawn Griffin 2-for-3 with an RBI and sophomore first baseman Tanner Moore 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Moore was starting in place of sophomore Jeff Lockwood, a late scratch from the game because of classroom obligations.

The Vols added runs in the second and the third, but Morehead State made it 6-2 after three innings when freshman left fielder P.J. Polk and Liles each dropped fly balls to open the door in the second and third.

"We made some uncharacteristic mistakes," Raleigh said. "I haven't seen either one of those guys drop a fly ball in the last six months, but that can happen.

"I can guarantee you they were pretty tight to say the least."

Morehead State's J.D. Ashbrook belted a two-run homer to left in the fourth to make it 6-4, but the Vols tacked on two runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh.

Relievers Aaron Everett and Ryne Simpson worked an inning each to finish the game, neither allowing a hit.

Notebook: The Vols sported new orange batting helmets and white caps with orange bills ... Former Webb star Brian Bibee made the catch of the day, a diving grab in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement in left field ... UT players may have started a new tradition when they gathered at first base at the end of the game and clapped along with the crowd during Rocky Top ... Unlike former coach Rod Delmonico, Raleigh will coach third base. Larry Simcox handled those duties under Delmonico ... Sophomore left-hander Nick Hernandez is expected to get the start today for the Vols .