Five errors don't cost Vols, 7-6

Todd Raleigh will take it.

He doesn’t want to see a repeat of this every time out, but Tennessee’s first-year baseball coach will take a 7-6, hard-fought victory at Louisville on Wednesday night.

The Vols (13-5) committed five errors and still found a way to outhit the Cardinals (9-6) and rally to get a key road win before heading to Georgia this weekend.

“It was not pretty at all, but I think we’re 6-0 in one-run games now,” Raleigh said. “It’s never easy, but it was definitely exciting.”

UT had 13 hits, including a season-high three home runs that proved huge.

Kentrail Davis continued to show why he’s considered among the best freshmen baseball players in America.

Davis hit a two-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the third as he went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Unfortunately for the Vols, the fast start was derailed by three errors in the third inning as Louisville rallied to make it 3-3.

“We came out swinging the bats really well and lost the lead with five errors — which is unbelievable — all on routine plays,” Raleigh said. “They get the lead and we come back on them.”

Louisville grabbed a 5-3 lead in the sixth off starter Ty’Relle Harris (1-0).

“We hit the ball better and pitched better, we just didn’t play defense,” he said. “I can’t remember too many games where we make five errors, the other team makes one, and we still win.

“The positive is we were down 5-3, had absolutely zero momentum stinking it up, and boom. Jeff Lockwood hits a double, (Jarred) Frazier hits a two-run homer to make it 5-5 and we go on to score two more. The fight is definitely there.”

Frazier’s second home run of the season gave the momentum back to the Vols and UT scored two more runs on RBI singles from Andy Simunic (2-for-4) and Cody Brown (2-for-5).

UT got in more trouble in the eighth with another error that eventually loaded the bases, but Danny Wiltz came in to retire six consecutive batters and picked up his second save of the season.

Davis made a diving catch in centerfield for the second out in the ninth.

“Kentrail Davis was huge for us and Wiltz was great out of the pen,” Raleigh said. “Like I said, it wasn’t pretty. But we’ll take it.”

The Vols had their eight-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night at David Lipscomb.

Tennessee continues its weeklong road trip with a three-game series at Georgia beginning 7 p.m. Friday (TV: CSS).