Saul Young

Tennessee coach Todd Raleigh watches Sunday as the Vols' losing streak stretches to five games.

Saul Young

Tennessee's Kentrail Davis follows through on a home run against Vanderbilt on Sunday.

Saul Young

Tennessee's Cody Brown slides safely into first base in front of Vanderbilt's Brad French on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Commodores defeated the Vols 10-8 to sweep the SEC series.

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Ahead or behind, it didn't seem to matter much for Tennessee's baseball team this weekend.

After trailing Vanderbilt for the entirety of Friday and Saturday's games, Tennessee jumped out to a three-run lead after three innings in Sunday's series finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Still, it hardly made a difference for the Vols.

No. 13 Vanderbilt completed a three-game sweep of the Vols with a 10-8 victory and extended UT's season-long losing streak to five games.

"We felt confident, we came out with a lot of energy and jumped on them early," senior second baseman Andy Simunic said. "We blew it late. That's baseball, but we've got to get off this streak."

For a while it looked like the Vols (25-23, 11-13 SEC) were on their way to their first win since they defeated Mississippi State last week.

And Kentrail Davis was the reason why.

The freshman center fielder tripled and scored in the first and blasted a three-run homer to right-center in the third to give UT a 4-1 lead.

In his next at-bat, he hit a solo homer over the scoreboard in right center to put Tennessee on top 5-4 in fifth.

"I just saw a lot of really good pitches today," Davis said. "My swing was on today, nice and short. I saw some good pitches and took good swings at them."

Vanderbilt (34-13, 14-9) swung right back.

The Commodores scored three runs in the seventh to go up 7-5 and added three more runs in the ninth on Shea Robin's second homer of the game, an RBI triple by Brad French and an RBI double by David Macias.

"They didn't panic," Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. "We've got an older group, and that's sometimes the positive of an older group. They've been there, done that, seen it before and they know they can put runs on the board."

Trailing 10-5 heading into its final at-bat, Tennessee put together a rally.

Former Halls High standout Jeff Lockwood led off the ninth with an opposite-field home run to left field, and two batters later pinch-hitter P.J. Polk cranked a two-run shot to right.

Simunic singled up the middle, bringing the tying run to the plate with one out.

But Davis, who finished 3-for-5 with two homers, a triple and four RBIs, struck out and Yan Gomes grounded into a fielder's choice to end UT's hopes for a comeback.

"We showed a lot of heart," UT coach Todd Raleigh said. "We're playing a lot of young guys, and they're veteran. It's going to take a while, but I'm very proud of the effort."

That effort will have to translate into a few wins for the Vols to have a chance in the postseason.

But after losing three consecutive games - the first time in Raleigh's first season the Vols have been swept by an SEC foe - Tennessee is tied with Kentucky for the eighth and final spot for the SEC tournament with six games left to play.

That means there's a lot riding on this weekend's visit from the Wildcats.

"It's do or die now," Raleigh said. "And we've got to do it. If your team knows your back's against the wall and you don't come out and play, then you know you don't have the right team. But I think we'll come out and respond."

The Vols and Wildcats play at 7 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Drew Edwards may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.