Todd Raleigh missed a dramatic finish Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. He would not, however, have liked the ending.
East Tennessee State continued its baseball mastery of Tennessee with a 9-8 victory in an emotionally charged battle of what’s lately turned into a one-sided rivalry.
That’s a season sweep for the Bucs, four in a row and six of the past eight against the Vols.
Raleigh, UT’s second-year coach, was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing with home plate umpire Justin McCulley.
ETSU led 4-3 at the time, but the drama was just beginning.
The Bucs (19-19) and Vols (19-23) exchanged late-inning rallies. ETSU got the last word on Troy Mendez’ tie-breaking double in the ninth.
Mendez’ double off Aaron Tullo — the seventh of eight UT pitchers — and drove in Jacob Fabry to break an 8-8 tie.
It was another frustrating outcome for the Vols against their nemesis from Johnson City.
The Vols had rallied for a 5-4 lead in the seventh, only to see the Bucs go back in front 8-5 in the eighth.
Then UT rallied again to tie it 8-8 in eighth.
“We definitely have a losing record against those guys and we came out trying to change that,’’ said UT sophomore catcher Blake Forsythe, who had RBI hits in both of Tennessee’s rallies.
The Vols started well enough in the ninth as Tullo (2-6) retired the first two hitters.
“I was excited,’’ Forsythe said. “I’m ready to get back in the dugout.
“I thought for sure if we go in there with a tie ballgame we’re going to end it that inning.’’
It didn’t work out that way.
Fabry, ETSU’s lead-off batter, executed a bunt single. He then stole second and continued to third when Forsythe’s throw to second base was high.
After a walk to Ben Reeder (4-3), Mendez delivered the big blow, ETSU’s eighth double of the game.
“They did a great job of hitting the ball with two outs,’’ Forsythe said. “That’s ultimately what killed us.
“That two-out bunt started it all and we completely lost focus.’’
And didn’t get it back in the bottom of the ninth.
The Vols went down 1-2-3 and ETSU celebrated the victory.
The Bucs outhit the Vols 15-8 and UT pitchers issued seven walks.
Raleigh was tossed for objecting when ETSU batter Ben Allen was ruled to have been hit by an inside pitch.
Raleigh had lost an earlier debate with McCulley when Reeder slid home to score under Forsythe’s tag in the third to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead.
Forsythe’s RBI single put UT up 5-4 in the seventh but the Bucs proved resourceful.
Lefty Bryan Morgado got two outs in the eighth, but allowed four runs before he could get the third.
Down 8-5, UT answered with hits from P.J. Polk, Cody Hawn and Forsythe to tie it again — in vain, it turned out.
Forsythe Invited: Forsythe is one of the first 17 collegians invited to the USA Baseball National Team Trials in June at Cary, N.C.
Nineteen more candidates will be announced. The 22-man team will be revealed June 24.
“It’s more than an honor,’’ Forsythe said. “It’s been my dream and my goal.’’
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 17
Capt_Winters writes:
Hamilton needs to permanently eject Raleigh. Disgraceful to lose to ETSU (no offense bucs fans).
Vol_Fan_N_NC writes:
Very bittersweet moment for me. Raised in Knoxville a Vols fan but went to ETSU. Go Bucs, now go dominate the ASUN. Good luck Vols for the rest of the year.
easttnvol21 writes:
Congratulations to the Northeast Tennessee players who just weren't quite talented enough to play in Knoxville. Former Science Hill and Dobyns Bennett players. Raleigh had a good one he could have kept too. 8 pitchers in the game----are you kidding?
akuncle#250130 writes:
If UT would get all their players from East Tennessee, they would contend for championships every year.
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
OMG WE SUCK!!!!
EdgeMan writes:
There are times when it is just not about talent but more about heart.... and throwing a 0-2 fastball down the heart of the plate to the four hole hitter that delivers a two out two rbi hit for the first two of a four run inning may have not been the best decision.
A great clutch and gutty show from the BUCS!
robvols#366273 writes:
Beat #1 LSU on the road twice, no less, and then come home and lose to #1000 (oh wait, that is our rank!), #999 ETSU. Baffling, head scratching, I give up! What is the deal with this team!?
stayingorange writes:
UT has a 1 run lead in the eighth, ETSU runners on second and third, two outs and an 0-2 count and Morgado throws a pitch that gets belted for a double. Situational pitching is apparently not a tactic the Vols use. I know many more runs were scored, but times like that are the pieces that make up the puzzling season for the Vols this year. At least they're swinging the bats.
And ETSU is not a horrible baseball team.
akuncle#250130 writes:
I guess going elsewhere is working for them.
chargervol writes:
Don't forget about Jason Witten of the Cowboys, I think he has been All-Pro. There is a redshirt freshman quarterback at Wisconsin that has a shot to do good tings(Curt Phillips). In there spring game he directed 4 touchdown drives, including a rushing touchdown.
volsfaninkpt writes:
BUCS, BUCS, BUCS, BUCS, BUCS, BUCS, BUCS... all the way to the college world series boys! haha naa im really just playin. I go to school at ETSU, and know many of the baseball players and what not. We have some good players from the Northeast Tennessee area, and they always like to show what Tennessee missed out on not offering a scholarship to them or not recruting them at all. ETSU has plenty of good players, not great. They do show the heart and desire to win, and that is why they continue to improve throughout the year!! Now it's time to continue the win streak and do some damage in the A-Sun tourney!
OrangePride writes:
ButchisBack maybe needs to go again and have a better look. NO atheletes in the pro's of any consequence? Uhhhhhhh, lets see. Manning? Reggie White? Houston? Witten? Little? Should we talk about women's basketball a while? We're all unhappy with this baseball season, just let's not get too carried away and extend it to all sports.
Volunatic writes:
I believe Steve Ahillen makes those decisions more than John Adams. Look at the Sports section-- is it Adams or Ahillen that is listed as editor on the top of the front page?
(btw-- it's a little early to call on whether the football hire will work out. A lot of people who are more knowledgeable than you think that Kiffin was a good hire.)
volsfaninkpt writes:
Don't forget Gerald Sensabaugh either. He was a stud at Dobyns-Bennett and has had a solid career in the NFL so far. He just inked a deal with the Cowboys about a month ago so hopefully he will start to get some more exposure once he wins one of the starting safety spots!
GhostofRobertNeyland writes:
Jason Witten & Gerald Sensabaugh
bowlinggreenvol writes:
He said that no good athletes come from East Tennessee, not that there's nobody from UT in professional sports! Seeing as how Manning is from LA, Houston is from KY, and Little is from NC much of his point his validated. Please read the post thoroughly and comprehensively before spouting off incorrect information! For the record, East TN is not the end all be all for high school athletics!
doh writes:
good thing they arent in the sec.
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