MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Tennessee had to take the good with the bad on Friday.
The Vols opened the day by scoring more runs in one inning than they had in each of their first three games, only to fall to West Virginia 11-6. Then, against No. 18 Coastal Carolina, Tennessee’s scoring output wasn’t enough to overtake the high-powered Chanticleers’ in a 10-5 loss.
“We’ve just got to keep swinging, and we’ll be alright,” center fielder Kentrail Davis said. “We won’t hit the panic button, not this early in the season. But coach (Todd Raleigh) has been stressing to keep swinging the bats and stay in the zone, not try to do too much.”
Tennessee (1-4) had not scored more than five runs during the opening week split against Oregon State or a Tuesday game with Austin Peay. Against West Virginia (3-2), it appeared the Vols were again going to struggle at the plate.
UT recorded two hits through the first four innings. In the fifth, catcher Blake Forsythe led off with a home run. Six batters later, Cody Hawn drilled a Jarryd Summer pitch for a grand slam over the center-field wall at BB&T Coastal Field. Forsythe then added an RBI single.
The Vols failed to score after having the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth when Davis and Hawn struck out looking and Josh Liles grounded out. UT stranded three more runners in the eighth.
“We’ve been leaving a lot of guys on,” Raleigh said. “We left 13 guys on (against Austin Peay). An earlier game, we left 12 on. … We’re hitting the ball hard, but we’re not doing enough. We’re having the big inning, but we’re not having enough of the big innings.
“We’re not doing a good job of manufacturing. We’ve got some guys that are struggling. Even though it’s early in the year, it’s happened to us a lot. We’re really young. It is hard to be patient, but there isn’t much you can do.”
UT managed to get five funs off Coastal Carolina (6-1) during the first three innings, but UT left another 10 runners on base while the Chanticleers hit three home runs. Nick Hernandez went five innings for UT, allowing five runs on seven hits.
The Vols’ original plans for the weekend were scrapped by Friday morning. Expected inclement weather in the Myrtle Beach area today forced officials to reschedule Saturday’s games. The Vols added a Sunday game against Brown.
Late Friday, the Vols changed their original Sunday game against FIU to Saturday at 3 p.m. The chances of that game or the one against Brown being played are both in doubt. A storm front moving into Myrtle Beach is expected to last throughout the weekend.
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Comments » 17
zigvol writes:
wow we suck in every sport
VOLorado writes:
effin great
UT_Thread_Head writes:
snow? rain? at least we know when to use the weather to our advantage.."those who fight and run away, live to fight another day."
some guys that are struggling? We’re really young? It's hard to be patient? there isn’t much you can do?
loudonloudmouth writes:
There is something you do. Play the veteran players you have setting on you bench who started for you last year and sit the rookies that are not proven and can not get it done. Everyone with the exception of Todd can see it but his pride of what he wants to work clouds his sight of the obvious. Play Grisham at short, move Oz to second or off the field and for everyones sake put Brown back to his natural position at third.
wyomingvol writes:
I really do hope Hamilton's hiring of Raleigh was a fluke (fire the incumbent, regardless of record..)
Past that,,,
Coach Pearl ( a gem)
Coach Raleigh ( a true down grade..)
Coach Kiffin (We just fired the winner of the SEC East the year prior, for a 33 year old hasn't accomplished anything)
Best of luck......
richvol writes:
Losing to Austin Peay is not acceptable and this is the second year in a row I think...not a good start.
Futurecoach16 writes:
As I said on the earlier story, Raleigh is not the one stranding runners, especially in scoring position. In the first game, it was the All-American (Davis) who struck out looking, and then the hot-shot Cody Hawn immediately after that. Before you start taking shots at Raleigh, learn the game and then make comments. The team lost these, not the coach. Nobody will win stranding 10, 11, 12, 13, however many runners they did in each of these games. And it's not coaching. Raleigh rarely makes a costly error that actually takes the team outta the game.
smokyredbone writes:
and you suck at life!!!!!!
givehim6 writes:
To the phil fans out there, I know CLK is unproven, but let's give the guy a few years ok, I'm trying to keep a open mind. besides sense 2002 what did phil give UT without Cutcliff and Chives?
bluetick writes:
Dang! I live in Myrtle Beach and didn't even know they were playing here. Shows how much I follow baseball I guess, but I would have attended these games. OH well sorry for the loss.
wyomingvol writes:
Not sure as to the Chives part....
Chavis's D was great,,, Until it was 3rd and long....
Ask UCLA...
Oh, I want UT to win in every sport...
Time will tell, I will root for a winner or loser....
Futurecoach16 writes:
I don't know if you were degrading me or what, but yeah. Hawn is a great player, I had the pleasure of playing against him one season, but he should know better than to watch the 3rd strike go by. Too many runners stranded. Plain and simple. And that's not anything Raleigh can control in the game. Gotta be the players.
UT_Thread_Head writes:
Hawn, a "GREAT" player? come on now. i'm not knocking the kids bat or him personally for that matter, but he can't run and his foot work/his ability to adjust to the ball isn't that of a GREAT player. i watched him miss a routine pop up that went over his head by a few feet and it was because of his lack of agility (foot work) or inability? watch him run...seriously. a great player? ..average at best.
UT_Thread_Head writes:
height wise yes, and i didn't say it was an error, just a catchable ball..fact is he was unable to turn and make a very routine catch, and that was VERY obvious to anyone watching! again, i'm not knocking him personally..but GREAT players are the total package and he don't have it all..i watched lockwood make catches on similar hits/pop ups last season?..and i'm sure when/if his bat comes around, hopefully, we'll see more grand slams, homers and solid hits..my comment was based on the statement that he is a great player.
OrangePride writes:
This is pathetic. We don't hit, but we make up for it with weak late pitching. Wonderful. CR better figure something out fast because I see this season going out the window and him with it unless he gets production.......and soon.
campvol#212157 writes:
Fire Raleigh and hire Phil Garner.
UT_Thread_Head writes:
Yeah for Phil! he looked really good out there throwing out the seasons first pitch..and i bet he would have a much better approach and results when dealing with these young athletics.
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