The University of Tennessee baseball team blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning, then gave up a run in the 10th in a 5-4 loss Tuesday afternoon to Western Kentucky in Bowling Green.
The Vols (6-6) led 4-2 going into the ninth, and had runners on first and second with leadoff walks. But after a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up, Cody Hawn was intentionally walked and freshman Cody Stubbs and junior Josh Liles each flew out.
Western Kentucky (9-3) tied it in the ninth off freshman Nick Blount, then won it in the 10th. Sophomore left-hander Adam Adkins, who was named UT's CAREacter Star Athlete of the week, walked the leadoff hitter, then was replaced by junior Spencer Clifft, who gave up three consecutive singles.
Senior Matt Hamaker went 2-for-5 for UT, while Hawn and Khayyan Norfork each had an RBI.
The Vols scored all four runs on seven hits, all of which came with two outs.
Lost in the defeat were strong efforts from senior Aaron Tullo, sophomore Josh Allman and redshirt-freshman Hunter Daniel.
In his first start of the season, Tullo allowed just one run on one hit while striking out five and walking three in 32<0x2044>3 innings. Allman and Daniel combined to walk one and strike out one in 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief.
UT plays 4 p.m. EST today at Middle Tennessee State.
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Comments » 18
Atuss writes:
Not good. Poor scheduling. Play four games on the weekend then back to back midweek games on the road? No way the Vols should be going out of state to play Western Kentucky midweek. In state team fine but not out of state, absolutely have nothing to gain and everything to lose.
live2fish writes:
Was Todd available for a post-game interview??? I'm pretty sure he wants to crawl into a hole right now. It's gotta be embarrassing for him to show his face to the fans. I guess having ten rings doesn't make you a good coach after all. PERCEPTION VS. REALITY
vols615 writes:
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA HEY HEY HEY GOODBYE..... TODD IS GONE CYA LATER
UTVOLS14 writes:
aman i am tired of the todd show lets bring in somebody that can coach this team has talent and a pretty good bit. and i played baseball and understand its a funny game you are gonna get beat by inferior teams but you dont get beat by them all the time or that makes you inferior.
GO VOLS!!!!!!! GOODBYE TODD
richvol writes:
This is just sad...
madmax22 writes:
All that big talk about how good this team was going to be was just that talk. Lucky to have won Sunday which gave UT a split against to pathetic teams. Even Buzz Peterson's teams weren't this bad.
easttnvol21 writes:
Well, another year----same results. Coach "you know" comes out brash and cocky, we're this, we're that, and on and on. Let's drop ETSU from our schedule since we can't beat them and replace them with Binghamton and Kennesaw St. Oops! Damn, they beat us too. At least we could have the pleasure of watching local kids UT didn't think highly enough of play and beat our rear ends. Now that the talent pool is better in Knoxville wonder if it's possible that we simply need a coach??? Maybe find someone the kids enjoy playing for...........???
rocky_topper writes:
This will be TR's last year, so it's all good!
orangecountyvols writes:
Madmax,
I agree. Not going to sit here and jump off a bridge or anything, but like you..........I remember the pre season conversation about how
impressive the Vols were going to be.
I guess it was a matter of believing it instead of the old terminology "don't talk, just show me."
Maybe they will turn it around, and I hope so, but so far it doesn't look too good.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Reminds me of the Tomb of the Unknowns, just need a changing of the guard.
olevole writes:
If you get rid of these guys now and get someone new in you have a chance to recruit kids who would like to play at UT but won't play for a coach that routinely blows games with cupcakes.
By April or May the top talent in November's recruiting class will be committed elsewhere. East Tennessee has more talent in that class than it has since Helton's.
RoadTrip writes:
I agree and hope MH is listening. He needs to have already been talking to potential big name replacements so that the new guy can come in and hit the ground running. Whether that can happen now or not is the question.
ETN recruits alone can stock a starting line-up that can compete against anybody in the SEC. We have to get these young men that bleed orange and build the tradition.
KNS - why is this story not one of the headline stories today? Is CTR and the current status of the baseball program yesterday's news to you?
OrangePride writes:
If we go into SEC play with a losing record (and that's a distinct possibility), I think Mike Hamilton needs to just change coaches right there. Let one of the other coaches finish the season and give us April and May to go get someone that can recruit more effectively, inspire young men to play, and develop the talent that comes to Tennessee. The coach for Middle Tennessee, who we play today, would not be a bad choice at all.....but there are others. Just please, for the love of heaven, please end this nightmare called Raleigh!
OrangePride writes:
We all agree that MH had better start thinking and looking for a first tier coach right now. And exactly, just why isn't this baseball loss one of the headline stories today. Does KNS think that by not covering it, it didn't happen? Or maybe they can stifle some of the frustration by back-paging the story? Come on KNS.......wake up and cover the VOLS baseball properly!
baseballguru writes:
i was really pulling for CTR... he is a little out of his league right now.
going into SEC play they should get rid of him and have assistant coach Brad LeCroy step in for remainder of the season. Atleast he comes from a winning program as he played for Clemson and has learned from Jack Leggett himself.
Couldn't get anyworse... and from my understanding they players like Lecroy a lot as he is more of a people person.
for $275k a year CTR should be cleaning the field after the games as well.
bryan14 writes:
Yes the Vols need a new baseball coach. In fact they should have never hired TR to be the skipper. They do have a few problems with getting players. The players from Memphis & West Tennessee are much closer to Ole Miss, Alabama & Mississippi State than they are to the University of Tennessee. Vanderbilt, Lipscomb & Middle Tennessee State University are getting the best players from the mid-state area. East Tennessee has some very good players but just not the numbers of West Tennessee, Memphis & Nashville. When was the last time the Vols signed a great player from one of the Chattanooga area high schools? Have all of the good players moved out of Chattanooga, I would be shocked. The time to make a change is probably now but the new coach must understand that he needs to win with players from the state of Tennessee. The best players to ever wear the Orange & White were from the great State of Tennessee.
tgiles1944#654264 writes:
Somethin Wang !
baseballguru writes:
Whats sad is Western Carolina has a better ranking the Tennessee...
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