No. 12 Volunteers overwhelm Bucs

JOHNSON CITY -- The No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers scored 15 runs between the second and fifth innings en route to a 20-2 victory over East Tennessee State in front of a season-high 1,007 fans Tuesday night from Cardinal Park in Johnson City, Tenn.
   The Vols (20-3) had a season-high 25 hits and hit a school-record 10 doubles in the victory.
   After a scoreless first inning, Tennessee sent 12 men to the plate in the top of the second, with the first nine batters in the inning reaching base safely. All told, the Vols scored eight runs on seven hits with the two big blows of the frame coming on back-to-back two RBI doubles by second baseman Eric King and third baseman Kyle Norrid.
   The Vols struck again in the top of the third, scoring two more runs. With two outs in the inning, UT recorded four straight hits, with the final two being an RBI single by Norrid and a RBI double by designated hitter Chase Headley.
   East Tennessee State (12-14) got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third. Sophomore left fielder Matt Traylor led the inning off with his second double of the night. Senior shortstop Andy Howdeshell followed with another double to score Traylor. After a wild pitch, Howdeshell crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by sophomore second baseman Josiah Glafenhein.
   Tennessee put the game away with a run in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Johnson City native Nick Crowe doubled to lead off the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Brett Chappell. Doubles again fueled the UT rally in the fifth as shortstop Brian Cleveland and Chappell hit back-to-back two-RBI doubles with two outs in the inning.
   The Volunteers scored three runs in the seventh and two runs in the ninth to conclude the evening's scoring.
   Norrid had an excellent night at the plate for the Vols, going 5-for-7 with three RBIs. King went 4-for-7 with four RBIs and three runs scored while Cleveland went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
   The Bucs were led by Traylor and Howdeshell, who each had two hits on the night.
   Mike Kerfeld (3-0) earned the win for Tennessee, going three innings and allowing two runs on four hits. He also walked two and struck out four. ETSU senior lefty Josh Kite was charged with the loss (0-2), allowing seven runs on five hits in one-plus inning.
   East Tennessee State returns to Southern Conference play this weekend as the Bucs travel to Elon. Friday afternoon's first pitch from Latham Stadium in Elon, N.C. is set for 2:30 p.m.