ATHENS, Ga. – No. 19/19 Tennessee dropped a heartbreaker, 8-7, in Sunday’s series finale at No. 6/8 Georgia on rainy day at Foley Field.
A promising start turned sour in the late innings when the Bulldogs (17-4, 2-1 SEC) quickly turned a three-run deficit into a two-run lead with a five-run explosion in the seventh inning.
The Vols’ rallied in the ninth, pulling back within a run thanks to a leadoff Blake Grimmer home run. A two-out single by Levi Clark kept the game alive and put the tying run on base, but defensive replacement Cole Johnson robbed a would-be go ahead two-run homer off the bat of pinch hitter Stone Lawless to end the game.
The Big Orange (14-6, 1-2 SEC) were all over UGA starter Kenny Ishikawa in the early going, tagging the lefty for three first-inning runs and another in the third before he was pulled. Reese Chapman drove in a pair with a two-out double before Manny Marin followed with an RBI single to spot the Vols a 3-0 lead before the Dawgs even came to bat.
Henry Ford extended the advantage to 5-0 with an opposite-field two-run shot in the third inning. UT had a chance to put Georgia in an even bigger hole, but left the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
Tennessee starter Evan Blanco put together another solid start, tossing 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts while allowing only three hits, but the Bulldogs were able to make those hits count, scoring three runs against the senior left-hander in the fifth and sixth innings to pull within two.
Marin delivered another big RBI knock in the top of the seventh to make it a 6-3 game, but UGA responded immediately by loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning off of reliever Brayden Krenzel before capitalizing on the opportunity with an RBI single by Daniel Jackson and a three-run homer by Bryce Calloway to pull ahead 8-6.
Peach State native Bo Rhudy pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Vols, striking out two batters while allowing just one hit to keep them in the fight before their ninth-inning rally fell inches short.
Four different UT players drove in runs in the loss, led by Chapman and Marin, who finished with two hits and two RBIs apiece.
Matt Scott picked up the win for the Bulldogs after allowing just one run over three innings of relief while Justin Byrd recorded the final out to earn his second save.
UP NEXT: Tennessee returns home for five straight games at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, starting with a Tuesday midweek battle against Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m.
