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Four hours and 57 minutes. That’s how long Tuesday night’s game between Morehead State and Tennessee lasted. The two teams combined for seven errors, 29 hits and 27 runs. A total of 40 players participated in the contest, including 17 different pitchers. That’s not a typo: 17 different pitchers took the mound.
In the end, it was Scott Price‘s walk-off single which saved the day. Taylor Smart scored from second, giving the Vols a 14-13 12th-inning victory. Price finished 5-for-8 on the night.
After blowing a three-run eighth-inning lead, Christin Stewart tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with his fifth home run of the season.
Eric Martin earned the win for Tennessee. He pitched three scoreless inning of relief, allowing only one hit.
“For me Eric Martin is the Vol of the day,” Dave Serrano said after the game. “You look at all the offensive numbers—and there’s probably some pretty gaudy numbers—but boy, that young man who hasn’t pitched a whole lot, kinda showed the rest of the pitching staff how it’s done. ”
“A team player. He’s one of the favorite guys on the team,” Serrano said of Martin. “And I know the guys were really proud that he stepped up and did what he did tonight. That was big for our guys because he’s so popular on our team.”
Tonight also marked the first time in the program’s history that Tennessee played three consecutive extra-inning games. The Vols lost consecutive extra-inning games against Mississippi State on Saturday (1-0 in 10 innings) and Sunday (4-3 in 12 innings).
With their postseason fate hanging in the balance, the Vols end the regular season with a Thursday-Saturday matchup at home against No. 13 Florida. Start times are 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. for Saturday’s finale.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]