Vols Bounce Back Against Austin Peay, 9-4

The 24th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (33-16) needed a win after a bad loss to the Missouri Tigers a few days ago and they were able to get the job done against the Austin Peay Governors (26-20).

But it didn’t start off the way the Vols wanted it to. The Governors were able to get out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first, thanks to a two-run homer from Parker Phillips.

Andre Lipcius and Christian Scott responded with a single and a double of their own in the bottom of the first. Alerick Soularie then brought both runners home after driving in a single of his own.

The levee broke in the bottom of the third. Tennessee was able to score five runs and jump out to a 7-2 lead, but managed just one hit during the frenzy. That’s because Austin Peay’s pitchers walked the first five batters of the inning, putting the Vols in prime scoring position.

Evan Russell then drove in another RBI - his second of the night - off a double to push the lead to 8-2 in the fourth. A solo home run from Lipcius in the bottom of the sixth gave the Vols a 9-2 lead.

The Governors were able to get a couple of runs on the board in the top of the ninth inning, but that was all they could muster at the end.

Pitcher Will Heflin was given the win and is now 4-1 on the season. He finished the game with just two hits, no runs allowed, and one strikeout in 3.1 innings of work.

The win puts the Vols at (33-16) on the season. They are now 12-1 in midweek contests for the season and have outscored opponents 97-26 in those games. They also improved to 6-3 against in-state opponents.

Tennessee will now travel to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators (29-21) in a crucial SEC showdown this weekend. Friday’s and Sunday’s games will be streamed online via the SEC Network+ and the ESPN/WatchESPN apps, while Saturday’s game will be televised by SEC Network. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30PM EST, 3PM EST, and 1PM EST.