Tennessee baseball beat Georgia 5-2, moved closer to SEC title

Tony Vitello shuffled the Tennessee baseball pitching rotation earlier than the Vols confronted Georgia and put freshman Blake Burke within the beginning lineup.

It labored within the opener.

Chase Dollander dominated because the beginning pitcher and Burke homered twice. The No. 1 Vols (44-6, 21-4 SEC) topped Georgia (32-16, 13-11) 5-2 on Thursday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium to maneuver a recreation nearer to clinching their first SEC title since 1995. 

“I believe for us to be prepared in any scenario it helps if these (pitchers) a minimum of know what it seems to be like a minimum of as soon as to return out of the bullpen,” Vitello stated. “For all sensible functions to me, our guys must assume we’re in playoff mode proper now.”

UT’s magic quantity is 2 with 5 SEC video games left. The Vols are 4½ video games forward of Arkansas, which faces Vanderbilt in a collection beginning Friday. The Vols can clinch the SEC with a mixture of a minimum of two UT wins or Arkansas losses within the the rest of the common season.

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Blake Burke must preserve beginning

Blake Burke made his third begin in SEC play and made the case he ought to get extra.

The designated hitter pummeled a pair of homers, giving him 5 in his previous six video games. He has 9 homers this season in 54 at-bats and 4 homers in 16 SEC at-bats.

“Coach (Josh) Elander is the man who pounded his fist on the desk early within the yr and stated, ‘Blake Burke must have this many at-bats,’” Vitello stated. “He doesn’t do that always. So you already know he has acquired some conviction to him if he says that.”

Chase Dollander was himself once more

Vitello praised Dollander for pitching like himself in 4 innings at Kentucky. He did once more to open the collection in opposition to Georgia.

Dollander struck out six in six innings, permitting one run on three hits. He retired 12 of the primary 13 batters he confronted, a solo homer from Cole Tate was the lone exception.

“Coach V instructed me he was going to work me indirectly, however I didn’t assume it might be on opening day,” Dollander stated. “Between the pitching employees and all, we’re simply attempting to do our half and get wins for our workforce and make it so far as we are able to.”

Chase Burns, who had been the series-opening starter all season, got here out of the bullpen. He struck out three in his first aid inning earlier than permitting a run within the eighth.

Redmond Walsh struck out pinch hitter Cole Wagner with a runner on third to finish Georgia’s eighth-inning menace. He earned the save, the twenty second of his profession to drag inside one among Todd Helton’s profession file.

Trey Lipscomb retains homering at a file tempo

Trey Lipscomb turned the sixth participant in Tennessee historical past to have a 20-homer season when he hit a second-inning homer. He’s the primary Vol since Cody Hawn in 2009 to interrupt the 20-homer mark. Hawn hit 22.

Lipscomb is on tempo to interrupt the UT file for homers in a season, which was set by Sonny Cortez when he hit 24 in 1998.

“His story may be very cool. He sat for 4 years, didn’t have a success final yr in SEC,” Burke stated. “Now, he’s going loopy. He’s very enjoyable to observe. All people is basically blissful for him.”

Mike Wilson covers College of Tennessee athletics. Electronic mail him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and observe him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. For those who take pleasure in Mike’s protection, think about a digital subscription that can permit you entry to all of it.