GAINESVILLE, FL (utsports.com) – No. 3/3 Tennessee exploded for 11 runs in the sixth inning to blow open a close game and secure its seventh straight SEC series win, toppling Florida 16-3 in seven innings on Saturday night at Condron Family Ballpark.

With the win, the Volunteers also recorded their fourth consecutive series win in Gainesville, something that has never been done before in program history.

Hunter Ensley led the way in UT’s offensive outburst with three run-producing hits, finishing with a pair of two-run doubles and a three-run homer for a career-high seven RBIs.

Ensley’s career night started with a big two-out double in the top of the fourth to plate two runs and get the Big Orange on the board, cutting their deficit to one. The redshirt junior center fielder fouled off three straight 3-2 pitches before roping the ninth pitch of the at-bat off the base of the wall in left field to score Billy Amick and Dean Curley.

Tennessee built off that momentum and took control of the game with its 11-run sixth inning. The Vols got back-to-back RBI hits from Curley and Ensley after a walk from Kavares Tears and a Dylan Dreiling double put runners on second and third with no outs.  

After five more runs had already crossed the plate, Ensley provided the exclamation point on the inning with a three-run home to right field to give UT a 13-3 lead.

Christian Moore and Blake Burke hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the seventh to provide a little more insurance for the run-rule win. Moore had another productive game at the dish with three hits, two runs and two RBIs.

Curley also had a really solid night with two RBI knocks and a team-leading three runs scored.

Nate Snead was dominant on the mount, striking out a career-high seven batters while allowing just one unearned run on two hits in five innings of relief to pick up the win and improve to 8-1 on the year.

The Gators jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a Ty Evans two-run home run in the bottom of the first and extended their advantage to 3-0 by scoring on a throwing error in the third, but it was all Vols from that point forward, as Tennessee scored 16 unanswered runs.

STATS OF THE GAME: The Vols posted their fifth run-rule win during SEC play this season, including their third on the road, with Saturday’s victory.

UT’s 11-run sixth inning was tied for its most runs scored in an inning this season, matching the 11 it scored in the third inning of a 16-0 victory over ETSU on Feb. 21.

UP NEXT: The Vols return home to take on Queens on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. before hitting the road once again for a weekend series in Nashville against Vanderbilt.

Tony Pollard was on a tight schedule. The former Dallas Cowboys turned Tennessee Titans running back was making a quick stop in Memphis, and it was important for him to attend a mental health summit.

Pollard stopped by the Bend Dxnt Break Athletes Summit on Saturday afternoon at Hope Church. He was joined by keynote speaker C.L. Shepherd and notable Memphis celebrities, former Grizzlies player Tony Allen and rapper Project Pat.

The group spoke to Memphis-area high school students on Saturday. The two-day event started on Friday. Nearly 500 students across the Memphis area attended the events, coming from high schools such as Whitehaven, KIPP, Manassas, Germantown, ECS, Oakhaven, Houston and Briarcrest.

“Just being able to talk to the youth, I’m just trying to make sure they’re going down the right path and got their heads on right,” Pollard, a former Memphis football and Melrose standout, told The Commercial Appeal.

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Shepherd, who goes around the country speaking at engagements similar to two-day summit, wanted to empathize with the students as someone who struggled with mental health as a teenager.

For Project Pat, Saturday was about continuing to show up and let his voice be heard around Memphis where he can leave an impact. Allen has increased his presence at these type of events in Memphis over the past few months.

“I love to target areas in need, because at one point, I was that person,” Allen told The Commercial Appeal. “Growing up, I had a lot of issues that I thought was normal. That’s what I want to do. Change the community norm.”

Tony Pollard talks joining Tennessee Titans

Multiple students at Hope Church attended in Dallas Cowboys No. 20 Pollard jerseys. After Pollard signed with the Tennessee Titans, those jerseys are now throwbacks.

Pollard joined the Titans in March, putting him closer to his Memphis roots. While Pollard said he made a business decision in going from Dallas to Nashville, he called being closer to home “the icing on the cake.” Playing less than three hours from Memphis impacted his decision.

“I’ve been enjoying it. I’ve been able to come home a lot more, see my family, kids get to play with their cousins and things like that,” Pollard said.

Being close to home also means Pollard can keep a closer eye on the Tigers football team.

“Ever since I’ve been there, it’s been a good program,” Pollard said. “Every year, they’re getting guys in the league, so they’re definitely in the right direction.”

Tennessee basketball lost four players to the transfer portal this offseason with by far the most noteworthy losses being big men Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka.

While both were significant losses, the Vols have a strong plan to replace them. Rick Barnes and his coaching staff are high on rising sophomore power forward JP Estrella and the Maine native will step into a bigger role next season.

Then Tennessee went out and landed a near consensus top 50 player in the transfer portal— Ohio State center Felix Okpara.

A rising junior, Okpara started 34 games for Ohio State last season and is one of the best defensive big men in the entire country— let alone the transfer portal.

“He brings us a physicality that we love to have and haven’t consistently had there,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes at the Big Orange Caravan last week. “I think with what we’ve seen and what we evaluated, I think he’s got some untapped ability there offensively. He runs, he’s strong and being around him, he impressed me with the fact that he’s got a really competitive edge about him that’s going to fit in well with our guys.”

Okpara blocked 83 shots last season and was one of just five players in the country that blocked over 80 shots last season. The 6-foot-11 center posted a 10.25% block rate last season, a mark that ranked 18th nationally.

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Aidoo was also a strong rim protector against driving big men but was to slender to successful defend physical low post scorers. Awaka had the physicality to defend low post scorers but was frequently in foul trouble. He was average at protecting the rim against driving guards.

Okpara’s skillset on the defensive end is a blend of the outgoing transfers with length to protect the rim and better defensive strength.

Playing 23.6 minutes per game, Okpara averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He has a physicality around the rim that makes him effective defensively and as a rebounder and low post finisher.

“He’s like a lot of guys his size,” Barnes said. “He’s just kind of scratching the surface in terms of where he can be, but he showed us that he can do a lot and we’re going to try and not put him in a box and get him to do maybe more than he might think he can.”

Okpara is still very raw offensively and was mostly a dunker and lob threat as a sophomore at Ohio State. He didn’t attempt jump shots and was not effective as a back to the basket scorer.

Discussing his commitment with RTI, Okpara discussed his desire to round out his offensive game. Barnes echoed that same sentiment while discussing the 6-foot-11 center.