Tennessee
Tennessee Baseball Use Big Fourth Inning To Take Game Two Over UAlbany | Rocky Top Insider
Tennessee baseball fell behind early and struggled at the plate for the first couple innings of its game two matchup against UAlbany. But then the Vols’ offense exploded in the fourth inning got nine runs before they coasted to a 21-6 victory.
Here’s everything to know about the big fourth inning and more as Tennessee baseball cruised past the Great Danes on Saturday afternoon.
More From RTI: Play-By-Play Of Tennessee Baseball’s Saturday Win Over UAlbany
Tennessee Opens Things Up With Big Fourth Inning
It took Tennessee’s offense some time to get going in game two of the weekend series. The Vols didn’t score in the first three innings while stranding a pair of runners on base in both the second and third inning.
But the Vols finally got the bats going as they exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning.
Freshman shortstop Dean Curley got the Vols on the board with a three-run homer into the second deck of porches at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee loaded the bases with a Dalton Bargo single and walks from Christian Moore and Dylan Dreiling. Then Billy Amick cleared the bases by roping a double down the left field line. Amick reached third on the throw home and scored an at-bat later via a Kavares Tears sac fly.
With two outs and no one on base it seemed like the scoring was likely over. But Tennessee’s bats went back to work with a Cannon Peebles walk and a mammoth 438-foot Robin Villeneuve home run over the batter’s eye in center field.
The nine-run inning all but put UAlbany away and it ran the Great Danes solid start, Connor Eisenmann, from the game as they had to turn to a shaky bullpen.
Tennessee Newcomers Produce At The Plate
Tennessee baseball brought in a number of talented newcomers this season and many of the transfers were locked into starting spots entering the season. But two Tennessee newcomers who have been battling for consistent starting positions had big games against the Great Danes.
Dean Curley missed the opening weekend of the season with with a hamstring injury but has started at shortstop in three straight games since returning to the lineup for Tennessee.
Curley opened the scoring for Tennessee with the previously mentioned three-run homer in the fourth inning and finished the day one-of-four at the plate and was once again solid defensively. The California native now has a pair of three-run home runs in just three starts so far this season.
Junior college transfer Robin Villeneuve earned his fourth start of the season at designated hitter on Saturday and as he has in all his opportunities to date, he impressed against the Great Danes.
Villeneuve went two-of-three at the plate with a home run, walk and two hit-by pitch. Both have impressed in opportunities to date and are making it hard for Tony Vitello to take them out of lineup.
Solid Performances Across The Board From Tennessee’s Pitching Staff
Drew Beam got the ball for Tennessee on Saturday afternoon and after a rocky start turned in a solid outing. He surrendered a leadoff single to open the game and then a double to the ensuing batter which gave UAlbany runners on second and third with nobody out.
The Great Danes brought home the first run of the game on the ensuing groundout but Beam stranded the second runner at third with a pair of strikeouts.
It was an up-and-down day for Beam. He retired the side in order in the second, worked around trouble in the third, retired the side in order in the fourth inning and allowed another run in the fifth. He ended his day allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out four batters in five innings.
Tennessee used a number of arms out of its bullpen. RHP Aaron Combs retired the side in the sixth inning and LHP Dylan Loy worked around a one-out single to retire the side in the seventh inning.
LHP Luke Payne allowed a run in the eighth inning due to a double, a wild pitch and a sac fly. RHP JJ Garcia was the one reliever that really struggled, giving up three earned runs while recording the final three outs of the game.
All in all, it was a solid day for Tennessee’s pitching staff.
Final Stats

Up Next
Tennessee goes for the weekend sweep of UAlbany tomorrow. First pitch is at 1 p.m. ET at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee
Why first quarter was ‘crucial’ in Mississippi State’s loss to Tennessee
Sam Purcell felt good about the game plan for Mississippi State women’s basketball’s matchup with Tennessee.
But the Bulldogs gave up 26 points in the first quarter and trailed by seven points. It was a deficit they never recovered from in a 90-80 loss to the Lady Vols at Humphrey Coliseum on Jan. 8.
“You look at that that first quarter, I thought it was crucial. We had a great scout, a great game plan, but we didn’t talk on ball screens,” Purcell said. “Their largest quarter was that first quarter, and we’re going to watch back and go, dang it, we need to be more vocal. And you got to give them credit – top to bottom, they’re probably as good as anybody in the country with athleticism. So you can’t let those athletic kids turn the corner for wide open layups, and we did.”
Kharyssa Richardson and Madison Francis led the Bulldogs with 22 points each, but MSU didn’t have enough defense to pull off the upset.
Had Mississippi State been able to slow down Tennessee’s drivers in the first quarter, it may have been a different result. But once the Bulldogs started slowing that down, the Lady Vols were “phenomenal hitting some big-time shots,” Purcell said.
Tennessee only had the edge in points in the paint, 42-40, but it also went 10-for-27 on 3-pointers, which was an area Mississippi State couldn’t match. The Bulldogs shot 2-for-13 from deep.
MSU also couldn’t stop Tennessee freshman point guard Mia Pauldo, who scored a game-high 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. The Bulldogs sent her to the foul line time and time again, and she went 8-for-9 on free throws.
“I thought (Pauldo) was poised, she was clutch,” Purcell said. “Obviously, that’s what you need in games like this that are gonna come down the to the wire. You need players to step up, and I thought she was the X factor for them.”
Tennessee
Former Tennessee Football Legend Accepts SEC Coaching Gig
The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the main teams when it comes to producing talent and sending talent to the NFL, which is something that has often been discovered as a standard for the football program. This is something that has been going on for quite some time and isn’t anything new to the news cycle, as the Vols have been able to produce plenty of talented prospects.
Tennessee is the home of many stars, including some of the best defensive players in SEC history. Guys like Eric Berry have found their way through the Tennessee program and onto the NFL, where they would have legendary careers. However, the defensive side of the football is the only side that has produced plenty of talent, as Tennessee has produced a lot of offensive talent as well. With the likes of Peyton Manning and company, the Vols have shown a great track record in getting talent drafted.
The Vols have produced someone who could be considered as one of the best players to play the Tide end position, as the Knoxville, Tennessee program is the home to Dallas Cowboys legend, Jason Witten. Witten is someone who made the most of his career and has been viewed as a top player at the Tide in position, and someone who is often referred to as a legend for the Cowboys, along with being a legend in the game of football as a whole.
Jason Witten Accepts TE Coach Position For Oklahoma
Witten is now taking a new gig, which has him in a huge role inside the Southeastern Conference. The Vols legend is now the tight end coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners have had some success out of their tight ends in the past, but the sky is the limit with a guy like Witten coaching up the players. Witten has the opportunity to do really well, as coaching tight ends won’t be an issue, and you have to imagine that he will be able to recruit very well, considering he has a huge name around him, as this is something that we have seen from positional coaches as well as head coaches who have done great work in the league. You have to imagine that the Vols will now have stiff competition for his son, Cooper, who is a five-star recruit for the upcoming 2027 class at the linebacker position.
More Vols News
Tennessee
Tennessee Football DB Transfer Boo Carter Visits the Vols Rival
The Tennessee Volunteers are looking to land many of the nation’s best players in the transfer portal to replace the players who have already announced they are transferring away from Tennessee. One of the players they lost very early on to the portal, and his plans of entering the portal is Boo Carter.
Carter is someone who has quickly made a name for himself, as he played for the Vols as a freshman. He also played for the Tennessee Vols this past season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. Carter entered the portal and left an announcement on his X page for those interested. Here is what was said.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank The University of Tennessee Coaches, administrators and fans for a wonderful 2 years. Unfortunately my season has been cut short due to injury. I have decided to enter the transfer portal and I am excited about the opportunities going forward!-Boo Carter”
Boo Carter Visits Vanderbilt
Now that the portal is here, he has started to hear from many teams, including a team many anticipated to be in the picture. The Vols DB heard from the Vanderbilt staff and is now reportedly visiting them. This is a school where many of his friends go currently, and a school that has been doing well, but it is no secret that this is one of the Vols’ biggest rivalries.
He is undecided on a possible commitment somewhere, but the reports have started to indicate that the Commodores are a team to watch moving forward. This will be one to watch for the Vols, as there is a good chance they may see Carter next season.
“Dynamic athlete who quickly made an impact on defense and special teams as a true freshman … Earned the starting STAR position and shined while becoming a dangerous weapon as a punt returner as a true freshman in 2024 … Saw action as a slot receiver as well during 2025 spring practices … Early enrollee in January 2024 who participated in Citrus Bowl practices and spring practice before his true freshman season … Has compiled 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, three pass breakups and one interception on defense in his career … Dynamic punt returner who averages 16.0 yards per return in his career … Played in 21 career games and made five starts,” the Tennessee Vols athletics website stated.
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