University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Baseball Halts Lipscomb, 6-0
February 20, 2015 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Volunteers battled Lipscomb through snowy conditions in Emerson, Ga. on Friday, using a ninth-inning rally to move past the Bisons for a 6-0 win.
The Vols' trip to LakePoint Sporting Community and Town Center to play at the Perfect Game Complex marked the school's first neutral site matchup since April 16, 2013, when Tennessee played Virginia Tech in Greeneville, Tenn. for the Hokey-Smokey Classic (W, 5-4). With a win in the 10th-ever contest between the schools, Tennessee now holds a 9-1 all-time record over Lipscomb.
Senior right-handed pitcher Bret Marks made his second start of the season, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings to extend his current streak to 9.0 innings without allowing a run. He tied his newly-set career high of five strikeouts (also, Feb. 13 at FIU) before lefthander Drake Owenby entered the game in relief in the fifth. Owenby, who threw 6.0 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in his start last Saturday, Feb. 14, went 3.2 innings and struck out six of his 14 batters faced. Right-handed reliever Andrew Lee later earned the win in relief, shutting down Lipscomb to secure the Vols' shutout.
Tennessee's lineup produced 12 hits against Lipscomb, despite freezing temperatures throughout the duration of the game. Center fielder Vincent Jackson led the way for the Vols, going 3-for-4 with the tie-breaking RBI in the ninth. Senior Johnny Youngblood brought in Tennessee's next run with a bunt single in the ninth, scoring second baseman Nick Senzel to give UT a 2-0 lead. The Volunteers went on to bat through the order and score two additional runs to give UT a 4-0 advantage.
Freshman Brett Langhorne, making his first career start for UT, recorded his first collegiate hit with a single through Lipscomb's third baseman in the fifth inning. Catcher David Houser, left fielder Christin Stewart and right fielder Derek Lance also collected multiple hits for the Vols' offense.
With a sacrifice bunt in the third inning, advancing Houser to second base, shortstop A.J. Simcox tied former Vol Zach Osborne for first place on Tennessee's all-time career sacrifice bunts list with 28.
Stay tuned for more updates coming soon to UTSports.com.
