KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/9 Tennessee started its first home weekend series with a win after holding off the UAlbany Great Danes, 8-5, on Friday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
For the second consecutive game, the Vols used a big third inning to take ahold of the game, scoring five runs to break open a scoreless contest. Dylan Dreiling and Billy Amick both drove in runs with RBI singles before a wild play where the Great Danes committed two errors allowed three more runs to score.
The Great Danes (0-1) kept scratching away with two runs in the eighth and another in the ninth, but AJ Causey was able to close the door for his first save as a Vol, recording a strikeout to end the game.
Causey pitched the final three innings, allowing three hits and three runs (one earned) with a walk and two strikeouts. Fellow transfer Chris Stamos picked up his first win at Tennessee after tossing three solid innings in relief of starter AJ Russell, who had to leave the game after three shutout innings due to some soreness.
UP NEXT: The Vols (5-1) will look to secure a series win Saturday when the two teams square off at noon ET on the SEC Network+ and ESPN app. Note that Saturday’s first pitch time was moved up two hours from its originally scheduled 2 p.m. start due to the potential for cold temperatures later in the day.
