AUBURN, Ala. – No. 4/4 Tennessee continued its red-hot hitting from Saturday’s victory with another explosive offensive performance on Sunday afternoon, run-ruling Auburn for the second straight day to claim the series with a 19-5 win at Plainsman Park.
For the second game in a row, the Big Orange (26-6, 7-5 SEC) blasted six home runs and finished with 14 total for the weekend, the most in any series during the Tony Vitello era.
UT’s 19 runs were its most in a conference game this year and marked the sixth time it has scored double-digit runs in SEC play this season. After going down in order in the top of the first, the Vols scored in each of the next six innings, including a seven-spot in the second and four more in the third to blow the game open.
Cal Stark led the charge in Sunday’s power display with two home runs and seven RBIs, both career highs. Stark also had a career-best three hits and four runs scored on the day.
His first hit of the afternoon was a grand slam to put the Vols ahead 5-3 in the top of the second after they fell behind 3-0 in the first inning. It was his second slam of the season and Tennessee’s second in as many days.
The Knoxville native hammered an 0-1 pitch over the tall left-field wall in his second at-bat for a three-run blast and added a double later in the game to finish 3-for-3 while also drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch to reach base in all five of his plate appearances.
Blake Burke had three hits on the day, as well, to extend his hit streak to 22 games, which is the fourth longest in program history and the longest since the duo of Jeff Pickler and Justin Ross hit safely in 26 and 24 games, respectively, during the 1998 season. Condredge Holloway holds the program record with a 27-game hit streak in1975.
Christian Moore continued his impressive weekend with another multi-hit day, going 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. The Brooklyn, New York, native, hit his team-leading 13th home run in the second inning and finished the series with team highs in hits (seven), doubles (three), homers (three), RBIs (10) and total bases (19).
Kavares Tears, Hunter Ensley and Dean Curley hit the other three long balls for the Big Orange in the win.
Nate Snead recorded his team-leading sixth victory after pitching four innings of relief with three strikeouts. Andrew Behnke made his return to the mound and retired the side in order to end the game in the bottom of the seventh.
After back-to-back singles to start the frame, Cooper McMurray got the Tigers (18-13, 2-10 SEC) off to a quick start with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first, but Auburn was held to just five hits for the remainder of the game.
Starting pitcher Will Cannon was credited with the loss after he surrendered six runs on three hits and two walks in just 1.1 innings of work.
With Sunday’s win, UT secured its third straight victory in a Sunday rubber game and improved to 3-1 in series-deciding contests this season.
STATS OF THE GAME: The Vols hit their second grand slam of the series when Stark became the first UT player to hit two this season. His second inning salami added to Tennessee’s single-season record as it now has nine on the year. Eight of Stark’s 10 RBIs this season have come via grand slams.
With Sunday’s series-clinching victory, the Vols secured their first series win at Auburn since 2005. Tennessee was 1-8 in its previous nine games on the road against the Tigers entering this weekend’s series.
UP NEXT: The Big Orange return to Knoxville for four home games next week, starting with a midweek contest against Alabama A&M on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before defending national champion LSU visits Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a highly-anticipated weekend series.
