With one win to salvage the weekend against Belmont, the Bucs came home to face Tennessee in front of a season-high crowd of 1,174.
The Vols defeated ETSU 14-8. The Bucs are now 11-8 in conference and 25-20 overall.
With the score tied at 2-2 in the fourth, the Vols figured out Brandon Langston and ended up getting three runs out of the inning. Drew Story came in to finish the inning.
The fifth inning proved hopeful as the Bucs pushed two runs across. Justin Aughey singled and then Anthony Russell brought him across with a double and Moore hit Russell in with a single.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Bucs found some offense and brought the score to 9-8.
Ryan Howe started the rally off by getting hit by a pitch, Troy Mendez was walked and then CJ Lee came through with a double. Justin Aughey contributed with a RBI double that was followed by Russell with a double.
That would be as close as it would come as the Vols added five runs onto the score to make it 14-8. “
We thought we had it in our hands when we got the four runs in the sixth, we never give up,” said Mendez, who saved two hits by making two spectacular catches in right field.
“They just hit the ball better tonight,” Russell said. “It is going to be a good break for us next week. I think we need it after the rough road trip.”
Russell and the rest of the team are taking the break to get ready for a first-place battle with Stetson.
“Stetson is going to be a tough series to decide who gets first place,” Russell said. “There might be some rust on our part but, it could be an advantage for us as well.”
With final exams coming up next week, the guys are going to have one game versus UNC-Asheville. “We are going to have a lighter schedule as far as practice goes. We need the time to focus on our exams,” Mendez said.
As far as mechanics, coach Tony Skole said that the guys need the break to get away from the game a little while. “We just need to improve all over,” Skole said. “Stetson is going to be tough.

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