University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Alabama
Alabama Sweeps Vols With 7-1 Win
March 17, 2002 | Baseball
March 17, 2002
Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Alabama got another solid pitching performance as Shane Sanders and Taylor Tankersley combined to pitch the Crimson Tide to a 7-1 victory and series sweep over the Tennessee Volunteers at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
No. 16 Alabama won its eighth consecutive game to improve to 19-2 and its first 3-0 start in Southeastern Conference play since 1989. The Crimson Tide won all four meetings against the Vols this season.
Tennessee dropped its third straight game to fall to 10-13 overall and 0-3 in the league play for the first time since 1993.
Walter Sevilla and Brandon Hopkins each collected three hits, while Jordan Czarniecki and Nick Crowe added two hits apiece as the Vols out-hit the Tide 11-10.
Scott McClanahan went 3-for-4 with two doubles to pace Alabama.
Sanders (4-0) scattered eight hits over five innings while giving up just one run as he earned his fourth victory of the season.
Tankersley struckout five and shutout the Vols over the final four innings for his second save.
Jeffery Terrell (2-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs on eight hits in seven innings.
Tennessee took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Sevilla scored from third on a double play. Sevilla extended his hitting streak to nine games as he beat out a bunt single to the pitcher to lead off the frame. He moved to second on a balk and third on single by Hopkins.
Jeremy Brown then singled home Peter Stonard who tripled to right center to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
Alabama took the lead in the fifth as Zac Welch, who reached on an error, came around to score when Czarniecki and Sevilla collided in shallow center on Adam Pavkovich's pop fly. The Tide added one more on McClanhan's single to left that plated Pavkovich for a 3-1 advantage.
Beau Hearod drove home Brent Boyd who doubled with two out for a 4-1 Alabama advantage in the sixth.
The Tide tacked on three insurance runs in eighth on an error, a balk and a sacrifice fly for a 7-1 lead.
Hal Bibee also extended his hitting streak to nine games with a base hit to center in the seventh.
Tennessee returns home for a two-game series against the Cincinnati Bearcats beginning Tuesday, Mar. 20 at 7 p.m. ET.
