University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Kentucky
Vols Slug Way Past Kentucky, 12-7
April 05, 2002 | Baseball
April 5, 2002
Knoxville, Tenn. -- Jordan Czarniecki drove in a career-high five runs and Hal Bibee collected a career-high tying four hits as the Tennessee Volunteers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats, 12-7, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in the first of three games.
Trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Tennessee (16-17, 3-7 SEC) tied the game on Walter Sevilla's two-run double off the right field wall after Bibee scored on Czarniecki's double.
After Kentucky (12-16, 2-8 SEC) took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth when Spencer Graeter drew a bases loaded walk, Czarniecki delivered again with a two-run single in the bottom of the frame as Tennessee took the lead for good at 5-4.
Dennis Gomez drove home Ryan Moffett with a single off the right field wall as the Vols added a run at 6-4 in the seventh. But it was a six-run eighth that capped the evening as Czarniecki padded the lead with a two-run triple, while a passed ball, an error, a balk and a ground out led to the other four runs for a 12-5 lead.
Cory Hahn scored on Graeter's groundout with the bases loaded as Kentucky pulled within 6-5 in the eighth, while Seth Morris tripled home two runs in the ninth for the final margin.
Three Vol pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts as Joey Andrews (4-4) picked up the win in 2 1/3 innings of relief of starter Ben Riley. Riley, who struck out eight over the first four innings, including punching out the side in the fourth, was touched for four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings with four walks.
Rob Fitzgerald pitched the ninth, allowing two Wildcat runs.
Joseph Blanton (3-4) took the loss despite striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings. He was tagged for five runs on eight hits.
Bryan Felkel was roughed up for five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings, as Mark Galvin and Jarrod Reynolds close out the game.
Graeter, Caleb Stewart and Russ Rutherford each collected two hits for the eight-hit Kentucky attack.
Game two of the series will be Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
