University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Tennessee Smokies (EXHIBITION)
Vols Fall Short To Smokies In Exhibition
May 02, 2002 | Baseball
May 1, 2002
Sevierville, Tenn. -- In its first exhibition with a professional team in over 20 years, the University of Tennessee Volunteers tangled with the Tennessee Smokies, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, at Smokies Park before a crowd of 4,215.
Despite being out-hit 8-7, Paul Chiaffredo slammed a first-pitch 375-foot home run to left in the bottom of the ninth off outfielder Chris Heath, who was making his first ever pitching appearance, as the Smokies came away a 5-4 winner in the contest.
Brandon Hopkins drove in two while collecting two hits, including a triple, to lead the Vols. Hopkins delivered the key two-run triple as part of a three-run sixth inning that tied the game 4-4. He would later score the tying run on a wild pitch.
Six others chimed in with a hit apiece.
Five pitchers split time on the mound for UT as Jeffery Terrell started, allowing one run in one inning. Brian St. Jean logged the next three frames, allowing three runs on three hits.
Dennis Gomez faced the minimum six hitters in two innings, while Beau Massey worked two scoreless innings before Heath faced Chiaffredo in the ninth.
Three hurlers brought up from extended spring training pitched for the Smokies. Brandon League started, working 2 1/3 innings before being lifted after getting hit in the right arm on hit by Nick Crowe.
Marcos Sandoval was touched for all four runs on five hits in three innings, while Ramon Mora got the victory by tossing 3 2/3 shutout innings.
The Smokies opened the scoring in the first as Gabe Gross scored on an infield single by Kevin Cash for a 1-0 lead. Gross lined a one-out single to right, reached second on a ground out before stealing third.
The Vols had a scoring opportunity in the third when Nick Crowe tested the arm of center fielder Rich Thompson on Walter Sevilla's hit, but was thrown out well shy of home plate.
They managed to get on the board in the fourth when Hal Bibee scored on a Marcos Sandoval wild pitch after he was plunked to lead off the inning to tie it 1-1. He took second on Hopkins' single to left and third on Matt Sternberg's sacrifice.
Three straight hits to start bottom of the fourth helped the Smokies take a 4-1 lead. Jimmy Alvarez led off with a bunt single and stole second before scoring on Matt Logan's double. Logan then scored on Garrick Haltiwanger's single to right, advancing to second on the throw. He then took third following a great catch by Hopkins on a foul ball near the right fence and scored on a Brian St. Jean wild pitch to give the Smokies the lead.
