An Amber Alert issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation remains in effect for 15 year-old Sebastian Rogers who disappeared in Sumner County in Middle Tennessee over a month ago.
He has a form of autism and is believed to have walked away from his mother and stepfather’s home in the middle of night on February 26th.
Sebastian’s dad, Seth Rogers, says he has not given up hope and he’ll keep searching until his son is home.
Investigators say there’s nothing about Sebastian’s disappearance that points to foul play but there’s also nothing that rules that out. If you have any information please call 1-800-TBI FIND.
Megan Boswell appeared in court on Thursday; she’s charged in the death of her daughter, 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell.
The mother reported her daughter missing in February of 2020, saying she hadn’t been seen since December of 2019. In March of 2020, the toddler’s remains were found beneath a shed on a family member’s property.
Megan Boswell faces 19 charges, including two counts of felony murder. She also faces a dozen counts of false reporting, among other charges. In the past, there’s been concern with selecting a jury for the eventual trial, with Judge James Goodwin saying the court plans to prepare a questionnaire to gauge possible jury candidates.
It’s that notoriety that prompted Megan Boswell’s attorney, Gene Scott, to ask to move the case out of the county. Thursday, Goodwin set Boswell’s next hearing date, where the court will decide whether or not to move the case. According to court records, that date is June 20.
A major parking garage expansion is underway at Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport. Because of the construction, about 700 long term parking spaces are closed. To offset that closure, the airport opened a new economy parking lot that offers about one thousand new spaces and provides free shuttle service to the terminal. Airport spokesperson, Becky Huckaby, says there are more expansion plans in the future. The parking garage expansion is expected to take at least two years.
Huckaby, says McGhee Tyson has experienced passenger growth for more than 12 consecutive months. The airport and airlines are also expanding their service to East Tennessee.
The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of two people in Greenback.
LCSO responding to the 25000 of Highway 321 South yesterday (Sunday) and found a husband and wife stabbed to death. A neighbor found the man dead in the backyard and police found the woman dead inside the home.
Police say the victims knew the suspect, 53-year-old Julian Goodrum. Goodrum and went out to eat with the him on Saturday before their murders which is when police believe the murders happened.
The sheriff’s office believes Goodrum may have suffered a mental breakdown and could also suffer from PTSD due to his years in the service, he is custody.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for a missing man out of Johnson City.
53 year-old Mark “Shoestring” Nichols was last seen March 27th and there’s no information what direction he may be traveling. He has several medical conditions that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance.
We have his photo on our website newstalk987.com.
Please call TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND if you have any information.
The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team took an 11-point first-half lead in Sunday afternoon’s Elite Eight matchup with third-ranked, top-seeded Purdue, but came up on the short end of a hard-fought 72-66 decision.
Fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht poured in 37 points, the most ever by a Volunteer in the NCAA Tournament, for sixth-ranked, second-seeded Tennessee (27-9, 14-4 SEC) at Little Caesars Arena, nearly helping his team rally back from an eight-point deficit with under 11 minutes to go.
ADVERTISINGThe Volunteers hit five shots in a row early in the first half to build a 17-12 edge with 14:09 on the clock, at which time Knecht already had 10 points. They then went scoreless for 5:35, as Purdue (33-4, 17-3 B1G) tallied seven straight points to go in front by two, but Tennessee countered with back-to-back 3-pointers, taking a 23-19 with 7:52 left before the break.
The consecutive long-range shots sparked a 15-2 surge in just 3:23, as Tennessee claimed a game-best 11-point advantage, 32-21, with 5:11 on the clock. At that time, Tennessee was 7-of-10 from deep—including a perfect 4-of-4 clip for Knecht, who then owned 16 points and capped the run with back-to-back triples—while the Boilermakers 1-of-7.
Purdue answered back with 13 straight points in 3:41, including making four consecutive field goals, to go regain a two-point lead, 34-32, with 1:24 to go in the first half. Their margin remained two, 36-34, at the intermission despite Tennessee holding Purdue to a 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) mark from deep.
The Boilermakers scored the first basket of the second half, but Knecht then tallied five points in 24 seconds to put Tennessee ahead by one, 39-38, with 19:01 to go. However, the Volunteers then went 5:46 without a field goals, as Purdue notched a 9-2 run to go up 47-41 with 13:54 remaining. Tennessee answered shortly thereafter with five points in 19 seconds to get the margin down to one, 47-46, with 12:57 to play.
Purdue tallied the next seven points in 101 seconds to grab its biggest lead, 54-46, with 10:54 remaining, but Tennessee scored the next seven in just 63 ticks, cutting the deficit back to one, 54-54, with 9:01 to go. After a Purdue basket, Knecht drilled a 3-pointer to level the score at 56 with 7:06 on the clock, making it a 10-2 push in 2:58.
With under five minutes left, the scoreboard showed a 58-58 deadlock, but Purdue used a 10-2 burst in 3:14 to again go ahead by eight, 68-60, with 1:46 to go, as it held Tennessee, which had multiple chances to take the lead, without a field goal for 4:13.
The Volunteers twice got the deficit down to five, but pulled no closer, as the Boilermakers held on for the six-point result.
Knecht, who became the first Volunteer ever to record six 35-point showings in a single season, shot 14-of-31 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range, in his final collegiate game. His showing marked the sixth-highest single-game point total ever by an SEC player in the NCAA Tournament contest and marked just the second time in the last two decades an individual from the league had 37-plus.
No other Volunteer scored in double figures, although junior guard Zakai Zeigler totaled nine points and a game-best eight assists, while fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including hitting both his 3-pointers.
Purdue senior center Zach Edey led all scorers with a career-high 40 points, the most by a Tennessee opponent in over 15 years. He shot 13-of-21 from the floor and 14-of-22 at the line—his free-throw attempts mark also set a career high, while his makes put him one off his best tally—as well as pulled down a game-best 16 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer tallied 14 points for the Boilermakers, although Tennessee held him to 4-of-12 shooting, including a 1-of-5 clip from deep.
Tennessee finished 11-of-26 (42.3 percent) from 3-point range and limited Purdue to a 3-of-15 (20.0 percent) ledger, as well as totaled a 20-7 cushion in points off turnovers. However, the Boilermakers had a 40-24 advantage in paint points.
Both teams shot 63.6 percent at the line, but Tennessee went 7-of-11 and committed 25 fouls leading to a 21-of-33 ledger for Purdue.
The Volunteers conclude arguably the finest campaign in program history with 27 victories, tied for their fourth-most ever, along with an SEC regular season title and their second Elite Eight appearance.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES • Saturday marked the seventh all-time matchup between Tennessee and Purdue, each at a different location, with the Volunteers now 2-5. • Purdue (0-2) is now the sixth team Tennessee has played multiple times in the NCAA Tournament—it is the first it has faced twice in head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure—alongside Iowa (2-0), Louisiana (3-0), Louisville (0-2), Michigan (0-3) and Virginia (1-2). • This is the fourth time Tennessee has won at least 28 games in a single season, including the second in the last six seasons under Barnes. • Tennessee’s 28 victories this year match the third-highest single-season win total in program history, tying the mark in 2009-10, with that the other campaign in which the Volunteers reached the Elite Eight. • The Volunteers are now 28-27 all-time in their 26 NCAA Tournament trips, including 0-3 in their third games, 0-2 in the Elite Eight, 9-6 under Barnes, 8-4 as a No. 2 seed, 0-6 versus No. 1 seeds, 12-21 against single-digit seeds, 4-12 versus higher seeds, 24-25 in regulation and 1-1 in Michigan. • The Volunteers now own a 79-25 (.760) record in 104 games as an AP top-10 team under Barnes’ direction. • Tennessee is now 22-22 (.500) against AP top-15 teams in Barnes’ tenure, including 15-5 (.750) over the last 20 such outings, dating back to Dec. 22, 2021, against Arizona. • Edey posted a double-double in the first half alone, notching 19 points and 10 rebounds before the intermission. • Edey became the first player to register 40 points against the Volunteers since Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks scored 54 on Jan. 13, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. • In addition to a career-high point total—his prior best was 38 on Jan. 29, 2023, versus Michigan State—Edey also notched a career-best mark in free throw attempts with 22, surpassing the ledger of 20 he previously recorded twice. • In the first half, Purdue registered a 7-4 edge on the glass, but Tennessee amassed a 9-4 advantage in second-chance points. • In the full game, the Boilermakers had a 13-6 advantage in offensive rebounding, but the Volunteers’ totaled a slim 9-8 margin in second-chance points, despite scoring none in the second half. • Sunday marked the seventh time this season—two came against Purdue—Tennessee played a game in which both teams led for double-digit minutes. • The Volunteers compiled a 10-0 margin in bench points, their second straight game with a double-digit advantage in that category. • James passed Jon Higgins (1999-2003) for sole possession of fifth place on Tennessee’s career starts list, now owning 123. • James’ eight points upped his career scoring total to 1,270, moving him past Brandon Crump (2001-05) and into the top 30 in program history. • With eight assists Sunday, junior guard Zakai Zeigler pushed his season total to 218, eclipsing Jordan Bone (2018-19) for third in a single campaign in Tennessee history. • With his first offensive rebound of the day, junior forward Jonas Aidoo became the fourth Volunteer—fifth occurrence—to log 100 in a single campaign, joining Jarnell Stokes (155 in 2013-14 and 138 in 2012-13), Jeronne Maymon (123 in 2013-14) and Brian Williams (101 in 2010-11). • Knecht’s 577 field-goal attempts this year set a new program single-season record, surpassing the mark of 550 set by Allan Houston in 1990-91. • The 37 points for Knecht broke Tennessee’s NCAA Tournament single-game scoring record held by Ernie Grunfeld, who tallied 36 on March 13, 1976, with that the lone prior 30-point showing by a Volunteer in the NCAA Tournament. • Knecht’s performance marked just the 16th 35-point performance by an SEC player ever in the NCAA Tournament. • Only five other SEC players have recorded 37-plus points in NCAA Tournament action: Kentucky’s Dan Issel (44 on March 12, 1970, in the Round of 16 against Notre Dame), Kentucky’s Jack Givens (41 on March 27, 1978, in the title game against Duke), Kentucky’s Tayshaun Prince (41 on March 16, 2002, in the Round of 32 against Tulsa), Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox (39 on March 24, 2017, in the Round of 16 against UCLA) and Alabama’s Antonio McDyess (39 on March 16, 1995, in an overtime Round of 64 game against Penn). • The 37 points by Knecht marked the second-most ever by a non-Kentucky SEC player in the NCAA Tournament, including the top tally in a regulation affair. • Knecht became the second Volunteer with multiple 25-point games in NCAA Tournament play, doing so in back-to-game games, alongside Ernie Grunfeld, who had 36 on March 13, 1976, versus VMI and 26 on March 13, 1977, against Syracuse. • In just four NCAA Tournament games at Tennessee, Knecht amassed 104 points, becoming just the fifth Volunteer to reach triple-digit points in a career in the NCAA Tournament, alongside Wayne Chism (136 in 11), Chris Lofton (130 in eight), Dale Ellis (116 in eight) and JaJuan Smith (110 in eight). • With his sixth 35-point performance of the year, Knecht broke a tie with Ernie Grunfeld (1975-76) for the most in a single season in Tennessee history. • Knecht became just the fourth Volunteer—fifth occurrence—with eight 30-point outings in a single season, joining Bernard King (10 in 1974-75 and nine in 1976-77), Tony White (nine in 1986-87) and Allan Houston (eight in 1989-90). • Knecht recorded 20-plus points 28 times in his three-year Division I career, with half of them in his lone campaign at Tennessee. • Saturday marked the 21st time Knecht reached 25-plus points as a Division I player, including the 12th in 2023-24. • Knecht amassed 11 total 30-point performances in his three years at the Division I level, with all but three as a Volunteer. • Sunday marked the 15th game in his lone season as a Volunteer in which scored double-digit points in both halves.
DETROIT – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team took an 11-point first-half lead in Sunday afternoon’s Elite Eight matchup with third-ranked, top-seeded Purdue, but came up on the short end of a hard-fought 72-66 decision.
Fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht poured in 37 points, the most ever by a Volunteer in the NCAA Tournament, for sixth-ranked, second-seeded Tennessee (27-9, 14-4 SEC) at Little Caesars Arena, nearly helping his team rally back from an eight-point deficit with under 11 minutes to go.
The Volunteers hit five shots in a row early in the first half to build a 17-12 edge with 14:09 on the clock, at which time Knecht already had 10 points. They then went scoreless for 5:35, as Purdue (33-4, 17-3 B1G) tallied seven straight points to go in front by two, but Tennessee countered with back-to-back 3-pointers, taking a 23-19 with 7:52 left before the break.
The consecutive long-range shots sparked a 15-2 surge in just 3:23, as Tennessee claimed a game-best 11-point advantage, 32-21, with 5:11 on the clock. At that time, Tennessee was 7-of-10 from deep—including a perfect 4-of-4 clip for Knecht, who then owned 16 points and capped the run with back-to-back triples—while the Boilermakers 1-of-7.
Purdue answered back with 13 straight points in 3:41, including making four consecutive field goals, to go regain a two-point lead, 34-32, with 1:24 to go in the first half. Their margin remained two, 36-34, at the intermission despite Tennessee holding Purdue to a 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) mark from deep.
The Boilermakers scored the first basket of the second half, but Knecht then tallied five points in 24 seconds to put Tennessee ahead by one, 39-38, with 19:01 to go. However, the Volunteers then went 5:46 without a field goals, as Purdue notched a 9-2 run to go up 47-41 with 13:54 remaining. Tennessee answered shortly thereafter with five points in 19 seconds to get the margin down to one, 47-46, with 12:57 to play.
Purdue tallied the next seven points in 101 seconds to grab its biggest lead, 54-46, with 10:54 remaining, but Tennessee scored the next seven in just 63 ticks, cutting the deficit back to one, 54-54, with 9:01 to go. After a Purdue basket, Knecht drilled a 3-pointer to level the score at 56 with 7:06 on the clock, making it a 10-2 push in 2:58.
With under five minutes left, the scoreboard showed a 58-58 deadlock, but Purdue used a 10-2 burst in 3:14 to again go ahead by eight, 68-60, with 1:46 to go, as it held Tennessee, which had multiple chances to take the lead, without a field goal for 4:13.
The Volunteers twice got the deficit down to five, but pulled no closer, as the Boilermakers held on for the six-point result.
Knecht, who became the first Volunteer ever to record six 35-point showings in a single season, shot 14-of-31 from the field, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range, in his final collegiate game. His showing marked the sixth-highest single-game point total ever by an SEC player in the NCAA Tournament contest and marked just the second time in the last two decades an individual from the league had 37-plus.
No other Volunteer scored in double figures, although junior guard Zakai Zeigler totaled nine points and a game-best eight assists, while fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including hitting both his 3-pointers.
Purdue senior center Zach Edey led all scorers with a career-high 40 points, the most by a Tennessee opponent in over 15 years. He shot 13-of-21 from the floor and 14-of-22 at the line—his free-throw attempts mark also set a career high, while his makes put him one off his best tally—as well as pulled down a game-best 16 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer tallied 14 points for the Boilermakers, although Tennessee held him to 4-of-12 shooting, including a 1-of-5 clip from deep.
Tennessee finished 11-of-26 (42.3 percent) from 3-point range and limited Purdue to a 3-of-15 (20.0 percent) ledger, as well as totaled a 20-7 cushion in points off turnovers. However, the Boilermakers had a 40-24 advantage in paint points.
Both teams shot 63.6 percent at the line, but Tennessee went 7-of-11 and committed 25 fouls leading to a 21-of-33 ledger for Purdue.
The Volunteers conclude arguably the finest campaign in program history with 27 victories, tied for their fourth-most ever, along with an SEC regular season title and their second Elite Eight appearance.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES • Saturday marked the seventh all-time matchup between Tennessee and Purdue, each at a different location, with the Volunteers now 2-5. • Purdue (0-2) is now the sixth team Tennessee has played multiple times in the NCAA Tournament—it is the first it has faced twice in head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure—alongside Iowa (2-0), Louisiana (3-0), Louisville (0-2), Michigan (0-3) and Virginia (1-2). • This is the fourth time Tennessee has won at least 28 games in a single season, including the second in the last six seasons under Barnes. • Tennessee’s 28 victories this year match the third-highest single-season win total in program history, tying the mark in 2009-10, with that the other campaign in which the Volunteers reached the Elite Eight. • The Volunteers are now 28-27 all-time in their 26 NCAA Tournament trips, including 0-3 in their third games, 0-2 in the Elite Eight, 9-6 under Barnes, 8-4 as a No. 2 seed, 0-6 versus No. 1 seeds, 12-21 against single-digit seeds, 4-12 versus higher seeds, 24-25 in regulation and 1-1 in Michigan. • The Volunteers now own a 79-25 (.760) record in 104 games as an AP top-10 team under Barnes’ direction. • Tennessee is now 22-22 (.500) against AP top-15 teams in Barnes’ tenure, including 15-5 (.750) over the last 20 such outings, dating back to Dec. 22, 2021, against Arizona. • Edey posted a double-double in the first half alone, notching 19 points and 10 rebounds before the intermission. • Edey became the first player to register 40 points against the Volunteers since Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks scored 54 on Jan. 13, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn. • In addition to a career-high point total—his prior best was 38 on Jan. 29, 2023, versus Michigan State—Edey also notched a career-best mark in free throw attempts with 22, surpassing the ledger of 20 he previously recorded twice. • In the first half, Purdue registered a 7-4 edge on the glass, but Tennessee amassed a 9-4 advantage in second-chance points. • In the full game, the Boilermakers had a 13-6 advantage in offensive rebounding, but the Volunteers’ totaled a slim 9-8 margin in second-chance points, despite scoring none in the second half. • Sunday marked the seventh time this season—two came against Purdue—Tennessee played a game in which both teams led for double-digit minutes. • The Volunteers compiled a 10-0 margin in bench points, their second straight game with a double-digit advantage in that category. • James passed Jon Higgins (1999-2003) for sole possession of fifth place on Tennessee’s career starts list, now owning 123. • James’ eight points upped his career scoring total to 1,270, moving him past Brandon Crump (2001-05) and into the top 30 in program history. • With eight assists Sunday, junior guard Zakai Zeigler pushed his season total to 218, eclipsing Jordan Bone (2018-19) for third in a single campaign in Tennessee history. • With his first offensive rebound of the day, junior forward Jonas Aidoo became the fourth Volunteer—fifth occurrence—to log 100 in a single campaign, joining Jarnell Stokes (155 in 2013-14 and 138 in 2012-13), Jeronne Maymon (123 in 2013-14) and Brian Williams (101 in 2010-11). • Knecht’s 577 field-goal attempts this year set a new program single-season record, surpassing the mark of 550 set by Allan Houston in 1990-91. • The 37 points for Knecht broke Tennessee’s NCAA Tournament single-game scoring record held by Ernie Grunfeld, who tallied 36 on March 13, 1976, with that the lone prior 30-point showing by a Volunteer in the NCAA Tournament. • Knecht’s performance marked just the 16th 35-point performance by an SEC player ever in the NCAA Tournament. • Only five other SEC players have recorded 37-plus points in NCAA Tournament action: Kentucky’s Dan Issel (44 on March 12, 1970, in the Round of 16 against Notre Dame), Kentucky’s Jack Givens (41 on March 27, 1978, in the title game against Duke), Kentucky’s Tayshaun Prince (41 on March 16, 2002, in the Round of 32 against Tulsa), Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox (39 on March 24, 2017, in the Round of 16 against UCLA) and Alabama’s Antonio McDyess (39 on March 16, 1995, in an overtime Round of 64 game against Penn). • The 37 points by Knecht marked the second-most ever by a non-Kentucky SEC player in the NCAA Tournament, including the top tally in a regulation affair. • Knecht became the second Volunteer with multiple 25-point games in NCAA Tournament play, doing so in back-to-game games, alongside Ernie Grunfeld, who had 36 on March 13, 1976, versus VMI and 26 on March 13, 1977, against Syracuse. • In just four NCAA Tournament games at Tennessee, Knecht amassed 104 points, becoming just the fifth Volunteer to reach triple-digit points in a career in the NCAA Tournament, alongside Wayne Chism (136 in 11), Chris Lofton (130 in eight), Dale Ellis (116 in eight) and JaJuan Smith (110 in eight). • With his sixth 35-point performance of the year, Knecht broke a tie with Ernie Grunfeld (1975-76) for the most in a single season in Tennessee history. • Knecht became just the fourth Volunteer—fifth occurrence—with eight 30-point outings in a single season, joining Bernard King (10 in 1974-75 and nine in 1976-77), Tony White (nine in 1986-87) and Allan Houston (eight in 1989-90). • Knecht recorded 20-plus points 28 times in his three-year Division I career, with half of them in his lone campaign at Tennessee. • Saturday marked the 21st time Knecht reached 25-plus points as a Division I player, including the 12th in 2023-24. • Knecht amassed 11 total 30-point performances in his three years at the Division I level, with all but three as a Volunteer. • Sunday marked the 15th game in his lone season as a Volunteer in which scored double-digit points in both halves.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A pair of fantastic performances on the mound from Zander Sechrist and Nate Snead led No. 5/5 Tennessee to a series-clinching shutout victory over No. 22/NR Georgia on Sunday afternoon, as the Big Orange blanked the Bulldogs 7-0 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Sechrist made his second consecutive Sunday start and put together arguably the best outing of his UT career, holding Georgia’s high-powered lineup to just four hits over six scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season. The Georgia native set career highs in innings pitched and total pitches (102) while striking out seven batters and issuing just one walk on the afternoon.
Snead entered with a 3-0 lead in the seventh inning and finished off the shutout with three scoreless frames of his own, allowing just two hits to record his second save of the year less than 24 hours after closing out Saturday night’s 16-11 victory.
At the plate, five Tennessee players recorded multiple hits on the day, led by a pair of three-hit performances from Kavares Tears and Dylan Dreiling. Reese Chapman and Hunter Ensley led the way with two RBIs each while Dalton Bargo capped his impressive weekend with two hits as well, including a solo home run in the fifth inning to make it a 3-0 game.
Cal Stark also had two base knocks with a bunt single and a double to post his first multi-hit effort this season while Blake Burke extended his hit streak to 19 straight contests with a leadoff single to jump start UT’s three-run seventh inning.
No Georgia player had more than one hit in the game, including superstar Charlie Condon, who was held hitless on the afternoon.
Starting pitcher Christian Mracna racked up seven strikeouts in just three innings of work but was stuck with the loss after allowing two runs on five hits.
STAT OF THE GAME: Saturday’s incredible performance on the mound resulted in the Vols’ third shutout this season and marked the first time that Georgia (22-6, 4-5 SEC) had been held scoreless this year.
UP NEXT: Tennessee (24-5, 5-4 SEC) does not play a midweek game this week and will jump right back into SEC play next weekend with a trip to Auburn. First pitch for Friday’s series opener against the Tigers is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
AUBURN, Ala. – The fourth-ranked Lady Vols dropped their first game since February 25 on Sunday, falling to Auburn 4-1 at Jane B. Moore Field – snapping a 20-game win streak.
Tennessee (28-5, 8-1 SEC) also had its 12-game road winning streak ended.
Auburn (16-11-1, 3-9 SEC) jumped out early on Sunday as it scored two runs on a hit and an error in the game’s first inning.
After a rocky start, sophomore Karlyn Pickens settled in and held the Tigers off the board until the sixth.
The right-hander tossed 5.1 frames, giving up four runs – three earned – on four hits and two walks. Pickens fanned four on the day before being lifted in the sixth for sophomore Charli Orsini.
Pickens took the loss, which is just her third of the season.
Tennessee cut the deficit to one in the fourth as Taylor Pannell roped an RBI single to left that scored Katie Taylor.
That was the only run allowed by Auburn starter Maddie Penta as she quieted the Lady Vol bats – scattering five hits over seven innings. The senior notched seven strikeouts and walked three en route to her ninth win of the season.
The Tigers added two insurance runs in the sixth as Nelia Peralta hit a triple to plate Makayla Packer. Amelia Lech doubled later in the frame to score Auburn’s final run of the afternoon.
SCHEDULE UPDATE Due to inclement weather, Tuesday’s Midstate Classic against Memphis has been canceled.
UP NEXT Tennessee will host Georgia April 5-7 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium as it continues SEC play.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Clutch performances at the plate from a handful of Volunteers led No. 5/5 Tennessee to a 16-11 victory over No. 22/NR Georgia in a back-and-forth slugfest on Saturday evening in front of a record crowd of 5,677 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The two heavyweights traded blows throughout the night as the two sides combined for eight home runs and 29 hits in the game.
The Vols (23-5, 4-4 SEC) jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning after sophomore outfielder Dylan Dreiling hit his first of two massive homers on the night.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as the Bulldogs (22-5, 4-4 SEC) scored seven runs in the third inning to storm back and take the lead. A two-run home run by Charlie Condon and a three-run shot by Sebastian Murillo bookended the inning for Georgia.
Blake Burke answered with a solo blast of his own to lead off the bottom of the third, his 10th of the year and the 40th of his career, moving him into a tie for first all-time at UT with his predecessor at first base, Luc Lipcius.
Burke had another impressive night overall at the plate, leading the team with three hits, extending his hitting streak to 18 straight games in the process, while also tying for the team lead with three runs scored to go along with two RBIs.
After the Bulldogs tacked on another run in the fourth to take an 8-4 lead, the Big Orange posted a crooked number of their own, plating six runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead, 10-8.
An RBI single by Burke and a bases-loaded walk from Kavares Tears brought in the first two runs and set up Dreiling for some more heroics, as the Kansas native laced an 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his first-career grand slam to send the sellout crowd into a frenzy.
A two-run homer by Georgia’s Kolby Branch briefly tied the game at 10 in the top of the seventh, but another six-spot for Tennessee in the bottom half of the inning all but iced the game away.
An RBI double by Dean Curley broke the tie before Reese Chapman added to the lead with an RBI walk two batters later. Dalton Bargo, who entered the game as a pinch hitter and got UT’s big fifth inning started with a leadoff single, provided the exclamation point with his first-career grand slam to put the Vols ahead 16-10.
Condon added his second long ball of the night in the top of the ninth, but that was as close as the Dawgs would get as Nate Snead slammed the door with a strikeout to end the game. Despite the loss, Condon had another impressive night offensively to lead UGA, finishing with five hits and three RBIs.
Veteran lefty Kirby Connell was incredible for the Vols in relief, posting a career-long outing of five innings pitched on 94 total pitches to earn the win and improve to 3-0 this season.
UP NEXT: Tennessee and Georgia will square off at 2 p.m. on Easter Sunday to decide the series. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
STAT OF THE GAME: Dreiling’s monster day at the dish resulted in the sophomore’s first-career multi-homer game and a career-high seven RBIs. His grand slam in the fifth inning was the sixth hit by UT this year, while Bargo’s salami in the seventh helped the Vols tie the single-season program record of seven set in 1998. All seven grand slams this season have been hit by different players.
