BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 5 Tennessee exploded for 20 runs on 21 hits to pull away late and take the rubber game against Texas A&M, 20-7, on Sunday afternoon at Blue Bell Park in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

The Vols’ 20 runs were their most in an SEC game since defeating Georgia 25-5 on May 8, 2010. The Big Orange scored 15 runs over the final three innings after trailing 6-5 entering the seventh inning.

UT also set a new season-high with six home runs on the day, none bigger than Evan Russell’s three-run blast with Tennessee trailing by a run in the top of the seventh inning.

Liam Spence, Jake Rucker, Drew Gilbert, Evan Russell, Luc Lipcius, Connor Pavolony, Pete Derkay and Kyle Booker all had multiple hits in the game with Gilbert finishing with a career-high tying four base knocks and three RBI to lead the charge. Russell added a second three-run homer in the ninth inning to tie a career high with six RBI.

Senior right hander Sean Hunley earned the win to improve to 7-2 on the year after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. Fellow senior reliever Redmond Walsh picked up his fourth save of the season after pitching the final 2.1 innings. The save was the 15th of his career, moving him into sole possession of third on Tennessee’s all-time list.

For the first time in the series, the Aggies struck first courtesy of a solo home run by Austin Bost in the bottom of the first inning.

The Vols responded with a big inning in the third, scoring four runs to take a 4-1 lead. Derkay led off the inning with a no-doubt home run over the bullpen in right field to tie the game at one. Jordan Beck and Spence followed with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Ferguson. Beck scored to put UT ahead thanks to a throwing error by Aggies third baseman Bryce Blaum. One batter later, Gilbert lined a double into right center to plate two more runs and give the Big Orange a three-run lead.

After Tennessee added another run in the fourth on an RBI walk by Rucker, Texas A&M erased its deficit and took a one-run lead with a five-run fifth inning. The Aggies had four hits in the frame and took advantage of a UT error to go up 6-5.

The Vols punched back with another big inning of their own in the top of the seventh, plating five runs to retake the lead. After consecutive hits by Rucker and Gilbert to lead off the inning, Russell came up with yet another clutch home run, smashing the first pitch he saw well over the fence in center field. Lipcius followed with a long ball of his own, hitting a laser over the wall in right field to make it 9-6. The Big Orange added one more run later in the inning when Booker scored from third on a wild pitch to put Tennessee ahead 10-6.

A solo homer by Ferguson and an RBI single by Lipcius plated two more runs for UT in the eighth, giving the Vols a 12-6 advantage. The Vols exploded for eight more runs in the ninth, punctuated by Russell’s second three-run blast of the game and a solo shot by Pavolony.

The Vols return to Knoxville to take on Lipscomb on Tuesday night before hosting Kentucky at home next Thursday-Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

NOTABLE

RUSSELL DOES IT AGAIN: Vols’ senior slugger Evan Russell recorded his third multi-homer game of the year and hit yet another clutch home run in Sunday’s win. His three-run blast to dead center in the seventh put Tennessee ahead 8-6. The Lexington, Tennessee, native added another three-run jack in an eight-run ninth inning and now has 12 home runs on the year with 10 of those coming in conference play.

VOLS DIG THE LONG BALL: For the third time in the past six games the Vols went deep multiple times, blasting a season-high six homers on the day. Pete Derkay, Evan Russell (two), Luc Lipcius, Max Ferguson and Connor Pavolony all went yard for the Big Orange in Sunday’s win. Tennessee hit nine home runs in the series against the Aggies and has now hit 54 total this season.

ROAD VOLS: The Big Orange continued their solid play away from home this weekend, posting another road series win. The Vols have now won all four of their weekend road series and are 11-4 overall away from Knoxville.

Box Score (PDF) | Vitello Postgame

-UT Athletics

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A four-run seventh inning for Texas A&M proved to be the difference as No. 5 Tennessee dropped the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader at Blue Bell Park.

The Vols carried a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Aggies strung together four hits in the inning to score four runs and take the lead and ultimately hold on for the 6-5 victory to even the series.

Liam Spence broke out of his mini slump with three base hits and a pair of runs scored while Jake Rucker had his second multi-hit game of the day, finishing with three singles.

Kirby Connell was stuck with the loss after allowing all four runs in that seventh inning, dropping his record to 1-1 on the year. The sophomore lefty retired the first four batters he faced before running into trouble in the seventh.

Just like in Game 1, the Vols scored in the top of the first to take an early lead. Spence and Pete Derkay led off the game with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners before Drew Gilbert drove in the game’s first run with an RBI groundout. Evan Russell followed with a two-out, RBI single to right field to put the Big Orange ahead 2-0.

Jordan Beck extended Tennessee’s lead to three with a solo home run off the videoboard in left field, his eighth homer of the season and first in SEC play.

The Vols struck again in the fourth when Gilbert drove in Spence with a single to right center for his second RBI of the game, putting UT in front 4-0.

The Aggies cut the Vols’ lead in half with one swing in the fourth as Will Frizzell hit a two-run homer to right field to make it a 4-2 game. It was the 13th home run of the season for the senior slugger.

Tennessee added another run with a nice piece of two-out hitting from Luc Lipcius in the top of the seventh. After Russell stole second base to move into scoring position, Lipcius lined a single into right field on a 1-2 count to increase the Vols’ lead to three.

Texas A&M was able to break through in the bottom of the inning, however, plating four runs on four hits to take its first lead of the day. Kalae Harrison, Austin Bost and Frizzell all drove in runs in the inning to put the Aggies up 6-5.

UT had a chance to tie the game in the eighth with runners on first and second with one out, but pinch hitter Trey Lipscomb bounced into a double play to end the inning. Rucker singled to lead off the ninth, but the Vols were able to do anything after as Chandler Jozwiak closed the door for his sixth save of the year.

NOTABLE

SPENCE EXTENDS ON-BASE STREAK: After reaching base in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader, Liam Spence extended his on-base streak to 40 consecutive games. Spence had a big day at the dish in Game 2, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored after being held without a hit in Game 1.

Box Score (PDF) | Vitello Postgame Media

-UT Athletics

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 5 Tennessee raced out to an early lead, scoring runs in the first three innings, and cruised to a 6-1 win over Texas A&M in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader at Blue Bell Park.

Making the start in his home state, Chad Dallas gave UT another great performance on the mound, tossing seven strong innings while holding the Aggies to just one run on five hits. The junior right hander finished with five strikeouts and did not allow a walk on the day while earning the win to improve his record to 6-1 on the year.

Jake Rucker and Evan Russell both had multiple hits and an RBI while the Big Orange homered twice with Rucker and Connor Pavolony both hitting solo shots. Rucker went 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, two runs scored to lead the charge.

The Vols jumped out to a quick lead thanks to solo home run from Rucker in the top of the first inning. It was his sixth long ball of the season and gave the Big Orange an early 1-0 advantage.

Tennessee (31-8 // 11-5 SEC) added to its lead with a three-spot in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Evan Russell singled to lead off the inning and ended up scoring a throwing error by Aggies pitcher Dustin Saenz to make it 2-0. Max Ferguson doubled the lead with a clutch two-run single with the bases loaded and two outs later in the inning.

UT scored for the third straight inning to start the game thanks to a pair of doubles by Rucker and Russell in the top of the third. Rucker found the gap in left center to lead off the inning and scored on Russell’s liner down the left-field line to make it 5-0.

The Aggies (22-18 // 4-12 SEC) broke up the shutout with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Hunter Coleman scored from second on a single to right field by Kalae Harrison. Dallas was able to limit the damage to just that one run by picking off Harrison at first base then getting Ray Alejo to fly out to end the inning.

Pavolony gave the Vols their five-run lead right back with a solo blast to left field to lead off the sixth inning. The junior backstop has now homered in each of UT’s last three weekend series.

Senior right hander Sean Hunley did not allow a hit and had a pair of strikeouts over the final two innings to finish off the win.

Saenz was the losing pitcher for Texas A&M, falling to 5-5 on the year after allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits in six innings.

NOTABLE

PAV IS BACK: After having to leave last Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt after getting hit by a pitch in the hand, Connor Pavolony returned to the lineup on Saturday and looked to be just fine. The Georgia native narrowly missed hitting a home run to left center in the third inning before hammering his third home run of the season with a solo rocket in the sixth.

CHEESE SHOWS OUT IN HOME STATE: Chad Dallas gave the Vols another solid outing on Saturday, striking out five and allowing just one run on five hits in front of a large contingent of family and friends. Dallas hails from Orange, Texas, located about three hours southeast of Bryan-College Station.

Box Score (PDF)

-UT Athletics

Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. spoke after Tennessee’s Chevrolet Orange and White Spring Game Saturday at Neyland Stadium.