Tennessee takes game and series with Saturday’s 3-1 win against LSU

UT wins its fourth-straight series

Drew Beam didn’t allow a run in 6.2 innings pitched, and Dylan Dreiling hit a two-run, go-ahead single in the bottom of the sixth frame of today’s series-clinching, 3-1 win versus LSU.

Both teams’ pitching staffs had excellent days, as Beam struck out five, walked three and gave up eight hits but only allowed a single, unearned run. Today made for Beam’s second-straight solid outing and second consecutive win, as he gave up just one run and struck out eight in his last start against Auburn.

LSU’s Luke Holman, who was 6-1 prior to today, surrendered just two hits and two runs through his 5.2 innings facing an offense that’s ranked second in the nation in runs scored per-game. He struck out four, walked three and sat the Vols down in order in three of the six innings during which he pitched. Holman had a no-hitter going until the sixth frame.

The Tigers looked like they were going to take an early lead when they hit three singles in the top of the first. But on the final hit of the half inning, LSU’s Tommy White strayed too far away from third base, and Christian Moore made a diving stop on the hit and threw White out to end LSU’s chances at plating a run.

Beam allowed a lead-off double to start the second and then surrendered a walk. With two on and no outs, LSU’s Steven William reached on a would-have-been sacrifice bunt thanks to an error from Billy Amick. Milam ended up at second, and the lead-off batter made it from second to home to plate the first run of the game and gave the Tigers a one-run lead. Beam struck out the next two batters and got the final hitter out via a pickoff to first.

LSU stranded two runners in their half of the frame, but the Vols returned the favor in the bottom half, when Dylan Dreiling and Dean Curley drew back-to-back walks. Holman threw a wild pitch, and both runners advanced into scoring position. But Holman struck out Dalton Bargo and Hunter Ensley to end the inning.

Neither team scored a run until the sixth, though Beam made some key pitches and got some defensive help through the scoreless frames.

With a man in scoring position in the fourth, Beam struck out LSU lead-off hitter Jared Jones to end the inning:

Then in the fifth, Curley showed off his arm strength on a ball that he fielded nearly in left field and got the hitter before he made it to first, again to end an inning:

Blake Burke broke up Holman’s bid for a no-hitter in the B6 when he singled on a 1-2 pitch. Amick followed with one of the Vols’ two extra-base hits of the game, a double to left, which put two runners in scoring position. After Holman struck out Kavares Tears for the second out of the half inning, LSU brought in Griffin Herring to try and get out of the inning unscathed, but he immediately gave up Dreiling’s bases-clearing double:

Beam led off the seventh with an out, but gave up a walk to the next batter before inducing a fly-ball out. Tony Vitello brought in Andrew Behnke who gave up a four-pitch walk to the first hitter he faced but struck out the next one to end the inning. LSU stranded two runners that could have changed the course of the game.

Herring struck out three in the B7, though he gave up a two-out walk. He didn’t run into real trouble until Billy Amick touched him up for a solo home run in the eighth:

Nate Snead came in to start the eighth, and LSU couldn’t catch up to his fastball. Snead’s heater in the high-90s for the duration of the two innings he pitched. He sat the Tiger lineup down in order in the eighth, and this fastball ended the inning. It came in at 97 and looked like it had some movement on it:

Snead gave up a hit in the ninth but got Tommy White to pop up to second to end the game.

Snead gave up just the one hit, didn’t walk anyone, struck out three and threw 19 of his 2 pitches for strikes.

The Vols go for the sweep in the series finale tomorrow at 3 PM EST.