KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Another high-powered offensive performance and stellar pitching across the board led Tennessee to its eighth consecutive win, as the Vols defeated Northern Kentucky Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, 15-1.
In his first career start, freshman Christian Delashmit got the win for the Vols (8-0). Delashmit went 4.2 innings and struck out seven batters while giving up just three hits.
Will Mabrey, Ethan Anderson and Kirby Connell each made appearances on the mound for UT over the final 4.1 innings to close out the game. Anderson and Connell’s outings marked their first career pitcing appearances as Vols.
Offensively, it was a balanced outing for the Big Orange, as seven different players had a hit and 11 different players scored a run.
Pete Derkay, Alerick Soularie, Trey Lipscomb and Austin Knight all had multiple hits, while Derkay and Landon Gray both had home runs for Tennessee.
After scoring one run apiece in the first and second innings, the latter coming off of Gray’s solo homer, Tennessee produced a combined 10 runs in the third and fourth innings – six in the third and four in the fourth.
In the third inning after Tennessee loaded the bases, Northern Kentucky (0-8) walked home five runs. Luc Lipcius drove home the Vols’ other run of the inning by way of an RBI fielder’s choice. In the fourth inning, Tennessee was powered by an Evan Russell two-run double to left center and an RBI single by Derkay to center field.
The Vols also put up three runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Derkay’s two-run shot to right field.
Tennessee is back in action at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Wednesday against UNC Asheville (2-5) at 4:30 p.m. The game will be stream on SEC Network+.
Notable
Hitting the Long Ball
After home runs from Landon Gray and Pete Derkay on Tuesday, Tennessee has now hit multiple home runs in six of its eight games this season. The Vols have now hit 13 home runs overall for the season. UT had just 11 games during all of last season in which it hit multiple home runs.
First Career Pitching Appearances
Christian Delashmit, Ethan Anderson and Kirby Connell all made their first appearances on the mound during Tuesday’s win. Delashmit, who started and got the win, pitching 4.2 innings and struck out seven batters. Anderson and Connell put in two innings of work apiece, both striking out two batters.
