Tennessee baseball used an elite Cameron Appenzeller relief outing and a balanced effort offensively to even the Missouri series with a 4-2 win Saturday in Knoxville.
Seven of Tennessee’s nine starters recorded a hit, and no one recorded multiple. Appenzeller was terrific in a career-high 4.2 innings of relief work, while Bo Rhudy got the final out to earn his first save of the season.
Tennessee’s win snaps a three-game SEC losing streak and forces the Sunday rubber match in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Here’s how it happened as Tennessee improves to 16-7 (2-3 SEC) on the season.
Landon Mack Turns In Shortest Outing of Season
Tennessee starting pitcher Landon Mack pitched a season-low four innings Saturday, tossing 88 pitches.
Mack opened the game with a 1-2-3 inning before running into trouble in the second.
Mack issued a leadoff walk to center fielder Kaden Peer before a wild pitch and a balk moved him to third. After Mack issued another walk, Mizzou second baseman Blaize Ward put the Tigers on the board with a shift-beating RBI single just left of the second-base bag.
A sac bunt scored Missouri’s second run before catcher Mateo Serna singled to put runners on the corners, prompting Tennessee pitching coach Josh Reynolds to call a mound meeting.
Mack bounced back nicely after the discussion, recording consecutive strikeouts to strand the runners.
Additionally, Mack froze Ward in the third with strike three to strand two more runners.
Mack worked around a one-out single in the fourth but ran into more trouble in the fifth, allowing two singles and a walk to load the bases before recording an out.
The fifth-inning struggles spelled the end for Mack, as head coach Josh Elander gave the ball to freshman lefty Cam Appenzeller in the jam.
Mack finished his sixth outing of the season allowing two runs on six hits while walking three and striking out five.
Consistent Offense Gives Tennessee a Lead
Tennessee responded well after Mizzou opened the scoring in the second, plating a run in the second, third and fourth frames.
Stone Lawless worked a two-out walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch in the second. Freshman designated hitter Trent Grindlinger brought Lawless home with an RBI single through the right side, recording a hit in his first SEC plate appearance.
An inning later, Henry Ford doubled and Reese Chapman was plunked to put runners on the corners with one out for Marin. The Vols’ shortstop made contact on a swinging bunt to score Ford and tie the game.
The bottom of Tennessee’s order delivered again in the fourth. Lawless led off the inning with a double, advanced to third on a Grindlinger fly ball and scored on a Levi Clark sac fly that was feet from a two-run homer.
Clark’s sac fly gave Tennessee a narrow lead it would not relinquish for the remainder of the game, as Mizzou did not score a run after the second inning.
Cam Appenzeller Delivers in Massive Moment
Appenzeller was thrown into the fire coming out of the bullpen with the bases loaded in the fifth and no outs.
The freshman delivered in one of the biggest moments of the season.
Appenzeller struck out his first two before getting a pop up to strand all three runners, preserving Tennessee’s one-run lead.
Appenzeller used just seven pitches to deal his pair of Ks but needed nine to retire Keegan Knutson, who lost a long battle by popping up to end the frame.
Terrific Appenzeller Outing, Good Defense & Strong Bottom of the Lineup Production
Tennessee added its fourth run in the sixth after Garrett Wright smacked a leadoff double and later scored on a wild pitch.
Lawless moved Wright to third with a groundout to set up the scoring opportunity. Grindlinger, Clark and Grimmer all walked to load the bases, but Ford grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the frame.
Still, the bottom of the lineup put together another quality frame to continue its strong night.
Lawless, Grindlinger and Clark combined to go 3-7 at the plate with two RBI, a double, four walks and two runs scored.
Tennessee did little in the seventh and eighth innings offensively, but Appenzeller shoved in his relief outing, and Bo Rhudy got the save to lead the Vols to the finish line.
Appenzeller sat the Tigers down in order in the sixth, eighth and faced the minimum in the seventh with help from Lawless.
Appenzeller, Lawless and Marin perfectly executed a ‘strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out’ to end the seventh, as Appenzeller got Peer swinging on strikes while Lawless fired a dart to Marin at second to catch Jase Woita – who recorded a leadoff single – stealing.
The Vols’ star freshman finished his career-best outing with career highs in innings pitched (4.2), total pitches (69) and strikeouts (7). The Illinois native allowed no runs on two hits and one walk.
After Appenzeller allowed a single and a walk with two outs in the ninth, right-hander Bo Rhudy got the final out against his first batter and earned the save.
Up Next
Tennessee will look to clinch the series with a win in Sunday’s rubber match. First pitch in Knoxville is at 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
