Tennessee baseball infielder Manny Marin did not start in Friday’s series opener against Wright State.
But he provided the game-winning swing.
After a Garrett Wright leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 3-3, Marin went for a bunt but pulled off on the first pitch of his at-bat.
In taking the pitch, Marin saw Wright State’s corner infielders crash forward, playing to field a bunt, while the middle infielders covered first and third leaving the middle of the field open.
Knowing they’d do it again, Marin faked the bunt on the second pitch and slapped a game-winning single up the middle to score Wright.
Watch the beautifully-executed play below.
the MAN(ny) pic.twitter.com/ShKJCcd0Db
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) March 7, 2026
“So it’s funny,” Tennessee head coach Josh Elander recalled when discussing the call to pull Manny’s bunt back. “I watched a ton of video going in and basically with a runner at second, straight up, they’ve kind of just tried to get an out, right? But obviously at that point in the game, it kind of just – we’ve been over there a while – just reminded me of how Vanderbilt has done some stuff like that. Usually, in that situation, you have to move the guy to third base, but if they’re gonna leave the middle of the field open, and the guys are under control and don’t try to take too big of a swing – there’s so much surface area – all they have to do is basically just make contact with it.
“We talked about it. We got the look, and Manny pulled it back, executed exactly how he’s coached to do, and then great job by him not trying to do too much. The middle of the field’s open, and he gets the pitch and drives it through. It was a good moment for Manny.”
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Elander shared is plan with Marin before the at-bat, and the sophomore did his part.
“His (Elander’s) message to me if you see them crash, just pull it back,” Marin said. “And then check in with me on the second pitch, and I did. He gave me a slash option, and I knew they were going to crash again, so I pulled it back and let it rip.”
Marin has been competing for playing time with Chris Newstrom and Ariel Antigua for middle infield starts. Josh Elander shared earlier this week that he was looking for someone to make the most of their opportunities and force their way into the every-day lineup.
Providing arguably Tennessee’s most significant play on the young season certainly helps the Florida native’s case for more playing time.
Tennessee will look to clinch the series Saturday against Wright State. First pitch is at 3 p.m. ET after a change due to inclement weather.
