The Tennessee baseball team kept its hopes of qualifying for next week's Southeastern Conference tournament alive Friday night with a 2-1 win at Missouri.
Freshman right-hander Sean Hunley started and pitched into the eighth inning for the Volunteers, earning the first SEC victory of his career. He yielded to Garrett Stallings for the final two innings. Stallings earned the save as Tennessee avenged Thursday's 3-2, 12-inning loss.
Friday night's outcome makes Saturday's series finale a de facto play-in game for the SEC tournament. The league's top 12 teams qualify, and Tennessee (29-26, 12-17) and Missouri (33-21, 11-18) are the 12th and 13th teams.
Tennessee designated hitter Nico Mascia homered in the fifth inning to tie Friday's game at 1. Brandon Chinea, the ninth hitter in the Vols' lineup, put them ahead 2-1 with a home run in the eighth. Both homers came against Missouri starter Michael Plassmeyer, who struck out 11 hitters in a complete-game performance.