Tennessee’s 7-1 triumph over East Tennessee State University on Tuesday inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium didn’t start well for the No. 19 Volunteers, as starting pitcher Blaine Brown hit the first batter he faced before walking the next two and being pulled from the mound.
It was time for Brady Frederick to face his former team.
“You’ve got to make the most of that moment,” Frederick said afterward in a press conference. “In that moment, a lot of people expect a run or two to score, but I just tried to stay true to what I had, trust my stuff and limit the damage.
“I know a lot of their guys, and a lot of their guys are from Knoxville, so I knew them throughout high school. I had some intel for sure, but nothing that really changed anything.”
Frederick, a junior from Knoxville’s Bearden High School who spent his first two college seasons at ETSU, pitched three hitless innings and tallied three strikeouts in 37 efficient pitches to lead the Vols to a third straight victory and to a 9-3 overall record. The Bucs, who handed Tennessee its first defeat last season following a 20-0 start, are also 9-3.