There was no need to play nine innings Wednesday inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Really, there was no need to play four.
Freshman shortstop Dean Curley, junior second baseman Christian Moore and junior third baseman Billy Amick hit home runs in Tennessee’s 11-run third inning as the No. 9 Volunteers turned a 1-0 lead into an eventual 16-0 run-rule drubbing of East Tennessee State University that was halted after the top of the seventh.
The Vols improved to 4-1 with their easiest victory of the young season, which came on the heels of Tuesday’s 3-2 escape of visiting UNC Asheville.
“A little birdie told me that the team was a little more focused than they were yesterday,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitello told reporters afterward. “You could sense that warming up. Our best asset today was UNC Asheville. They played so well against us last night that it woke our guys up a little bit.”