Tennessee Baseball: Nick Senzel’s Two Home Runs Powers Vols Past MTSU 9-2

Tennessee baseball junior Nick Senzel hit two home runs as the Volunteers beat the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 9-2 Tuesday.

Tennessee won the first of two midweek games on back to back nights against different teams behind the power of junior infielder Nick Senzel.

The 2016 Preseason All-American hit two home runs and drove in six RBI’s as the Vols beat the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders 9-2 to move to 15-9 on the season.

Tennessee took a 4-0 lead against the Blue Radiers all behind Senzel’s two home runs. Senzel also had a walk that drove in a run in the fifth and added a Sac Fly with the bases loaded in the sixth.

In addition to Senzel’s dominance, Eric Freeman pitched a great game, going five scoreless innings while pitching two strikeouts.

Senior Steven Kane came in for three innings and allowed one run, and sophomore Zach Reid finished the game in the ninth, allowing one run but still holding on for the Vols’ 9-2 victory.

Following Senzel’s career day and Freeman’s great pitching night, the Vols are set to host the UNC Asheville Bulldogs Wednesday night in another midweek single game before they get back into SEC Play this weekend, hosting the Kentucky Wildcats.

The win does not do much for Dave Serrano and the Vols in the grand scheme of their goals this year, but Middle Tennessee is indeed a dangerous team that has proven it can play with anybody. After all, the Blue Raiders may have fallen to 12-13 on the year, but they have also played 13 teams from last year’s NCAA Tournament.

As a result, the Vols could not take this in-state opponent lightly, and they didn’t, coming away with a solid, non-conference, midweek victory.

Now they have to do it one more time before the real focus takes hold again at the start of April in their quest for the NCAA Tournament.