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Tennessee baseball: Vols Get Much-Needed Win in First Game of Series at Auburn Tigers 13-4

By Seth Norris

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot carries the flag through the fans during Vol Walk prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot carries the flag through the fans during Vol Walk prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tennessee baseball took the first of a three-game SEC series on the road against the Auburn Tigers Thursday. The Volunteers won the game 13-4.

It was branded as a battle of lefties as sophomore Andrew Soto (5-1) took the mound for the Tennessee Vols (20-14, 4-9 SEC) and junior Blake Braymer (3-3) for the Auburn Tigers (15-19, 3-10). However, to Tennessee’s advantage, Braymer only lasted an inning.

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The top-half of the first said it all for this game.

Braymer had trouble locating the zone walking lead-off hitter and right fielder Benito Santiago on his first four pitches. Santiago then advanced to second on a wild pitch from Braymer, and then senior outfielder Chris Hall reached on a single sending Santiago to third. Another wild pitch from Braymer sent Hall to second putting two runners in scoring position, and All-American third basemen Nick Senzel reached on an error by shortstop Cody Nulph, which was one of five errors for Auburn, putting the Vols up 1-o.

Next up was another MLB talent in outfielder Vincent Jackson, and he took Braymer 11 pitches before hitting a sac fly into left field scoring Hall for a 2-0 lead. After stealing third, first baseman Jordan Rodgers sent Senzel home for his SEC leading 51st RBI. Rodgers was eventually knocked in by catcher Tyler Schultz giving the Vols a 4-0 lead early, and the Vols did not look back.

Senzel, Jackson, and Rodgers combined to knock in seven of the 13 runs on the night.

Vols starter Andrew Soto also played his part well pitching 6.1 innings and allowing only one run, and had a little help from the defense tonight from what might be the play of the year via Nick Senzel.

These were two teams coming into the night that needed an SEC series win badly. They both sat at 3-9, the Vols coming in losing five of their last seven, and the Tigers were on a three-game losing streak. However, the Vols do have something Auburn does not, and that is an SEC series win. The Tigers come in looking for their first, and they will now need to win both upcoming games to do so.

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The Vols and Tigers take the field tomorrow night at 7 p.m. with LHP Zach Warren on the hill for the Vols against RHP Justin Camp.

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