KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- After Tennessee's dramatic win over Wright State on Friday night, one couldn't be blamed for thinking the Vols might have another intense finish against Liberty on Saturday.
Liam Spence erased that thought in a hurry.
In the first at-bat of Game 4 in the Knoxville Regional, the Aussie native cranked his bat and sent a solo homer over the right-field fence, just a few feet from where Gilbert's game-winner had sailed less than 24 hours earlier.
Then Luc Lipcius followed suit in the top of the second inning, Spence launched a three-run bomb for a 5-0 lead, and Drew Gilbert and Lipcius piled on for a 7-0 advantage.
“You just get good pitches to hit, you swing at them and barrel them,” Lipcius said. “On days like (Friday and Saturday), they will go out.
"Lindsey has been playing in our favor. We will try to keep it going.”
Tennessee capped the first 2.2 innings with five total home runs for a new NCAA Tournament program record. Despite some late Liberty threats, UT’s early onslaught turned out to be enough for a 9-3 win that pushes the Vols into Sunday’s Regional final.
"We've got one of those SEC lineups where, one through nine, you don't get much breathing room," said Tony Vitello. "Warm weather is here, the ball's carrying, and it's kind of kerosene on the dynamite there."
“You could feel the energy from our guys during BP, and I think they were on the hunt after staring death in the face (Friday) night."
After Saturday's victory, UT will face the winner of Duke-Liberty (2 p.m. ET) at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. A win on Sunday or Monday would notch the program’s first Regional championship since 2005, and it would simultaneously catapult the Vols into next weekend's Super Regional.
Vols start hot, finish with 'tough' response
Tennessee’s hot start meant that the Vols’ pink 'Daddy' hat — the ceremonial cap slapped on the head of any player to knock a UT home run — was on full display.
But the Flames responded to the Tennessee run with a hat trick of their own, plating three runs in the seventh inning after a UT pitching change.
Pete Derkay reopened the Vols’ scoring in the eighth frame, as he battled back on a crucial at-bat to make the score 9-3.
During that plate appearance, the senior fouled a ball off his foot before stepping out of the box. After taking a breather during a meeting with Tennessee’s trainer, he dug back in to deliver the final blow via a two-RBI single.
"The kid's tough," Vitello said of Derkay. "He loves the Vols more than anybody I'm around every day."
As Vitello uttered those words, Liam Spence and Luc Lipcius — each with multiple bombs in the last two games — sat next to him for the press conference. But, in typical fashion, Tennessee’s coach shared his thoughts anyway.
“Earmuffs, guys,” he warned them. “Pete might be the best bat-handler on our team. Sorry, guys. No offense.”
Tennessee flatlines in middle innings
Vitello’s “no offense” statement applied to Spence and Lipcius, but it can also stick to the Vols’ lack of plate production through the middle of Saturday’s win.
Between UT’s early homers, Liberty's comeback and Derkay's response, Tennessee’s bats went silent. After notching the aforementioned five hits in under three innings, UT managed just four more connections through the final six frames.
The trend is eerily similar to the Vols' middle-inning efforts earlier this season, and it's an area that Tennessee will need to replenish to make the trek to Omaha.
The Vols dealt with the same issue at points in last week's SEC Tournament run.
Blade Tidwell slices as Sewell saves the day
During that time in Hoover, Vols outfielder Evan Russell mentioned how freshman right-hander Blade Tidwell has transformed into a "completely different pitcher" this season.
"The best is yet to come for that kid," added Russell.
On Saturday, Tidwell gave another glimpse at that growth. In his 16th appearance this season, the freshman allowed four hits, one run, and tossed three strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.
Tidwell's lone run came during Liberty's short-lived comeback attempt, as an errant throw from Jake Rucker ended the freshman’s shutout.
Kirby Connell entered in relief, but a fielding error from Jordan Beck allowed the Flames' other two runs to cross.
Liberty almost notched another pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh frame, as Gray Betts and Aaron Anderson put runners on first and second.
Then Tennessee replaced Connell with Camden Sewell, who built off his strong SEC semifinal performance to induce a threat-ending double play against the Flames.
The moment wasn't without some drama, either. Liberty coach Scott Jackson got tossed for arguing a strike call before the Vols turned two, and Lindsey Nelson roared in response after waving the Flames’ coach off the field.
Sewell induced another crucial double play in the bottom half of the eighth frame, and he overcame a lone Liberty runner in the ninth inning to clinch the win. He allowed two hits in 3.0 innings with four strikeouts.
“The kid picked up where he left off in Hoover,” Vitello said.
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