Tennessee Breaks Program Record With 108 Home Runs
Top-ranked Tennessee (41-4, 19-2 SEC) broke a program record during their 14-1 dominating win over Alabama A&M, hitting five home runs to bring their season total to 108, a new single-season record for the Tennessee BaseVols. The previous record was held by Tennessee's 1998 team coached by Rod Delmonico.
The 107th homer for the Vols came from junior utility man Ethan Payne, who smacked a 429 ft. dinger over the right center wall into the wind.
Payne's two-run shot to tie the program record gave the Vols a 13-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh over the Bulldogs. Not only was Payne's homer the record-tying bomb for Tennessee, it was the junior's first of his career, something his teammates celebrated in the dugout as Payne rounded the bases.
But Kyle Booker, Tennessee's sophomore LF/DH, was a little late to the party.
"What's crazy is that I was in the bathroom when he hit his home run," Booker said regarding Payne's home run. "I heard everybody yelling, and I ran right out. Then I see Grizz (Payne) running around the bases, so it was just awesome."
And Payne's home run was not the last for Tennessee.
The Big Orange's 14th and final run of the evening–the record-breaking blast–came from infielder Logan Steenstra in the bottom of the eighth. The 6'5" junior hit a solo shot just over the left field wall to break the record.
Tennessee's program-record of 108 bombs comes in only 45 games. There are 11 regular season games remaining and an entire postseason in which the Vols are poised to make a deep run.
Tennessee's midweek win over Alabama A&M was powered by five home runs and 12 hits along with efficient outings from nine UT bullpen arms to limit the Bulldogs to four hits and a single run.
Chase Dollander was the first Tennessee arm out of the bullpen, as the sophomore made his return after 17 days (two series) of absence. Dollander retired two of three batters faced with a strikeout on nine total pitches (six strikes). Vols head coach Tony Vitello noted the objective with Dollander's usage was to keep him on a sub-10 pitch count to keep him fresh for the weekend.
While it is up in the air on whether or not the sophomore will regain his starting role on day two of the weekend series, Vitello says 'it's an option.'
The Vols' 11th midweek win of the season featured home runs from Kyle Booker, Blake Burke and Jordan Beck in addition to Payne and Steenstra. Tennessee's total of 108 homers leads the NCAA by 13.
The Vols' win propelled them to a 41-4 record on the season, nine wins away from the total of last year's Omaha's team in 23 less games. Tennessee continues to smash records and prove why they are currently the best college baseball team in the nation.
Up next for the top-ranked Vols is a weekend series with Kentucky in Lexington. First pitch will be on Thursday this week at 7:00 p.m. ET. This is the first of three weekend series to close out the season that begin on Thursday and run through Saturday.
Video Credit: UT Athletics Communications
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