Gavin Kilen continues strong weekend in Houston as Vols dominate Rice
HOUSTON, Tx (WATE) – Gavin Kilen started off the Astros Foundation College Classic with two home runs against Oklahoma State. The Louisville transfer continued his strong weekend with another pair of home runs against Rice as the Vols dominated the Owls 13-3. Kilen finished 4-of-5 with two homers, a triple and a double; he was just a single shy of hitting for the cycle.
The Vols offense took advantage of shaky pitching from Rice early. Dean Curley and Gavin Kilen both reached on walks, and then a double steal allowed Curley to score and Kilen to advance to third. After Owls pitcher Blaine Brown walked Levi Clark and Andrew Fischer, Rice made a pitching change.
However, it didn't matter. An Owls throwing error allowed Kilen to cross home to make it 2-0 Tennessee. A Manny Marin sacrifice fly capped off a three-run first inning for the Vols.
Marcus Phillips got the start for Tennessee on the mound. Rice quickly loaded the bases on a walk and back-to-back singles. A wild pitch from Phillips got the Owls on the board as they cut into the deficit, 3-1 in the bottom of the first. Phillips recorded his second strikeout of the frame to get out of the jam and prevent any further damage.
Tennessee's offense got back to work in the second. With two outs, Kilen doubled toward left field and Hunter Ensley brought him home on an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-1. Following an Andrew Fischer walk, Levi Clark blew the game open with a three-run homer into the right field stands to make it a 7-1 Tennessee advantage. It marked the freshman's fourth home-run of the season.
After allowing a run in the first inning, Phillips responded with a 1-2-3 frame in the second, including two strikeouts. He had the same result in the third.
Gavin Kilen hit two home runs in the opening game of the Astros Foundation College Classic against Oklahoma State. The Louisville transfer continued his strong weekend with a solo shot in the top of the fourth to extend Tennessee's lead to 8-1. It marked his fourth-straight game with a homer and fifth home-run in the past four games.
Brayden Sharp took over for Phillips on the mound in the bottom of the fifth. Phillips ended the day with eight strikeouts and allowed one run on five hits in 4.2 innings.
Sharp entered the game with one Rice runner on second with two outs. He struck out the final batter to escape the inning without any damage.
If three home runs in two games wasn't enough, Kilen smashed his fourth long ball of the weekend, and second of the afternoon, to give Tennessee a 9-1 lead in the sixth.
Nic Abraham replaced Sharp on the mound in the seventh. Sharp didn't allow a hit or a run and struck out two in 1.1 innings of work.
After a wild pitch and an error, Abraham allowed a single to give the Owls two runners on. A groundout to short allowed a runner to score and cut the lead to 9-2. Vitello decided he had seen enough of Abraham, and Michael Sharman came out of the bullpen to replace him.
Sharman immediately gave up a double down the right field line, bringing home another run for the Owls as they cut the advantage to 9-3.
The Vols started the eighth inning with two straight walks. Kilen's huge weekend at the plate continued as he cleared the bases with a two-run triple to extend Tennessee's lead back up to 11-3. Hunter Ensley then followed up with an RBI single to bring home Kilen to make it a 12-3 ballgame.
Tennessee added another run in the top of the ninth, courtesy of Stone Lawless. Lawless sent a double to center field and Colby Backus scored after he reached on a walk.
UP NEXT: The Vols close out play in Houston against Arizona on Sunday at 11:05 a.m.
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