Feb. 18, 2011

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A two-out, bases-clearing double by Khayyan Norfork in the second inning held up as the University of Tennessee defeated the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team, 4-0, in the season opener for both teams Friday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Panthers (0-1) outhit the Volunteers (1-0) by a count of 10-to-8, but left too many opportunities slip away on the basepaths.

"We threatened in four or five innings but just couldn't get the big hit," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We were not aggressive enough in power counts. It was our first time out and had to get the jitters out, especially with the inexperience we have in the lineup."

Senior Doug Dekoning, junior Paul Hoenecke and sophomore Nick Lingvay each had 2-for-4 efforts at the plate to lead the offense.

Milwaukee put six on base in the first three innings, but hurt its own cause with a double play and also by having runners get picked off and caught stealing.

"It was a perfect example of beating yourself," Doffek said. "We set the tone negatively by making three outs on the basepaths. We had a chance to jump out and get the momentum early but shot ourselves in the foot."

The Volunteers broke through against senior Chad Pierce (0-1) in the second. After allowing a leadoff single, Pierce responded with back-to-back strikeouts. However, a walk and hit batter loaded the bases and Norfork made it 3-0 with a drive to the wall in right center that cleared them.

Pierce did throw five other scoreless frames, ending his day with three earned runs in 6.0 innings, recording six strikeouts and walking three.

"Other than that one inning, Chad (Pierce) did a really good job," Doffek said. "But there were two outs and we extended the inning with a walk and hit batter and then they came up with the big hit."

UT's Steven Gruver (1-0) got the win, striking out eight and walking two in 6.0 innings, working in and out of trouble the whole day. For UWM, junior Greg Blohowiak also threw a scoreless inning, striking out two.

These two teams are right back at it tomorrow, slated for a first pitch of 2 p.m.