Randy Sartin/Special To The News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tennessee baseball reaches a grand mark in win over South Carolina Gamecocks

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Craig Smith | Last updated 5/18/24

The Tennessee Volunteers are having quite the run with the bats in 2024. The team has bombed a total of 144 long trippers, the most among all power five schools.

However, it's been the timeliness of some of those hits that have been particularly noteworthy this year. Ten of those coming into Friday had come with the bases loaded.

The eleventh was a particularly impactful one for Tennessee, both on the scoreboard and in the SEC record books.

With the Vols leading South Carolina on Friday 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, first baseman Blake Burke came to the plate with a chance to blow the game wide open. He did just that on the first pitch of the at bat.

A #BURKEBLAST OF THE GRANDEST VARIETY!

https://t.co/WFwkyhEXTw (SECN+)#GBO // #OTH // #BeatSC pic.twitter.com/PuORpYvnaP
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 18, 2024

It was a no doubter off the bat. The kind that stops outfielders after just a few courtesy steps towards the flight path of the blast.

And it was one that etched the Tennessee Vols into the SEC record books. The team's eleventh grand slam of 2024 set a new SEC baseball record for most in a season.

A rocket through the rain for our 11th grand slam of the season, setting a new-single season SEC record. pic.twitter.com/OPnua0F7Lv
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 18, 2024

The challenge for Tennessee is about to ramp up to another level with the SEC tournament coming up next week and then the NCAA tournament following that. The pressure will be high, and delivering hits with men on base is going to be key to advance.

Fortunately, it seems as though this Tennessee team is doing its best work in those situations. And that could pay dividends when wins and losses mean moving on or going home.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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