Vols Fall to Top Ranked UCLA 12-5

(utsports.com)  Tennessee dug itself an early hole before battling back in the middle innings but ultimately faltered down the stretch in a 12-5 loss to No. 1/1 UCLA in its opening game of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field.

The Bruins built a 5-0 lead through five innings, in large part due to a pair of home runs and two costly errors by the Big Orange.

After a slow start against UCLA starter Logan Reddemann, the Vols responded by scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth to chase the talented right hander and cut the deficit to one heading into the final three innings.

Chris Newstrom sparked the rally with a leadoff homer to left field, his first of the year. After Tennessee loaded the bases, Tyler Myatt came through with a clutch, two-out RBI single, and Stone Lawless followed with an RBI single of his own to make it a 5-4 game.

The Vols’ momentum was short-lived, however, as Will Gasparino led off the seventh with a solo shot to center field to start a six-run seventh inning for the Bruins that all but put the game away.

Tennessee scratched across a run in the bottom of the inning and had a chance to cut into the lead again in the eighth, but UCLA reliever Easton Hawk struck out back-to-back batters with the bases loaded to end the threat.

Newstrom had his best game of the season, finishing 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Aside from Myatt and Lawless, Henry Ford and Blaine Brown had the only two other hits for UT on the day.

Tegan Kuhns was impressive in his start despite allowing six runs, only four of which were earned. The sophomore right-hander tallied a career-high 10 strikeouts in six innings of work and did not allow a walk.

UP NEXT: Tennessee will look to bounce back on Saturday when it takes on Arizona State at noon ET. The game will be streamed live on FloSports.com.