'Voltellos Sweep Illini:
Tennessee extended its winning streak to 15 games with a weekend sweep of Illinois, needing a comeback victory on Sunday in the series finale.
The Volunteers are now 16-1 on the season.
Friday
Illinois struck first on a windy night with back-to-back doubles to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning.
The Vols answered with three of their own in the bottom of the frame. Christian Moore doubled and then scored on Blake Burke’s double to tie it at 1-1. Then Billy Amick lined one over the wall in right center field for a 2-run home run to make it 3-1.
It was Amick’s team-leading 9th long ball of the season.
Cal Stark sent the first pitch of the bottom of the 2nd into the left field porches for his first home run of the season to make it 4-1.
Back-to-back doubles from Dylan Dreiling and Dean Curley extended Tennessee’s lead to 5-1 and chased the Illinois starter from the game in the bottom of the 6th.
AJ Causey gave up one run on six hits while striking out 12 and walking just one in six innings.
After Derek Schaefer led off the top of the 7th with a walk, lefty Andrew Behnke entered and stranded Illini on the corners.
Illinois threatened in the 8th, getting the first two batters on with hits but back-to-back strikeouts and then a fly out to left field kept it a 5-1 game.
The Vols added an insurance run in the 8th on Dreiling’s 4th home run of the season.
Kirby Connell gave up two runs on three hits to start the 9th inning before Marcus Phillip got the final two outs to earn his first career save.
Saturday 
Tennessee set season-highs in runs and hits in a 24-1 rout of the Illini.
The Vols scored at least two runs in every inning except the 4th.
Tennessee led 10-4 after four innings before a 48-minute rain delay.
Drew Beam earned the win after tossing five innings of 1-run ball.
The Vols hit five home runs, including a grand slam by Reese Chapman in the 6th inning.
Blake Burke was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a 3-run home run on the day.
Sunday A 2-out solo home run off the batter’s eye in centerfield gave Illinois an early 1-0 in the top of the 2nd inning.
The Illini added two more runs in the 3rd, first on sac fly to shallow right field and then on a 2-out, RBI double.
Tennessee had just one hit through four innings, a Billy Amick double in the 1st.
Hunter Ensley led off the bottom of the 5th with a pinch hit solo home run into the left field porches to cut the Illinois lead to 3-1.
It was Ensley’s first home run of the season.
Later in the inning, Blake Burke hit his second home run of the weekend to make it a 3-2 game. It was Burke’s 2nd home run of the weekend and 6th on the season. He now has 36 career long balls, five shy of tying the school record.
However, Burke was ejected from the game for chatting with Illinois dugout while rounding 3rd base. Both teams had been issued unsportsmanlike warnings earlier in the game. The series got chippy at times — something Tennessee is familiar with — and centered around Vols batters feeling like they were being quick-pitched. Because of his ejection, Burke will be suspended for tonight's game with Eastern Kentucky.
The Vols loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 6th. A Dean Curley sac fly tied it but a double play ended the threat.
Back-to-back 2-out walks in the 7th brought Kavares Tears to plate, who blooped a double down the left field line to give Tennessee its first lead of the game at 4-3.
After another walk loaded the bases, Robin Villeneuve hit the Vols’s 2nd grand slam in as many days to make it an 8-3 game.
Illinois loaded the bases in both the 8th and 9th innings but Nate Snead was able to get out of each jam.
Snead earned the win throwing six scoreless innings in relief.
Aaron Combs made his 2nd consecutive Sunday start for the Vols. He gave up three runs on four hits in three innings.
Notes:
— Chris Stamos was throwing in the bullpen late in Sunday’s game. Vitello mentioned he was available to pitch this weekend after exiting the midweek game vs High Point on February 27th.
— Blake Burke hit a team-high .556 (5-of-9) for the series with three doubles, two home runs, five runs scored and six RBIs while also drawing three walks. Illinois has better pitching than most of the Vols’ non-conference opponents but what’s most encouraging in recent games is Burke’s willingness to go the other way. Burke leads the SEC with eight doubles on the season, the majority of them going to left field.
— Tennessee hosts Eastern Kentucky at 6 pm tonight before traveling to Tuscaloosa to open SEC play this weekend. The Crimson Tide is 15-1 under first-year coach Rob Vaughn.
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