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Tennessee topples Liberty in extras, will play UNC in Regional Final

The Vols survive a bases loaded bottom of the ninth to keep the postseason trip alive.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — It took 10 innings, but Tennessee baseball survives and advances, eliminating Liberty 6-5.

The Vols will play host team North Carolina in the Regional Final at 6 p.m. Tennessee will need to beat the Tar Heels twice to advance to the Super Regional next weekend.

After flying out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, Liberty battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. An Andre Lipcius two-run homer put Tennessee back up 5-3 in the top of the fifth. 

Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth, and that's where things got dicey. Liberty had the bases loaded with no outs, when pitcher Redmond Walsh hit the Liberty batter on the arm, sending him to first and bringing the game tying run home. So with the bases loaded again and no outs to speak of, the Tennessee defense pulled off a near miracle to get out of the jam. First baseman Pete Derkay grabbed a line drive out of the air for out number one, then Walsh and Derkay combined for the inning-ending double play.

In the top of the tenth, freshman Jake Rucker stepped to the plate and singled to left field, sending DH Evan Russell home for the go-ahead run.

Walsh finished the game with the win, throwing 3.2 innings giving up only one run.

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