Tennessee shortstop Cortland Lawson celebrates after turning a double play Saturday. Photo: George Walker IV/The Tennessean/USA Today Network
Tennessee is the center of the college baseball universe this season, with both UT and Vanderbilt fielding championship-contending teams.
- The rivals faced off for the first time this weekend, with the Volunteers sweeping the three-game series. The exclamation came with a 5-0 shutout Sunday at Hawkins Field.
Why it matters: UT (27-1) sits atop the college baseball rankings, and the road series against the Commodores served as a litmus test.
- But don't dismiss No. 9 Vanderbilt (20-7), a perennial contender to win the national title.
The intrigue: The weekend battle was not without drama. Volunteers right fielder Jordan Beck had a home run taken off the scoreboard Friday after umpires ruled his bat hadn't been properly checked and was illegal.
- Tennessee still went on to win that game, 6-2, despite the bat snafu.
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