KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Host Tennessee scored four times in the fourth inning and got four strong innings from its bullpen to take game 2 of the weekend series against Norfolk State, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Spartans (3-7) got a two-run single off the bat of Denathan Dukes, but couldn't mount a late-inning rally against the Vols (8-1).

Jeff Moberg led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer off NSU starter Devin Hemmerich (1-2). UT then added four runs in a fourth inning in which the Vols had five hits. Moberg hit a two-run single and Jordan Rodgers and Jay Charleston both had run-scoring singles in the inning to extend UT's lead to 5-0.

The Spartans did not get a hit until the fifth inning off UT starter Zach Warren (1-1), but they made them count. Adam Collins recorded NSU's first hit of the day, a two-out single. Tony Leite then reached on an error and moved up a base on a wild pitch before Dukes scored both runners with a single to right field.

But the UT bullpen kept NSU at bay thereafter. Zach Linginfelter pitched three scoreless innings allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters. Jon Lipinski earned the save with a scoreless ninth.

Warren earned the win over the Vols, allowing two unearned runs on three hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Hemmerich took the loss after yielding five hits over six innings while striking out six batters. Chase Anderson tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for NSU.

Leite, Justin Burrell and Terrence Pinkston also had base hits for NSU, which was out-hit 14-5. Rodgers was 3-for-4, while Moberg, Pete Derkay and Justin Ammons had two hits each.

The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday and will be broadcast on the SEC Network+ streaming channel. Jonathan Mauricio is slated to take the mound for the Spartans.