Skip to main content

New Leader: Christian Moore breaks Tennessee’s single season home run record

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•05/16/24•

_Cainer

Tennessee slugging second baseman Christian Moore has once again etched his name in the program record books by blasting his 25th home run of the season on Thursday night.

The home run, which came in the bottom of the first against South Carolina pitcher Ty Good on a 2-0 count, moved Moore in front of Sonny Cortez for the Tennessee program record of 25 home runs in a single season. The record-setting home run ball travelled 432 feet over the centerfield field fence with 112 miles per hour of exit velocity.

Moore’s 25th home run of the year (18th in SEC play) breaks the single season record that was held Cortez since 1998. He tied the record on Tuesday in the bottom of the sixth inning against Belmont. Ty Allen was the pitcher and the count was 3-1. The ball travelled 351 feet – just over the right field wall – with 101 miles per hour exit velocity.

Moore has now led off the first inning with a home run in four games this season. He led off the bottom of the third with a homer as well.

The Brooklyn, NY native already owns the program record for home runs with 52 in his career. That’s seven more than teammate Blake Burke, who originally broke the record at 40 home runs that was set by former Tennessee first baseman Luc Lipcius in 2022. Moore caught up with Burke earlier this season and then surpassed him just weeks later with a three-homer day against Kentucky and now has a comfortable lead in the category.  

As for the single season marker for most home runs in Tennessee history, Moore sits alone at the top with 25 while Cortez is one back in second at 24 for his career. Former Tennessee third baseman and Washington Nationals rising star Trey Lipscomb is in a tie for third at 22 (2022), along with Cody Hawn who accomplished the feat back in 2009.  

VFLs Chris Burke (2001), MLB Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1995) and Chuck Barclift (1980) all sit tied for fifth with 20 homers while Luc Lipcius 19 home runs in 2022 is good enough for eighth-best. Griffin Merritt (2023), Jordan Beck (2022), Jorel Ortega (2022) and Doug Hecker (1991) are all tied for ninth in program history with 18 home runs in a single season.

Moore has played with USA Baseball (2023 summer) and was named a four-time preseason All-American entering the 2024 campaign. He was also named to the Midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List earlier this year.

You may also like