Ouch.

This one had to hurt on a couple of different levels for Tennessee baseball coach Todd Raleigh.

Not only was it another mid-week loss to a mid-major team, it also happened to come from his alma mater and former employer.

Western Carolina (20-24) came into Lindsey Nelson Stadium and handed its former coach a 5-2 defeat on a cold, frustrating Tuesday night for the Vols (25-20).

"I don't know if this one hurts any more, but we're just not playing well," Raleigh said. "It seems like we out-hit our opponents every single game and we don't score runs."

Raleigh coached Western Carolina 2000-2007 and he knew better than anyone the Catamounts would relish handing him a loss. He was right.

"You kind of want to prove something to him," Western Carolina catcher Blake Murphy said. "You want to prove you can do it and there's a heightened sense of awareness."

Murphy (.329, 15 HRs, 52 RBIs) obviously was aware of a first-inning pitch from UT's Jeff Lockwood (2-2).

It appeared Lockwood was going to pitch around Murphy with two balls and runners on second and third, but his third pitch was right over the plate. Murphy sent it screaming over the left-field fence for a three-run homer.

"I know Coach Raleigh pretty well and I know they weren't trying to throw me a strike," Murphy said. "I figured if I saw one I would take a hack at it."

Tennessee managed 10 hits, but most of them were scattered. There was a solo home run from UT senior third baseman Danny Lima in the second and a wild set of events in the fifth.

Trailing 3-1, UT sent four batters to the plate and every one of them reached base.

Cody Grisham had a single, but was picked off on a snap throw to the bag from Murphy.

Kentrail Davis and Josh Liles then singled and the bases were loaded when WCU right fielder Reid Rollison lost a Yan Gomes fly ball in the lights.

Shawn Griffin (0-for-2, two strikeouts) then picked up one strike and was pulled for pinch-hitter Alan Wright. WCU starter Drew Saberhagen attempted to pick off Gomes at first, but the ball got away and the circus inning unfolded.

Davis scored from third, but Liles tried to score after hesitating and was caught in a rundown. Murphy eventually ran him down and then dove to tag out Gomes coming to third for a double play to end the inning.

"I said 'no, no, no' and he thought I said 'go, go, go,' " Raleigh said of Liles. "There's no way I would send him in that situation, but he's a freshman and those things happen."

The Catamounts added two runs in the seventh and UT never mounted another serious threat.

Gomes, named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list on Tuesday, did manage to up his hitting streak to 18 games with a single in the third. It's the longest hitting streak by a Vol since Matt Sternberg hit in 18 games in 2002.

The Vols now get ready for a weekend visit from Vanderbilt.

All-Century Team: With 2009 being the 100th year of Tennessee baseball, UT is counting on fans to visit www.UTsports.com to help select an All-Century Team.

Voting continues through the fall and results will be announced at the 2009 Tennessee Baseball Leadoff Banquet.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.