*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 17, Commodores 1 | FINAL (Run-rule in 7 innings)
Tennessee baseball will go for the series win over the fourth-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Saturday.
First pitch is at Noon ET, and ESPN2 has the broadcast. ESPN2 will also have the broadcast for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Powered by elite pitching and four solo home runs, the Vols came back and defeated Vanderbilt in the series opener on a Griffin Merritt walk-off home run in the 12th inning.
There were plenty of storylines following the Vols big-time series-opening win. Check out all of RTI’s coverage from Friday night here.
This will be just the second time all season Tennessee is going for a series win. The other time was four weekends ago when Tennessee hosted Texas A&M. The Vols eventually swept the Aggies in what is still Tennessee’s lone series win of the season.
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
SS Maui Ahuna
CF Hunter Ensley
LF Jared Dickey
1B Blake Burke
2B Christian Moore
DH Kavares Tears
3B Zane Denton
C Cal Stark
RF Christian Scott
Lineup Notes:
–Same starting nine as Friday. Only changes in the order are Maui Ahuna is leading off and Jared Dickey goes to three-hole.
–No defensive changes. Griffin Merritt and Dylan Dreiling remain on the bench after stellar Friday performances.
VANDERBILT STARTING NINE:
CF Enrique Bradfield Jr.
LF Matthew Polk
RF RJ Schreck
C Jack Bulger
2B RJ Austin
DH Chris Maldonado
1B Parker Noland
3B Davis Diaz
SS Jonathan Vastine
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (4-4, 4.18 ERA, 9 app., 9 starts, 47.1 IP, 39 H, 24 R, 22 ER, 16 BB, 71 K, .220 opp. batting avg., 1.16 WHIP)
vs.
Commodores RHP Bryce Cunningham (1-1, 3.86 ERA, 11 app., 3 starts, 30.1 IP, 21 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 12 BB, 34 K, .194 opp. batting avg., 1.10 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Orange on White
Vanderbilt: Light Gold tops, Grey bottoms
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VFL QB Josh Dobbs threw out the first pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium
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GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Enrique Bradfield Jr. strikes out swinging.
-Matthew Polk fouls out to 1B.
-RJ Schreck homers to RF. A wall-scraper and Christian Scott was just out of reach at the wall.
-Jack Bulger singles to RF.
-RJ Austin strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to 2B.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF.
-Jared Dickey beats the shift with a single through the left side.
-Blake Burke is walked.
-Christian Moore is walked to load the bases for Kavares Tears with two outs.
-Kavares Tears rips a two-run single down the LF line to score Dickey and Burke. First hit of the series with runners on base for UT.
-Zane Denton knocks an RBI double into shallow left field to score Moore. Runners on second and third with two outs for Cal Stark.
-Stark knocks a two-run single to LF. Denton just beats the throw and is safe at home.
-Christian Scott is walked.
-Maui Ahuna crushes a three-run home run to right center.
-Hunter Ensley is walked.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Sam Hliboki (3-3, 6.38 ERA) on to pitch for Cunningham*
-Jared Dickey smokes an single to right field to score Ensley. Dickey advances to second on a fielding error by the Vandy right fielder and Ensley scores on the error.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 9, Commodores 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Chris Maldonado works a leadoff walk on four pitches.
-Parker Noland hits a blooper double to RF. Maldonado advances to third.
-Davis Diaz is walked on four pitches. Bases loaded for Jonathan Vastine with no outs.
-Jonathan Vastine is plunked to bring in a run. Vitello challenges and the play is under review. Call OVERTURNED.
-Vastine strikes out swinging.
-Enrique Bradfield Jr. strikes out swinging.
-Matthew Polk pops up to 2B in shallow right field.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Christian Moore works a leadoff walk.
-Kavares Tears flies out to LF.
-Zane Denton singles to left center. Runners at first and second with one out for Cal Stark.
-Cal Stark pops up to 1B.
-Christian Scott smacks a 2-RBI double off the left-center wall to score Denton and Moore.
-Maui Ahuna knocks an RBI single to center field to score Scott.
-Hunter Ensley is plunked on an 0-2 count.
-Jared Dickey flies out to CF in left center.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 12, Commodores 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-RJ Schreck doubles to RF.
-Jack Bulger strikes out swinging.
-RJ Austin bloops a single into right field. Schreck advances to third.
-Chris Maldonado pops up to 2B.
-Parker Noland flies out to LF to the warning track.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Blake Burke smokes a solo leadoff home run to second level of the left-field porches.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
-Kavares Tears flies out to CF.
-Zane Denton strikes out looking.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 13, Commodores 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Davis Diaz strikes out looking on three pitches.
-Jonathan Vastine flies out to LF.
-Enrique Bradfield Jr. flies out to CF. Nice job by Hunter Ensley to adjust and make the grab.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Cal Stark pops up to c. Vandy’s catcher and first baseman collided but the catcher came away with the catch.
-Christian Scott lines out to RF. Great diving catch by RJ Schreck.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out looking.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 13, Commodores 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Matthew Polk grounds out to 2B.
-RJ Schreck strikes out swinging.
-Jack Bulger foul pops up to 1B.
End of Top Half.
B5
*Pitching change: So. RHP Colton Regen (0-0, 6.00 ERA) on to pitch for Hliboki*
-Hunter Ensley singles through the right side.
-Jared Dickey is walked on four pitches.
-Blake Burke pops up to SS.
-Christian Moore is walked. Bases loaded for Kavares Tears for the second time today.
-Kavares Tears is plunked and Ensley scores. Bases still loaded for Zane Denton.
-Zane Denton is walked on a full count to bring in another run.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
-Moore scores on a wild pitch.
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP JD Thompson (2-1, 2.53 ERA) on to pitch for Regen*
-Christian Scott is walked. Bases loaded for Maui Ahuna.
-Maui Ahuna is walked to score Tears.
-Hunter reaches on a fielder’s choice. Ahuna out at second 6-4.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 17, Commodores 1
6th Inning:
T6
-RJ Austin flies out to RF.
-Chris Maldonado flies out to the warning track in left center. Nice catch by Hunter Ensley.
-Parker Noland strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
*Dylan Dreiling pinch-hitting for Jared Dickey*
-Dreiling flies out to right center.
-Blake Burke strikes out. Ump ruled Burke leaned into the third strike. Vitello challenged and the ruling was upheld.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging after a long at-bat.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 17, Commodores 1
7th Inning:
T7
*Dreiling to LF for Dickey*
-Pinch-hitter Troy LaNeve is walked.
-Pinch-hitter TJ McKenzie fouls out to 1B. Things escalate in LNS as LaNeve crashes into Dollander coming back to first and Moore gets in his face. Moore is ejected, which means he will be suspended for the series finale.
*Jake Kendro to 2B for Christian Moore*
*Calvin Hewett pinch-hitting for Enrique Bradfield Jr.*
-Hewett strikes out swinging.
-Matthew Polk doubles to CF. LaNeve advances to third.
-RJ Schreck flies out to RF.
END OF GAME (RUN-RULE)
Score: Vols 17, Commodores 1
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 17, Vanderbilt Commodores 1
