*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 12, Bulldogs 3 | FINAL
Eighteenth-ranked Tennessee baseball (31-14, 11-10 SEC) is set to take on the Georgia Bulldogs (25-20, 8-13 SEC) at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia for game one of a three-game series.
First pitch on Friday night is at 6 p.m. ET. All three games of the weekend will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Matt Stewart (PxP) and Jason Jacobs (Analyst) calling the action. Reminder that the online broadcasts can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.
The Vols enter the series on roll, having won eight straight, including two SEC series sweeps over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. However, the Vols have yet to show they can succeed at a high level, posting a 1-9 (1-8 SEC) road record up to this point.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage over the past week, including the Georgia series preview and Mississippi State series recap podcast, click here.
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 Dylan Dreiling
3B Zane Denton
RF Christian Scott
C Cal Stark
Lineup Notes:
–No surprises in Tennessee’s starting nine for the opener. Dylan Dreiling gets the DH start with a righty on the mound. Griffin Merritt will likely get the DH start Saturday with a lefty starting for the Bulldogs.
GEORGIA STARTING NINE:
CF Ben Anderson
RF Charlie Condon
LF Connor Tate
1B Parks Harber
DH Cole Wagner
3B Will David
C Fernando Gonzalez
SS Sebastian Murillo
2B Mason LaPlante
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Andrew Lindsey (0-2, 3.11 ERA, 15 app., 3 starts, 37.2 IP, 29 H, 18 R, 13 ER, 12 BB, 44 K, .204 opp. batting avg.)
vs.
Bulldogs Fr. RHP Kolten Smith (2-1, 4.91 ERA, 9 app., 6 starts, 22.0 IP, 19 H, 14 R, 12 ER, 12 BB, 19 K, .229 opp. batting avg.)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
-Jared Dickey is walked on five pitches.
-Blake Burke pops up to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Ben Anderson is walked.
-Charlie Condon singles to CF. Anderson advances to second.
-Connor Tate lines into a double play. Lindsey makes the catch then throws Condon out at first.
-Parks Harber grounds out to 3B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Christian Moore flies out to CF. Amazing diving catch by Ben Anderson.
-Dylan Dreiling is walked on five pitches.
-Zane Denton is walked on four pitches.
-Christian Scott battles during his at-bat and then hits an RBI single into RF, advances to second on the throw to third. Denton advances to third and Dreiling scores.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging. Was hit by a pitch but the umpires ruled he leaned into it. Tony Vitello challenged the call, but the call stands.
-Maui Ahuna lines out to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Cole Wagner grounds out to SS.
-Will David smacks a solo homer to right field on the first-pitch of his at-bat.
-Fernando Gonzalez singles to right center.
-Sebastian Murillo grounds out to 2B. Gonzalez advances to second.
-Mason LaPlante flies out to RF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-Hunter Ensley is hit by a pitch.
-Jared Dickey singles to RF. Ensley advances to second, takes third thanks to a fielding error by the Georgia right fielder.
-Blake Burke knocks a sac fly to CF. Ensley scores and Dickey advances to second. Georgia second baseman missed the tag.
*Pitching change: RHP Dalton Rhadans (2-1, 4.05 ERA) on to pitch for Smith* (In the middle of Christian Moore’s at-bat)
-Christian Moore lines out to SS.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Ben Anderson hits a swinging bunt single to 3B.
-Charlie Condon reaches on a fielder’s choice. Anderson out at second 6-4.
-Connor Tate reaches on a fielder’s choice. Condon out at second 6-4.
-Parks Harber flies out to CF. Incredible diving catch by Hunter Ensley.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Zane Denton flies out to LF.
-Christian Scott hits a dribbler that ricochets off the pitcher. Out 1-6-3.
-Cal Stark grounds out to p.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Cole Wagner strikes out swinging.
-Will David singles to LF.
-Fernando Gonzalez grounds into a 6-3 double play.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to SS.
-Hunter Ensley is walked on a full count.
*Pitching change: LHP Luke Wagner (2-3, 7.66 ERA) on to pitch for Rhadans*
-Jared Dickey reaches on a fielder’s choice. Ensley out at second 4-6.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 1B unassisted.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Sebastian Murillo singles to LF.
-Mason LaPlante is walked on a full count.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 2.77 ERA) on to pitch for Lindsey*
-Ben Anderson strikes out swinging.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Camden Sewell (3-0, 2.77 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Charlie Condon strikes out swinging.
-Connor Tate is walked on a full count. Bases loaded for Parks Harber.
-Harber grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
*Griffin Merritt pinch-hitting for Dylan Dreiling*
-Merritt singles to LF.
-Zane Denton pops up to RF.
-Merritt advances to second thanks to a throwing error by the Georgia pitcher. Failed pickoff attempt.
-Christian Scott strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Cole Wagner grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Will David flies out to CF. Incredible catch by Hunter Ensley.
-Josh Stinson grounds out to SS.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 1
7th Inning:
T7
-Cal Stark flies out to LF.
-Maui Ahuna rips a double down the LF line.
-Hunter Ensley HBP.
-Jared Dickey drives in a run with an RBI single to CF. Ensley advances to third and Ahuna scores.
-Blake Burke hits a wedge to left field and it drops because the third baseman slips. It’s an RBI single and now UT has runners on first and second with one out.
-Dickey gets caught in a pickle and gets out. Burke stays safe at first.
-Christian Moore crushes a two-run homer to LF. Fifth HR in four games for Moore.
-Griffin Merritt doubles to CF. Georgia center fielder cannot make the catch.
-Zane Denton is intentionally walked.
-Christian Scott knocks an RBI single to RF. Scott is thrown out at second to end the top half.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Sebastian Murillo grounds out to 2B.
-Mason LaPlante grounds out to 2B. Nice play by Moore.
-Ben Anderson ropes a single to LF.
-Charlie Condon singles to RF. Anderson advances to second.
-Connor Tate drives in a run with an RBI single up the middle. Condon advances to second and Anderson scores.
-Parks Harber pops up to c.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 2
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: RHP Nolan Crisp (1-2, 8.50 ERA) on to pitch for Wagner*
-Cal Stark flies out to LF.
-Maui Ahuna hits a single to RF.
-Hunter Ensley is out on a swinging bunt. Play under review. Call OVERTURNED. Ensley is safe.
-Jared Dickey flies out to LF.
-Runners advance to second and third on a wild pitch.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Pitching change: So. RHP Aaron Combs (2-0, 2.20 ERA) on to pitch for Sewell*
-Cole Wagner hammers a solo homer to RF.
-Will David is walked.
-Josh Stinson reaches on a fielder’s choice. David out at second 6-4. Burke cannot make the catch for the double play.
-Stinson advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Sebastian Murillo strikes out swinging.
-Mason LaPlante strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 3
9th Inning:
T9
-Christian Moore smokes a leadoff homer to center field.
-Griffin Merritt is hit by the first pitch of the at-bat.
-Austen Jaslove pinch-running for Griffin Merritt.
-Zane Denton drills a two-run homer to RF.
-Christian Scott doubles to CF.
-Cal Stark is hit by a pitch.
*Pitching change: RHP Collin Caldwell (2-0, 9.95 ERA) on to pitch for Crisp*
-Maui Ahuna is walked. Bases loaded with no outs for Hunter Ensley.
-Hunter Ensley is hit by the first pitch of the AB. RBI HBP.
-Jared Dickey reaches on a fielder’s choice. A throwing error by the first baseman trying to throw Ensley out at second allows a run to score.
-Blake Burke reaches on a fielder’s choice. Maui Ahuna out at home 1-2.
*Pitching change: RHP Blake Gillespie (0-1, 18.00 ERA) on to pitch for Caldwell*
-Christian Moore grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
End of Top Half.
B9
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Zander Sechrist (0-1, 1.69 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*
*Justin Thomas pinch-hitting for Ben Anderson*
-Thomas grounds out to 2B.
*Garrett Spikes pinch-hitting for Charlie Condon*
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Hollis Fanning (0-0, 1.23 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Spikes strikes out swinging.
*Dwight Allen II pinch-hitting for Connor Tate*
-Allen II flies out to RF.
Score: Vols 12, Bulldogs 3
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 12, Georgia Bulldogs 3
