SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 1 | FINAL
Tennessee baseball is set to take on the Charlotte 49ers in their NCAA Tournament opener in the Clemson regional.
The Vols are the 2-seed in the regional while Charlotte is the 3-seed. The winner will play No. 1 Clemson on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET while the loser will play Lipscomb at Noon ET on Saturday.
First pitch for Friday night’s game in Doug Kingsmore Stadium is at 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Tennessee enters the regional coming off a one-and-done showing in the SEC Tournament. The Vols mustered just one baserunner in a 3-0 loss to Texas A&M on day one in Hoover. But the positive side of an early Hoover bounce for Tennessee is that they’ve had plenty of time to rest and prepare for the regional.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage leading up to the regional, 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
DH Griffin Merritt
2B Christian Moore
1B Blake Burke
3B Zane Denton
RF Christian Scott
C Cal Stark
Lineup Notes:
–Regular Tennessee lineup for the NCAAT opener. Blake Burke and Zane Denton swapped spots in the order from the last game.
CHARLOTTE STARTING NINE:
LF Blake Jackson
SS Jack Dragum
RF Cam Fisher
CF Jake Cunningham
3B Brandon Stahlman
DH Will Butcher
C Kaden Hopson
2B Austin Knight
1B Spencer Nolan
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Andrew Lindsey (2-2, 2.54 ERA, 18 app., 6 starts, 56.2 IP, 44 H, 22 R, 16 ER, 16 BB, 54 K, .211 opp. batting avg., 1.07 WHIP)
vs.
49ers So. LHP Collin Kramer (6-4, 4.55 ERA, 19 app., 12 starts, 1 S, 61.1 IP, 64 H, 33 R, 31 ER, 34 BB, 64 K, .268 opp. batting avg., 1.61 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Dark Mode
Charlotte: Grey on Grey
*Tennessee is the home team*
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Andrew Lindsey walks Blake Jackson on a full count to kick things off.
-Jack Dragum strikes out swinging.
-Cam Fisher is hit in his ear to give Charlotte two baserunners with one out.
-Jake Cunningham strikes out swinging.
-Brandon Stahlman hits a swinging bunt to 3B. Beautifully placed and it loads the bases.
-Will Butcher strikes out swinging to strand the bases loaded.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna is walked on four pitches.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.
-Jared Dickey lines out to LF.
-Griffin Merritt knocks a single into CF. Ahuna advances to third. Runners on the corners for Christian Moore with two outs.
-Christian Moore smacks a two-run double into the right-center gap.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, 49ers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Kaden Hopson grounds out to 2B.
-Austin Knight lines a single into center field.
-Spencer Nolan strikes out looking.
-Blake Jackson lines out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Zane Denton flies out to RF.
-Christian Scott reaches on a dropped third strike.
-Cal Stark is plunked. Runners on first and second with one out.
-Maui Ahuna hits an RBI single up the middle to score Scott. Stark advances to second.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey brings Cal Stark home with an RBI single to right field. Ahuna advances to third.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, 49ers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Jack Dragum grounds out to 3B.
-Cam Fisher strikes out swinging.
-Jake Cunningham grounds out to SS.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Christian Moore leads off with a solo homer to right center after a long at-bat. His 14th HR of the season.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Paxton Thompson (7-2, 4.10 ERA) on to pitch for Kramer*
-Blake Burke strikes out on three pitches.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, 49ers 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Brandon Stahlman strikes out swinging.
-Will Butcher flies out to CF.
-Kaden Hopson pops up to SS in shallow LF.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Maui Ahuna flies out to LF.
-Hunter Ensley singles to LF.
-Jared Dickey hits a bloop single into right center. Ensley advances to third.
-Griffin Merritt SMASHES a three-run homer to left center. His 18th of the season.
-Christian Moore is hit in the hand/wrist area by a pitch and takes first. Play is under review. Call stands.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Clark Dearman (2-0, 5.47 ERA) on to pitch for Thompson*
-Blake Burke fouls out to catcher.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Austin Knight strikes out swinging.
-Spencer Nolan flies out to CF.
-Blake Jackson grounds out to p. Nice play by Lindsey to bare hand it and make the throw on time. Lindsey has retired ELEVEN straight.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Zane Denton flies out to CF.
-Christian Scott flies out to RF.
-Cal Stark flies out to LF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 0
6th Inning:
T6
*Aaron Combs is stretching in the bullpen*
-Jack Dragum pops up to 3B.
-Cam Fisher singles through the right side. Ends Lindsey’s streak of 12 consecutive batters retired.
-Jake Cunningham reaches on a fielder’s choice. Fisher out at second 4-6.
-Brandon Stahlman strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
-Jared Dickey singles up the middle.
-Griffin Merritt knocks a single into RF. Dickey advances to third.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Hale Sims (2-0, 3.89 ERA) on to pitch for Dearman*
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 0
7th Inning:
T7
-Will Butcher strikes out looking.
-Kaden Hopson singles through the left side. Ahuna couldn’t make the bare-handed play.
-Cal Stark catches Kaden Hopson stealing at second.
-Former Vol Austin Knight homers to RF. Solo shot prevents the shutout.
*Eli Weisner pinch-hitting for Spencer Nolan*
-Weisner strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Blake Burke grounds out to SS.
-Zane Denton lines out to LF.
-Christian Scott strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 1
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Zander Sechrist (0-1, 2.08 ERA) on to pitch for Lindsey*
-Blake Jackson flies out to RF.
-Jack Dragum is walked.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Aaron Combs (4-0, 2.75 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Cam Fisher strikes out swinging.
-Jake Cunningham fouls out to deep LF.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Dylan Dreiling pinch-hitting for Cal Stark*
-Dreiling grounds out to 2B.
-Maui Ahuna doubles to right center.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out looking.
-Jared Dickey flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, 49ers 1
9th Inning:
T9
*Charlie Taylor to c for Stark*
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*
-Brandon Stahlman grounds out to 2B.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Hollis Fanning (0-0, 0.69 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Will Butcher singles to LF.
-Butcher advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Kaden Hopson grounds out to SS. Fantastic play by Maui Ahuna to field the ball turn around and make the throw on time. Butcher advances to third.
-Austin Knight flies out to RF.
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 8, Charlotte 49ers 1
