SCORE: Tennessee 5, Auburn 9 | FINAL
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (24-5, 5-4 SEC) is back on the road this weekend after spending the last two weekends at home earning series victories over Ole Miss and Georgia.
The Vols are looking for their third straight series victory as they head to Auburn to face the Tigers (17-11, 1-8 SEC) over the next three games. Auburn is off to a bad start to conference play but is better than its record indicates with a number of tight losses.
First pitch is at 7 p.m. ET and SEC Network+ is streaming the game. 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. You can also watch or listen to the game using the links.
This marks just the Vols’ second road series of the season with Tennessee dropping two out of three at Alabama in its SEC opening weekend.
Tennessee had a rare off date in the mid week which was helpful as the Vols are dealing with some bumps and bruises.
Injury Note
-3B Billy Amick is traveling with Tennessee to Auburn this week but is “likely out” for the weekend series. Dalton Bargo can start at third and the Vols can slide Dean Curley to third base and start Ariel Antigua at shortstop. Tony Vitello also mentioned Alex Perry as a possible option as he works back from a hamstring injury.
-Vitello said left-handed relief pitcher Andre Behnke is expected to return this weekend after missing the previous three weeks.
-AJ Russell is out again this weekend as he battles forearm soreness.
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Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
2B Christian Moore (R)
1B Blake Burke (L)
DH Robin Villeneuve (R)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
3B Dalton Bargo (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
C Cal Stark (C)
Lineup Notes:
- Dalton Bargo starts at third in place of Amick but moves down to the seven-hole after hitting in the three-hole in the series finale against Georgia.
- Designated hitter Robin Villeneuve gets the nod in the three-hole.
- Strong defenders Hunter Ensley and Cal Stark round up Tennessee’s lineup in the series finale.
AUBURN STARTING NINE:
LF Mason Maners (L)
SS Cooper Weiss (R)
C Ike Irish (L)
1B Cooper McMurray (L)
RF Bobby Peirce (R)
DH Christian Hall (L)
CF Cade Belyeu (L)
3B Eroc Guevara (R)
2B Caden Green (R)
Pitching Matchup:
VOLS RHP AJ Causey (5-1, 3.53 ERA, 7 appearances, 5 starts, 35.2 IP, 47 K, 8 BB, 1.07 WHIP)
vs.
TIGERS RHP Dylan Watts (0-0, 2.77 ERA, 9 appearances, 0 start, 13 IP, 15 K, 1 BB, 1.23 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Causey is looking to bounce back from his first poor start of the season last weekend against Georgia when he gave up seven earned runs in 2.2 innings.
- Causey is back in his home state of Alabama for the start.
- Watts is making his first start of the season.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey greys
Auburn: All navy
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Georgia leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
- The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Christian Moore doubles to left field
Moore advances to third on wild pitch
-Blake Burke doubles to right field. Moore scores.
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Kavares Tears home run to right field. Burke scores. Tears scores.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging
-Dean Curley singles up the middle.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 3, Tigers 0
B1
-Mason Manners strikes out swinging.
-Cooper Weiss strikes out swinging.
-Ike Irish home run to right field.
-Cooper McMurray singles to second base.
-Bobby Peirce singles to left field. McMurray advances to second.
-Christian Hall singles. McMuuray scores. Peirce advances to second.
-Cade Belyeu homers to right field. Peirce scores. Hall scores. Belyeu scores
-Eric Guevara strikes out swinging
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Tigers 5
SECOND INNING
T2
-Hunter Ensley flies out to right field.
-Cal Stark singles to right center
-Moore homers over the batter’s eye. Stark scores. Moore scores.
LHP CARSON MYERS (1-2, 4.74 ERA) IS COMING IN TO PITCH FOR WATTS.
-Burke singles to right field.
-Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Tears singles to right field. Burke advances to third.
-Dreiling walks. Tears advances to second.
-Curley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 5
B2
-Caden Green strikes out swinging
-Maners doubles to right field.
-Weiss bunt single. Maners advances to third.
-Irish singles up the middle. Maners scores. Weiss advances to second.
RHP AARON COMBS (0-1, 6.35 ERA) IS COMING IN TO PITCH FOR COMBS
-McMurray walks. Weiss advances to third. Irish advances to second.
-Peirce grounds into 3-6 fielder’s choice. Weiss scores. Irish advances to third.
-Hall singles to left field. Irish scores. Peirce advances to second.
-Belyeu grounds out to P.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
THIRD INNING
T3
-Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Ensley walks.
-Stark singles to left field. Ensley advances to second.
-Moore advances to right field. Ensley tags up to third.
Stark steals second. Ensley out at home.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
B3
-Guevara strikes out.
-Green grounds out to 2B
-Maners strikes out swinging
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
FOURTH INNING
T4
-Burke walks
*Reese Chapman pinch hits for Robin Villeneuve
-Chapman lines out to 1B DP. Burke out.
-Tears grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
B4
-Weiss strikes out swinging.
-Irish singles up the middle.
-McMurray strikes out swinging.
-Peirce walks. Irish advances to second.
-Hall strikes out swinging
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
FIFTH INNING
-Dreiling pops out to third.
-Curley grounds out to 2B.
-Bargo strikes out swinging
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
B5
-Belyeu strikes out swinging.
-Guevera fouls out to 1B.
-Green grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
SIXTH INNING
T6
RHP JOHN ARMSTRONG (0-1, 2.08 ERA) IS IN TO PITCH FOR GREEN
-Ensley strikes out looking.
-Stark grounds out to 3B.
-Moore strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 8
B6
-Maners doubles to right field.
-Weiss grounds out to 2B. Maners advances to third.
-Irish intentionally walked
LHP KIRBY CONNELL (3-0, 3.52 ERA) IS COMING IN TO PITCH FOR COMBS
-McMurray sac fly to CF. Maners scores.
-Connell pick off attempt to first. Maners steals second.
-Peirce walks.
-Peirce out at 2B on fielder’s choice.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 9
SEVENTH INNING
T7
-Burke flies out to CF.
-Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Tears walks.
-Dreiling grounds out to C
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 9
B7
-Belyeu strikes out swinging.
-Guevara strikes out swinging.
-Green singles to 3B.
-Maners strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 9
EIGHTH INNING
-Curley grounds out to 2B.
-Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Ensley grounds out to first.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 9
B8
LHP CHRIS STAMOS (3-0, 3.75 ERA) IS COMING IN TO PITCH FOR CONNELL
-Weiss strikes out swinging
-Irish grounds out to 2B. 4-1.
-McMurray strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 9
NINTH INNING
T9
-Peebles strikes out looking.
-Moore grounds out to SS
-Burke singles to LF.
-Chapman strikes out swinging.
