SCORE: Tennessee 6, LSU 3 | FINAL
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (27-6, 7-5 SEC) is set to battle the LSU Tigers (22-12, 3-9 SEC) Friday night in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in game one of a marquee three-game series.
First pitch is at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU. 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.
All three games will be televised this weekend. Games two and three will air on the SEC Network.
The Vols are hosting LSU for the first time since the 2021 NCAA Super Regional in Knoxville. The last time the two sides met was in the College World Series last year in Omaha. The Tigers beat the Vols, 5-0, to end their season. In fact, both of Tennessee’s losses in the 2023 CWS came to the eventual national champions.
LSU had Tennessee’s number in the regular season last year, too, when it won two of three against the Vols in Baton Rouge.
The Vols are coming off a 20-2 midweek, run-rule win over Alabama A&M in Knoxville.
Most recently in SEC play, Tennessee earned a series win over Auburn on the road, taking the final two games after dropping the series opener. The series win over the Tigers marked Tennessee’s third straight, as it also owns series wins over Georgia and Ole Miss, both of which came in Knoxville.
Tennessee opened SEC play in Tuscaloosa against Alabama, who are the only team to beat the Vols in a series this season, winning games two and three.
In addition to the series wins over Ole Miss, Georgia and Auburn, some highlights from Tennessee’s season have been its series sweep over Illinois, 10-run midweek win over Kansas State, plus wins over Texas Tech and Baylor in Arlington.
As for LSU, the defending champs have had a tough first half of the season. After losing a lot to the MLB Draft, the Tigers have struggled to succeed so far in league play. LSU has dropped series to Vanderbilt, Florida, Arkansas and Mississippi State. The Tigers are yet to win an SEC series. LSU’s best win this season came against Texas in the Astros Foundation Classic in Houston.
Injury Note
-3B Billy Amick is back after missing the last eight games with an appendix injury. Bargo stays in the lineup at DH even with Amick back.
-AJ Russell remains out as he deals with forearm soreness. Russell will likely be out for a while, but he didn’t suffer a very serious injury.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including their most recent midweek win over Alabama A&M and everything Tony Vitello said to preview the series, click here.
For the most recent RTI Press Pass Podcast on Tennessee Baseball, click here.
More From RTI: No. 4 Tennessee Baseball vs. LSU: How To Watch, Pitching Matchups, Prediction
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)
3B Billy Amick (R)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
DH Dalton Bargo (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Amick is officially back in the lineup at third base after missing the last eight games due to appendix surgery.
- Outfield rotation remains the same with Ensley getting the nod in center. Seems like the outfield rotation that will be used more times than not.
- Cal Stark gets the catcher start. After a strong weekend in Auburn, it seems Stark is the bona-fide No. 1 catcher for the Vols. Expect him to start at minimum two games this series.
- Curley back starting at shortstop after a rest day on Tuesday.
- Bargo goes to the DH spot with Amick returning to the lineup.
- No Robin Villeneuve or Reese Chapman, but they’ll likely get opportunities this weekend.
LSU STARTING NINE:
1B Jared Jones (R)
3B Tommy White (R)
RF Ashton Larson (L)
LF Mac Bingham (R)
2B Josh Pearson (L)
DH Hayden Travinski (R)
C Brayden Neal (L)
SS Michael Braswell III (R)
CF Paxton Kling (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Gr-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 3.46 ERA, 11 app., 0 starts, 13.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 12 K, .103 opp. batting avg., 0.92 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers RS-So. LHP Gage Jump (2-0, 3.98 ERA, 8 app., 7 starts, 31.2 IP, 25 H, 16 R, 14 ER, 11 BB, 38 K, .217 opp. batting avg.)
Pitching notes:
- Stamos gets his first start as a Vol. The graduate Cal transfer has been a mid-tier bullpen arm for Tennessee and has mostly been solid. Walk number is high but giving up only four hits is impressive.
- Jump is a UCLA transfer who is in his first season at LSU. Has served as the Tigers’ Friday night guy pretty much all season. Started every weekend aside from opening weekend. Longest he’s gone in an outing is 5.2 innings.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Icy whites
LSU: Grey tops, grey bottoms with purple accents
First Pitch
New Tennessee Lady Vols basketball head coach Kim Caldwell is throwing out the first pitch.
RTI will have video of Caldwell throwing the pitch. Be sure to check in on RTI YouTube, RTI X and RTI Instagram for the first pitch.
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or LSU leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
- Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Jared Jones flies out to CF.
-Tommy White smokes a double deep into right field.
-Ashton Larson lines into a double play at 2B, 4-6. Moore makes the catch and easily tosses to Curley, who gets White out at second.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore singles to SS. Braswell’s throw took the first baseman off the bag, but it would’ve been an incredible play had the throw been accurate.
-Blake Burke reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Moore out at second, 6-4.
-Billy Amick destroys a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat. The first pitch he’s seen since the Ole Miss series. Unreal.
-Kavares Tears works a walk.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley flies out to the warning track in left-center. Nearly another two-run jack for Tennessee.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Mac Bingham flies out to CF.
-Josh Pearson flies out to LF.
-Hayden Travinski strikes out swinging. Nice 1-2-3 inning from Stamos, who has faced the minimum.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Dalton Bargo lines out to SS.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to the warning track in center field. Another loud out here in LNS by a Tennessee hitter.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Brady Neal strikes out swinging.
-Michael Braswell III gets a double to drop in left field as Tennessee makes a bad defensive mistake. Was Curley or Dreiling’s fly ball to field but neither made an effort to make the play. Ensley sprinted and tried his best to catch it but didn’t make it there in time.
Braswell III advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Paxton Kling strikes out swinging.
-Jared Jones works a walk on a full count. Tight zone there for Stamos in that at-bat.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey (5-2, 5.35 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos* (White up to bat)
-Tommy White drives an RBI single up the middle. Jones advances to second. Braswell III scores.
-Ashton Larson walks to load the bases.
-Mac Bingham strikes out swinging. Big K there from Causey to strand the bases loaded.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Christian Moore knocks a single to RF.
-Blake Burke sends a single up the middle. Bounced off the bag and over the second baseman into the outfield. Moore advances to second. Hit streak up to 24 games for Burke, which leads the nation. On-base streak at 32 games.
-Billy Amick strikes out looking. Amick, the crowd and the Tennessee dugout did not like that strike three call.
-Kavares Tears works a walk to load the bases for Dylan Dreiling. Dreiling will aim to hit his second and Tennessee’s 10th grand slam of the season. One out.
-Dylan Dreiling works a bases-loaded walk after a great at-bat.
-Dean Curley fouls out to RF. Burke tags up and heads home but is ruled out for a 9-2 inning-ending double play.
Tennessee challenges the call of out at home. Call STANDS. Missed opportunity for Tennessee there in that inning.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Tigers 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Josh Pearson flies out to deep center field.
- Great play by Ensley to track it and run it down. That’s why he starts in center.
-Hayden Travinski strikes out swinging.
-Brady Neal strikes out looking. Causey and Stark both display some emotion as they run back into the dugout.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley pops up to 3B in foul territory.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging. Quick work for Jump in the 1-2-3 inning.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Tigers 1
5th Inning:
T5
*Steven Milam pinch-hitting for Michael Braswell III*
-Milam strikes out swinging.
*Jake Brown pinch-hitting for Paxton Kling*
-Brown strikes out swinging.
- Four straight Ks for Causey, who has retired six straight.
-Jared Jones singles through the left side.
-Tommy White grounds out to 2B. Nice inning from Causey.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
*Milam to SS*
*Brown to CF*
-Christian Moore works a leadoff walk.
-Blake Burke singles to 1B. Moore advances to second.
- The ball hit the base and popped up high in the air, allowing Burke to reach in time. Wicked play.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Samuel Dutton (0-0, 3.00 ERA) on to pitch for Jump*
-Billy Amick reaches on a fielder’s choice by SS as Burke is out at second, 6-4. Second baseman then commits a throwing error, allowing Amick to advance to second. Moore scored on the error.
Amick advances to third on a wild pitch and scores on a throwing error by catcher Brady Neal. Bad error from LSU.
-Kavares Tears out at first, 1B to P.
-Dylan Dreiling ropes a solo homer to the Tennessee bullpen in RF.
- Ball was low and got out in a hurry. Dreiling’s 13th homer of the season (tied with Christian Moore for team lead). 104 mph.
-Dean Curley flies out to the warning track in left center.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Ashton Larson strikes out looking.
-Mac Bingham singles up the middle.
-Josh Pearson grounds into a 3-6 inning-ending double play, as Bingham is tagged out at second. Great play by Burke.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to C.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out looking.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 1
7th Inning:
T7
-Hayden Travinski slaps a single to LF.
-Brady Neal flies out to RF. Nice play by Tears.
-Steven Milam strikes out swinging.
-Jake Brown grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
*Pitching change: So. RHP Aiden Moffett (0-0, 1.29 ERA) on to pitch for Dutton*
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
Moore is caught stealing at second after Burke’s strike three. Strike ’em out, throw ’em out.
-Billy Amick is walked.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 1
8th Inning:
T8
-Jared Jones works a leadoff walk.
-Tommy White pops up to 2B in shallow RF.
-Ashton Larson slices a double down the LF line. Jones advances to third.
-Mac Bingham is HBP to load the bases.
Tennessee is challenging that the 3-2 pitch did not hit Bingham. Call CONFIRMED. Tennessee is out of challenges. Bases loaded with one out.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (3-0, 3.18 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
*Ethan Frey pinch-hitting for Josh Pearson*
-Frey strikes out swinging.
-Hayden Travinski flies out to CF.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Cam Jonhson (0-0, 10.29 ERA) on to pitch for Moffett*
*Ryan Kucherak to 2B for Frey*
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.
-Dean Curley knocks a single to LF.
*Robin Villeneuve pinch-hitting for Bargo*
*Ariel Antigua pinch-running for Curley*
Antigua advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 1
9th Inning:
T9
*Antigua to SS*
*Alex Milazzo pinch-hitting for Brady Neal*
-Milazzo strikes out swinging.
-Steven Milam singles into center field.
-Jake Brown HBP.
Play under review. Call STANDS.
-Jared Jones HBP to load the bases. One out.
-Tommy White hits an RBI single to 3B.
- Could’ve been ruled an error as Amick should have made the play. Milam scores. Bases still loaded with one out. Tying run at the plate.
-Ashton Larson strikes out swinging.
Runners advance on a wild pitch. Brown scores on the WP. Runners on second and third with two outs.
-Mac Bingham grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 3
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, LSU Tigers 3
