SCORE: Tennessee 8, LSU 4 | FINAL
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (29-6, 9-5 SEC) is set to battle the LSU Tigers (22-14, 3-11 SEC) Sunday in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in game three of a marquee three-game series.
First pitch is at 3:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. 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 are televised this weekend. Game one was on ESPNU and game two also aired on the SEC Network.
Tennessee is looking to sweep the series with a win on Sunday after defeating the Tigers in the series opener, 6-3, and in game two, 3-1. In the series-clinching win, Drew Beam turned in an excellent start, Nate Snead was great out of the bullpen, and Dylan Dreiling came through in the clutch once again with a two-run single.
Read all about Tennessee’s game two win here.
Read about Tennessee’s series-opening win here.
The Vols are hosting LSU for the first time since the 2021 NCAA Super Regional in Knoxville. The last time the two sides met prior to this season 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.
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 and are yet to win a series. LSU has dropped series to Vanderbilt, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi State and now Tennessee. 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.
LSU will be looking to avoid getting swept for the second time this season, as they also got swept by Arkansas earlier in the year.
Injury Note
-3B Billy Amick is back for this series after missing the last eight games with an appendix injury prior to Friday.
-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 series-clinching win over LSU and everything Tony Vitello said after the win, click here.
For the most recent RTI Press Pass Podcast on Tennessee Baseball, click here.
More From RTI: WATCH: Tony Vitello Recaps Series-Opening Win Over LSU
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)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
DH Reese Chapman (L)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Stark gets his second start of the weekend after taking a backseat to Cannon Peebles on Saturday.
- Chapman gets the DH nod over Bargo and Villeneuve. Villeneuve did not receive a single start this weekend.
- 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.
- Top five of the order remain the same.
LSU STARTING NINE:
SS Michael Braswell III (R)
3B Tommy White (R)
1B Jared Jones (R)
C Hayden Travinski (R)
DH Ashton Larson (L)
LF Mac Bingham (R)
2B Steven Milam (S)
CF Paxton Kling (R)
RF Jake Brown (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Sr. LHP Zander Sechrist (1-0, 3.37 ERA, 9 app., 8 starts, 26.2 IP, 25 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 5 BB, 32 K, .250 opp. batting avg., 1.13 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers Sr. LHP Nate Ackenhausen (2-4, 6.75 ERA, 9 app., 0 starts, 2 SV, 21.1 IP, 19 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 11 BB, 30 K, .241 opp. batting avg.)
Pitching notes:
- Sechrist receives his third straight Sunday start. He shoved two weeks ago against Georgia and was solid last week in two innings of work at Auburn.
- Ackenhausen gets his first start of the season. The last time Ackenhausen faced Tennessee was in the Vols’ season-ending loss to the Tigers in Omaha last year. Ackenhausen was downright dominant allowing no runs and four hits in 6.0 innings.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Sunday creams
LSU: Grey tops and bottoms with purple caps
First Pitch
Tennessee basketball senior Dalton Knecht is throwing out the first pitch.
RTI will have video of Helton throwing the pitch. Be sure to check in on RTI YouTube, RTI X and RTI Instagram for the video of the first pitch.
Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell threw out the first pitch ahead of the series opener on Friday night. Watch Caldwell’s first pitch here.
VFL legend and national baseball Hall of Famer threw out the first pitch on Saturday. Watch Helton’s first pitch here.
*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
-Michael Braswell III strikes out swinging.
-Tommy White is walked on four pitches.
-Jared Jones strikes out looking. Zander froze him.
-Hayden Travinski strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore legs out an infield single to P. Great hustle from Moore.
-Blake Burke pops up to 3B.
-Billy Amick reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B. Moore is out at second, 5-4.
-Kavares Tears pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Ashton Larson strikes out swinging.
-Mac Bingham singles to SS.
-Steven Milam slaps a single to RF. Bingham advances to second.
-Paxton Kling reaches on a fielder’s choice to C on a bunt. Milam advances to second, Bingham out at third, 2-5.
-Jake Brown grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging. Ump said he went on the check swing, but it didn’t look like it.
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Michael Braswell III grounds out to 3B.
-Tommy White grounds out to P. Nice play by Zander.
-Jared Jones flies out to CF in right center.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Reese Chapman grounds out to SS.
-Cal Stark singles through the left side.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 2B. Stark advances to second.
-Blake Burke pounds a two-run homer to the left-field porches. Homer No. 42 of his career, 12th of the season.
-Billy Amick pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Hayden Travinski sends a single into center field.
-Ashton Larson reaches on a fielder’s choice to 1B. Travinski out at second, 3-6.
-Mac Bingham strikes out swinging.
Larson steals second on the pickoff attempt.
-Steven Milam knocks an RBI single into right center. Larson scores from second.
Milam caught stealing at second, 1-3-4.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Kavares Tears grounds out to SS.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
-Dean Curley grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Paxton Kling out at first, 1-4-3. Clipped Zander’s hand prior to Moore fielding it.
-Jake Brown grounds out to 2B.
-Michael Braswell III flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
*Pitching change: RHP Aiden Moffett (0-0, 1.12 ERA) on to pitch for Ackenhausen*
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman flies out to CF in left field. Kling and Bingham collided in left but Kling was still able to make the catch.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Tommy White grounds out to 3B.
-Jared Jones grounds out to SS. Nice pick by Burke.
-Hayden Travinski lifts a moonshot solo homer to the second deck of the left-field porches.
-Ashton Larson doubles to right center.
Larson was initially ruled out at second, but the call was OVERTURNED after an LSU challenge.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (0-0, 1.59 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Mac Bingham strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Christian Moore crushes a 412-foot solo homer to left field.
- 113 mph off the bat. Mashed. Moore’s team-leading 14th HR of the season.
-Blake Burke grounds out to SS.
-Billy Amick singles through the right side.
*Pitching change: LHP Cam Johnson (0-0, 9.39 ERA) on to pitch for Moffett*
-Kavares Tears pops up to SS.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Tigers 2
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (3-0, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
-Steven Milam flies out to CF.
-Paxton Kling flies out to CF.
-Jake Brown strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Dean Curley cracks an infield single to SS.
*Pitching change: RHP Gavin Guidry (1-0, 4.91 ERA) on to pitch for Johnson*
-Hunter Ensley is walked.
*Ethan Payne pinch-hitting for Reese Chapman*
–Interesting move here–
-Payne grounds out to P on a sac bunt. Ensley advances to second, Curley to third.
- Payne is one of the best bunters on the team. Executed the sac bunt beautifully.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
-Christian Moore smokes a three-run home run to the upper deck of the left-field porches. Huge.
- Moore has tied Burke for the all-time program lead at 42 home runs. No. 15 for Moore on the year and second of the day.
*Pitching change: LHP Kade Anderson (3-1, 2.84 ERA) on to pitch for Guidry*
-Blake Burke smacks a double off the top of the wall in right center. Nearly got out.
-Billy Amick intentionally walked.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 2
8th Inning:
T8
-Michael Braswell III sends a single up the middle.
-Tommy White mashes a two-run homer to left field. No doubter.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Aaron Combs (0-1, 5.28 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Jared Jones strikes out swinging.
-Hayden Travinski strikes out swinging.
-Ashton Larson grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley lines out to 2B.
-Hunter Ensley rips a single through the left side.
*Bradke Lohry pinch-hitting for Payne*
-Lohry works a walk after a great at-bat.
*Pitching change: RHP Micah Bucknam (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Anderson*
-Cal Stark gets a two-run double to drop in no man’s land in shallow left center. Big insurance for Tennessee.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Tigers 4
9th Inning:
T9
*Ariel Antigua to SS for Curley*
*Josh Pearson pinch-hitting for Mac Bingham*
-Pearson flies out to CF.
-Steven Milam strikes out swinging.
*Brady Neal pinch-hitting for Paxton Kling*
-Neal grounds out to 1B unassisted. Combs gets the save and Tennessee completes the sweep.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 8, Tigers 4
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 8, LSU Tigers 4
