SCORE: Vols 10, Bruins 0 | FINAL (7 inn. – Run-Rule)

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***

Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (42-10, 19-8 SEC) is set to host Belmont (24-27, 11-13 MVC) Tuesday in a midweek bout inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The game will serve as Tennessee’s final midweek contest of the season.

First pitch in Knoxville is at 5:00 p.m. ET on 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.

The Vols are looking to bounce-back after a 3-0 loss to Vanderbilt in Sunday’s series finale. The loss marked the first time the Vols had gotten shutout this season, as they tallied no runs on just three hits.

Despite the poor series finale, Tennessee did clinch the series with an 8-4 win on Friday and 7-6 win on Saturday. Read recaps of all three games in the Vanderbilt series below.

RECAP: Vols take game one in Nashville

RECAP: Vols survive comeback bid to clinch series in Nashville

RECAP: Bats fall flat as Vols fail to sweep Vandy

The Vanderbilt series win gave Tennessee eight straight series wins. With another impressive series win, Tennessee remained atop all polls as the unanimous number one team on Monday.

For more on Tennessee being atop the polls for the second time in program history, click here.

TRANSCRIPT: Tony Vitello Recaps Sunday Loss at Vanderbilt

While Tennessee should easily handle Belmont on paper, the Vols have struggled in their past two midweek affairs. After dropping their first and only midweek contest of the season two weeks ago against Lipscomb, Tennessee struggled against Queens last Tuesday. Dylan Dreiling’s three-run home run proved to be the difference as Tennessee escaped with a 6-3 victory.

In addition to the Vanderbilt series win, Tennessee owns series sweeps over defending national champions LSU and Missouri in Knoxville, series wins over No. 15 Georgia and Ole Miss at home, and series wins over No. 4 Kentucky, Florida and Auburn on the road.

As for Belmont, the Bruins are having a better season than they did a year ago. Belmont has hovered around .500 in conference play and has a 1-3 record against SEC teams, with its win coming against South Carolina.

Belmont will aim to exact revenge from last year’s 9-5 loss in Knoxville.

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including where Tennessee stands in the SEC standings after its series win at Vanderbilt, click here.

For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.

More From RTI: WATCH: Tony Vitello Talks Tennessee Baseball’s Series Finale Loss At Vanderbilt

SENIOR DAY

Tuesday served as Tennessee’s Senior Day. The following players were honored during pre-game:

• LHP Zander Sechrist
• LHP Chris Stamos
• C Cal Stark
• C Charlie Taylor

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)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

SS Dean Curley (R)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

DH Colby Backus (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Colby Backus gets the midweek start, his third of the season and fourth start overall
• Cannon Peebles behind the dish for the midweek game. Peebles has been starting every midweek as of late whether it’s at catcher or DH.
• Top 7 of the order remain the same.

BELMONT STARTING NINE:

RF Sam Slaughter (L)

2B Jack Rando (R)

3B Mason Landers (R)

1B Brodey Heaton (R)

C Blake Barton (R)

DH Max Jones (R)

SS Pete Daniel (R)

CF Michael Lareau (L)

LF Max Blessinger (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Fr. LHP Dylan Loy (1-0, 2.70 ERA, 14 app., 4 starts, 20.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 26 K, .164 opp. batting avg., 0.90 WHIP)

vs.

Bruins Jr. RHP Jordan Zuger (1-1, 6.53 ERA, 25 app., 0 starts, 40.0 IP, 50 H, 32 R, 29 ER, 16 BB, 39 K, .301 opp. batting avg., 1.65 WHIP)

Uniforms

Tennessee: Midweek Pinstripes

Belmont: Navy tops, grey bottoms with red accents

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*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Belmont leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Sam Slaughter flies out to LF.

-Jack Rando grounds out to SS.

-Mason Landers singles to LF.

-Brodey Heaton is walked on four pitches. Landers advances to second.

-Blake Barton grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Christian Moore reaches on a fielding error by 3B, advances to second on the error.

-Blake Burke flies out to the warning track in right center. Moore advances to third.

-Billy Amick rips an RBI double to left center to score Moore.

-Kavares Tears singles off the first base bag. Amick advances to third.

-Dylan Dreiling works a walk after a long at-bat. Bases loaded with one out for Hunter Ensley.

-Ensley slaps a bases-clearing double to left center.

-Dean Curley reaches on a throwing error by 3B, advances to second on the error. Ensley advanced to third, scored on the error.

-Cannon Peebles flies out to CF. Curley advances to third.

-Colby Backus strikes out looking on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Max Jones reaches on a throwing error by SS.

-Pete Daniel grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Jones easily out at second 6-4, and Daniel is ruled out due to an illegal slide by Jones.

-Michael Lareau strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Christian Moore flies out to RF.

-Blake Burke singles to LF, out at second 7-4.

-Billy Amick slaps a single to LF.

-Kavares Tears grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Max Blessinger strikes out looking.

-Sam Slaughter knocks a single to CF.

-Jack Rando flies out to RF.

*Pitching change: So. RHP JJ Garcia (2-0, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*

Slaughter steals second.

Slaughter steals third.

-Mason Landers grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Hank Liss (2-3, 4.58 ERA) on to pitch for Zuger*

-Dylan Dreiling rips a double to left center.

-Hunter Ensley works a walk.

-Dean Curley works a walk. Bases loaded with no outs for Cannon Peebles.

-Cannon Peebles sends a sac fly to LF. Dreiling scores.

-Colby Backus delivers an RBI single through the right side. Curley advances to second. Ensley scores.

-Christian Moore reaches on a fielder’s choice by 2B as Backus is out at second, 4-6. Curley advances to third.

Moore steals second.

-Blake Burke flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bruins 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Brodey Heaton strikes out looking.

-Blake Barton works a walk after a long at-bat.

Barton steals second.

-Max Jones lines out to 3B.

• Great catch by Amick on an 88 mph line drive.

-Pete Daniel grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ty Allen (0-1, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Liss*

-Billy Amick fouls out to 1B.

-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B.

-Dylan Dreiling pops up to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bruins 0

5th Inning: 

T5

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Matthew Dallas (1-0, 3.60 ERA) on to pitch for JJ Garcia*

*Reese Chapman to RF for Kavares Tears*

-Michael Lareau strikes out looking.

-Max Blessinger strikes out swinging.

-Sam Slaughter singles to RF.

-Jack Rando strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bruins 0

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: So. RHP Marcus Phillips (0-0, 4.05 ERA) on to pitch for Matthew Dallas*

*Ariel Antigua to 2B for Hunter Ensley*

*Christian Moore to CF*

-Mason Landers strikes out swinging.

-Brodey Heaton pops up to 2B in shallow CF.

-Blake Barton strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Colby Backus smokes a solo homer off the scoreboard.

• Backus’ 5th HR of the season in 27 at-bats.

-Christian Moore knocks a solo homer to right-center.

• 24th of the season for Moore, TYING a program single-season record.
• 51st of Moore’s career.

*Camden Bates pinch-hitting for Blake Burke*

-Camden Bates grounds out to 3B.

*Ethan Payne pinch-hitting for Billy Amick*

-Ethan Payne strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman smacks a solo homer to RF.

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Bill Duby (2-2, 4.94 ERA) on to pitch for Ty Allen*

*Charlie Taylor pinch-hitting for Dylan Dreiling*

-Charlie Taylor flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 10, Bruins 0

7th Inning: 

T7

*Bradke Lohry to 2B for Christian Moore*

*Dalton Bargo to RF for Dean Curley*

*Hunter High to LF for Cannon Peebles*

*Reese Chapman to CF*

*Ethan Payne to 1B*

*Ariel Antigua to SS*

*Charlie Taylor to C*

*Camden Bates to 3B*

*Pitching change: RS-Fr. Austin Hunley (1-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Phillips*

*Jeff Clarke pinch-hitting for Max Jones*

-Jeff Clarke grounds out to 2B.

-Pete Daniel doubles to left-center.

*Cade Rogers pinch-hitting for Michael Lareau*

-Cade Rogers strikes out looking.

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Derek Schaefer (2-0, 9.72 ERA) on to pitch for Hunley*

-Max Blessinger flies out to CF in left-center.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 10, Bruins 0

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 10, Belmont Bruins 0 (7 inn. – Run-Rule)