SCORE: Tennessee 12, St. Bonaventure 0 | FINAL (COMBINED NO-HITTER FOR THE VOLS – Fourth combined in history 9th overall)

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

Second-ranked Tennessee baseball (13-0) is set to face the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (7-4) Friday in game one of a three-game series in Knoxville.

First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 6:00 p.m. ET on SECN+.

First pitch was initially scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, but it was moved up because of colder temperatures later in the night.

Tennessee is looking to remain undefeated on the season after beating Radford and Xavier in back-to-back midweek matchups. The Vols got off to a slow start and the pitching staff had its worst game of the season Tuesday, but the Big Orange totaled 11 runs in the 7th inning to run-rule Radford.

Tennessee hit three grand slams in the victory bringing its total to seven. In just 12 games, Tennessee is already halfway to the NCAA single-season grand slam record (2003 Arizona State – 14).

The Vols bounced back with a cleaner game Wednesday, dominating Xavier 13-1 behind a great relief outing from Austin Breedlove and a seven-run sixth inning.

RECORD?: Tennessee Baseball Hitting Grand Slams At Torrid Pace To Begin 2025 Season

Prior to Tuesday, Tennessee went 3-0 in Houston last weekend at the Astros Foundation College Classic. The Vols passed their first two challenging tests of the season with flying colors, beating Oklahoma State 5-2 and Arizona 5-1.

Tennessee also achieved a 13-3 win over weaker opponent Rice. The Vols have also swept weekend series over Hofstra and Samford this season, as the upcoming St. Bonaventure series marks Tennessee’s third true weekend series.

HONORS: Gavin Kilen Named SEC Baseball Player of the Week

Tennessee’s pitching staff was dominant in Houston, allowing just six runs across the three games. Additionally, infielder Gavin Kilen stole the show, totaling four home runs, seven RBI and 24 total bases on the weekend. The junior received SEC Player of the Week honors Monday.

After the impressive showing, Tennessee moved up one spot in D1 Baseball’s rankings to No. 2. However, the Vols are No. 1 in all four other polls.

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Rankings Following Successful Weekend In Houston

The worst part of Tennessee’s undefeated season so far is first baseman Alberto Osuna having his injunction for another season of eligibility denied by a judge Monday.

Read more about the court’s decision and its impact HERE.

With Osuna still ineligible, Andrew Fischer and Levi Clark figure to get the vast majority of reps at first base. With Fischer primarily playing first instead of third base, his natural position, Manny Marin will get the majority of opportunities at third. However, Marin is out of the lineup Friday, and Dalton Bargo is starting at third.

Injury/Availability Notes

Tennessee is basically at 100%, but some players are still unavailable.

• UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
• Infielder Alex Perry, who was in competition to start at first base before Osuna’s arrival, left the program in January to tend to a personal matter. It remains to be seen when or if Perry will return. He is in his second season at Tennessee.

Opponent Scout

St. Bonaventure owns a season-opening four-game series win over Gardner Webb and swept thee three opponents it played in Mufreesboro last weekend (Middle Tennessee State, UT Martin & Old Dominion).

The Bonnies lost its only true three-game weekend series to Morehead State and dropped a midweek contest to Vanderbilt Wednesday. The Commodores run-ruled the Bonnies 14-1 in seven innings.

Head coach Jason Rathburn’s squad was picked to finish last in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll and boast zero Preseason All-Conference selections.

St. Bonaventure has three players hitting .300 or higher with 10 or more at-bats and three arms with a sub 4.00 ERA that have made three or more appearances. The Bonnies aren’t terrible but the lack of pitching gives Tennessee a big edge this weekend.

Friday is the Bonnies’ best chance at a win given starting pitcher James Capellupo’s talent, but the Vols should be able to have success once they get into the bullpen.

This is the first time the Tennessee and St. Bonaventure baseball programs have met.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tony Vitello Said After Midweek Win Over Xavier

For all of RTI’s preseason baseball coverage, including how Liam Doyle is currently viewed as the top prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft by one analyst, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast, discussing all the major takeaways from Tennessee’s 3-0 weekend in Houston, click here.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello Breaks Down Midweek Win Over Xavier

Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

SS Dean Curley (R)

2B Gavin Kilen (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

DH Levi Clark (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

LF Jay Abernathy (L)

3B Dalton Bargo (L)

Lineup Notes:

• With Manny Marin out of the lineup, Dalton Bargo gets the nod at 3B. Andrew Fischer stays at 1B which is where he’s primarily played this season.
  • Marin warmed up with the team and seems to be healthy, but he may have gotten banged up sliding into an Arizona player in Houston.
• Jay Abernathy back starting in left after being out of the starting lineup in both midweek games. Had started four straight games in left before that.
• Cannon Peebles behind the plate. Expect Stone Lawless to get one catcher start this weekend.
• Top six of the order remain the same.

ST. BONAVENTURE STARTING NINE: 

CF Jayce Tharnish (R)

SS Chris Hoalcraft (R)

2B David Marshall (L)

RF Mike Gunning (R)

C Antonio Cordeiro (R)

1B Morgan Little (L)

3B Harrison Kaufman (R)

DH Robert Mannino (R)

LF Tucker Genovesi (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (2-0, 0.61 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 14.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 34 K, .130 opp. batting avg., 0.63 WHIP)

vs.

Bonnies So. RHP James Capellupo (1-0, 3.07 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 14.2 IP, 16 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 12 K, .286 opp. batting avg., 1.69 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Doyle continues to start Fridays and will look to keep his dominant season going.
• Capellupo is the Bonnies ace and is very talented. Can touch 98-100 mph on the gun and is far and away St. Bonaventure’s best arm.
  • While Capellupo is good, the Bonnies’ pitching numbers aren’t great so far this season (7.52 team ERA). Tennessee should have success against bullpen arms this weekend.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Friday Whites

St. Bonaventure: Brown shirts, grey pants with white caps

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*NOTES*

• There is NO run-rule tonight or Saturday. There IS a run-rule Sunday.
• Tennessee’s No. 2 ranking refers to D1 Baseball’s poll.
  • Tennessee is No. 1 in all other polls (USA Today Poll, NCBWA, Baseball America and Perfect Game).

---

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Jayce Tharnish works a leadoff walk.

Tharnish steals second.

• 14-14 on stolen base attempts for Tharnish this season. He can run.

-Chris Hoalcraft strikes out swinging after a nine-pitch at-bat.

-David Marshall grounds out to 3B. Tharnish to third.

• Nice throw by Bargo.

-Mike Gunning strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Dean Curley HBP.

-Gavin Kilen grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.

-Hunter Ensley flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Bonnies 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Antonio Cordeiro strikes out swinging.

-Morgan Little flies out to RF in right-center.

• Great play by Reese Chapman who sprinted to the gap and made the tough catch.

-Harrison Kaufman strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Andrew Fischer is walked on four pitches.

-Levi Clark pops up to 2B.

-Reese Chapman ropes a single through the right side. Fischer to third.

• Ball was smoked.

-Cannon Peebles smacks a three-run homer to right-center.

• 367 feet, 104 mph.
• Peebles’ 3rd HR of the season.

-Jay Abernathy singles up the middle.

Bargo roped the 0-0 pitch just foul down the RF line.

-Dalton Bargo hammers a two-run homer to left field.

• 349 feet, 104 mph.
• Bargo’s 4th HR of the season.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.

-Gavin Kilen grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bonnies 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Robert Mannino strikes out looking on three pitches.

-Tucker Genovesi strikes out swinging.

-Jayce Tharnish grounds out to 3B.

• Doyle has retired nine straight batters and has 6 Ks.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF in right-center.

-Andrew Fischer is walked.

-Levi Clark flies out to LF.

• Loud flyout.

-Reese Chapman is walked. Fischer to second.

-Cannon Peebles pops up to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bonnies 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Chris Hoalcraft strikes out swinging.

-David Marshall Jr. grounds out to 2B.

-Mike Gunning strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-James Abernathy legs out an infield single to 1B.

• First baseman flipped it to the pitcher but Abernathy was able to beat it. Speed was huge there.

-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 1B unassisted. Abernathy advances to second, advances to third on a throwing error by 1B.

• Should’ve been a double play but the throw was too low. Abernathy makes it to third on the error.

-Dean Curley sends a sac fly to the warning track in center.

-Gavin Kilen grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Bonnies 0

5th Inning: 

T5

-Antonio Cordeiro strikes out swinging.

-Morgan Little strikes out swinging.

• 10 Ks for Doyle on the evening.

-Harrison Kaufman strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Hunter Ensley knocks a ground-rule double to left-center.

-Andrew Fischer works a walk.

-Levi Clark bloops an RBI single to left to score Ensley, advances to second on a fielding error by LF. Fischer advances to third on the error, out at home 7-5-2.

• Fischer collided with the third baseman causing him to go off the bag and drop the throw from the left-fielder. Fischer tried to take advantage and score but he was thrown out at home.

-Reese Chapman flies out to LF.

-Cannon Peebles works a walk.

Clark steals third.

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bonnies 0

6th Inning: 

T6

-Robert Mannino strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Tucker Genovesi strikes out swinging.

-Jayce Tharnish works a walk.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Tanner Franklin (0-0, 2.08 ERA) on to pitch for Doyle*

• Near-perfect outing for Doyle. Gave up no hits and just two walks – and two baserunners – in 5.2 innings. The walks bookended an incredible 17 batters retired streak.

-Chris Hoalcraft grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ryan Klementowski (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Capellupo*

-Dalton Bargo doubles to center.

• Bargo displayed some nice speed legging it out there. Looked like a single off the bat.

-Dean Curley is walked on four pitches.

-Gavin Kilen knocks a three-run homer off the yellow line in left-center.

• 8th HR of the season for Kilen.
• 395 feet, 102 mph
• Play was challenged by St. Bonaventure and the call STOOD.

-Hunter Ensley doubles to left field.

• Nice play by Ensley to evade the tag at second on his slide.

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Chance Moore (0-1, 15.26 ERA) on to pitch for Klementowski*

-Andrew Fischer launches a two-run homer over the videoboard.

• Fischer’s 6th HR of the season.
• 367 feet, 102 mph.

*Brayden Sharp pinch-hitting for Levi Clark*

-Sharp flies out to LF.

• Nice play by the left-fielder who made a sliding catch to rob Sharp of his first base-hit of the season.

*Hunter High pinch-hitting for Reese Chapman*

-High strikes out swinging.

-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Bonnies 0

7th Inning: 

T7

*Pitching change: S. LHP Brandon Arvidson (1-0, 5.40 ERA) on to pitch for Franklin*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Gavin Kilen*

*Colby Backus to CF for Hunter Ensley*

*Manny Marin to 2B for Andrew Fischer*

*Curley to 1B*

*High to RF*

-David Marshall Jr. works a walk.

-Mike Gunning strikes out swinging.

-Antonio Cordeiro strikes out swinging.

-Morgan Little grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Dalton Bargo works a walk.

*Blake Grimmer pinch-hitting for Dean Curley*

-Grimmer flies out to the warning track in LF.

-Ariel Antigua flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Bonnies 0

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Brayden May (season/career debut) on to pitch for Arvidson*

*Grimmer to LF*

*Stone Lawless to 1B for Jay Abernathy*

*Marin to 3B*

*Chris Newstrom to 2B for Dalton Bargo*

-Harrison Kaufman strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

-Tucker Genovesi flies out to CF.

-Jayce Tharnish pops up to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Colby Backus grounds out to SS.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.

-Brayden Sharp grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 12, Bonnies 0

9th Inning: 

T9

*Pitching change: LHP Michael Sharman (0-0, 7.20 ERA) on to pitch for May*

-Chris Hoalcraft flies out to CF.

-David Marshall out at first 1-4-3.

-Mike Gunning fouls out to 1B.

• The Vols finish off the combined team no-hitter. Fourth in program history and 9th overall in program history.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 12, Bonnies 0

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 12, St. Bonaventure Bonnies 0