SCORE: Tennessee 11, St. Bonaventure 1 | FINAL (7 inn. – Run-Rule)

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

Second-ranked Tennessee baseball (14-0) is set to face the St. Bonaventure Bonnies (7-5) Saturday in game two of a three-game series in Knoxville.

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

Tennessee is looking to clinch the series after winning the series opener, 12-0. The Vols combined to throw a no-hitter in the victory, the fourth combined no-hitter and program history and ninth overall.

Friday’s game marked Tennessee’s first no-hitter of any kind since 2002 and first combined no-hitter since 2000.

Read more about Tennessee’s no-hitter HERE.

Offensively, the Vols put together two five-run innings against the Bonnies. Andrew Fischer, Dalton Bargo, Gavin Kilen and Cannon Peebles all left the yard while Hunter Ensley and Jay Abernathy also had multi-hit days.

GAME ONE RECAP: Doyle Dazzles as Tennessee Baseball Records Combined No-Hitter Against St. Bonaventure

Tennessee remained undefeated on the season with Friday’s win. The Vols are off to a dominant start to the season with series wins over Hofstra and Samford to go along with a 3-0 weekend at the Astros Foundation College Classic in Houston.

In Daikin Park last weekend, 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.

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 Vols also own midweek wins over UNC Asheville, North Alabama, Radford and Xavier. The Vols got off to a slow start and the pitching staff had its worst game of the season Tuesday against Radford, but the Big Orange totaled 11 runs in the 7th inning to earn a run-rule win.

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

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 and Dalton Bargo will likely get the majority of opportunities 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.

Like Friday, St. Bonaventure will be throwing a talented arm in game two in junior righty Michael Salina. Salina is an MLB prospect with good strikeout numbers so far this season (15 K per nine).

Friday was the first time the Tennessee and St. Bonaventure baseball programs have met.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Baseball Recorded No-Hitter Against St. Bonaventure

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 Reacts to Tennessee Baseball Combined No-Hitter

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)

3B Manny Marin (R)

LF Dalton Bargo (L)

Lineup Notes:

• Manny Marin back in the lineup after a three-game absence.
  • Marin got banged up sliding into second against Arizona in Houston. Bargo started at third in place of Marin Friday.
• Bargo gets the nod in left field after a big day at the plate Friday. No Jay Abernathy after a multi-hit day in the series opener.
• Cannon Peebles stays behind the plate for the second straight game.
• Top six of the order remain the same.

ST. BONAVENTURE STARTING NINE: 

CF Jayce Tharnish (R)

SS Chris Hoalcraft (R)

2B David Marshall Jr. (L)

DH Mike Gunning (R)

C Antonio Cordeiro (R)

1B Morgan Little (L)

RF Conner Vercollone (R)

3B Ryan Kucy (R)

LF Paul Vossen (L)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. RHP Marcus Phillips (0-0, 1.35 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 13.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 20 K, 2 XBH, .146 opp. batting avg., 0.98 WHIP)

vs.

Bonnies Jr. RHP Michael Salina (1-0, 3.14 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 14.1 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 24 K, 3 XBH, .241 opp. batting avg., 1.21 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Phillips stays in his Saturday role. He has not pitched more than 4.2 innings so far this season.
• Salina is an MLB prospect and might be the best player on the Bonnies’ roster.
  • Salina’s numbers are similar those of St. Bonaventure’s ace James Capellupo, who started Friday and allowed seven runs in 5.0 innings.
  • BUT Salina does have better strikeout numbers.
  • Capellupo and Salina are the Bonnies two best arms along with bullpen swiss army knife Luke Roggenburk. After that, it’s a big drop off.
  • Vols should once again have success when getting to the bullpen if not before.
  • Salina can pump close to 100 mph

Uniforms

Tennessee: Orange shirts, white pants

St. Bonaventure: Brown shirts and grey pants with off-white caps

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*NOTES*

• There IS a run-rule today AND 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).

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Jayce Tharnish smokes a solo homer to right field.

-Chris Hoalcraft grounds out to 2B.

-David Marshall Jr. grounds out to SS.

-Mike Gunning flies out to CF.

END OF TOP 

B1

-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.

-Gavin Kilen pops up to SS in shallow left field.

-Hunter Ensley reaches on a fielding error by 3B.

• Third baseman bobbled the ball on a routine grounder.

-Andrew Fischer grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Bonnies 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Antonio Cordeiro strikes out swinging.

-Morgan Little strikes out swinging.

-Conner Vercollone flies out to the warning track in right field.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Levi Clark is walked.

-Reese Chapman reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Clark out at second, 6U.

-Cannon Peebles fouls out to C.

-Manny Marin knocks a double down the LF line. Chapman to third.

• Barely fair.

-Dalton Bargo ropes a two-run single to right field.

-Dean Curley grounds out to P.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Bonnies 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Ryan Kucy strikes out swinging.

-Paul Vossen strikes out looking.

-Jayce Tharnish reaches on a fielding error by SS.

• Wasn’t the easiest play in the world but one Dean should have made.

-Chris Hoalcraft reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Tharnish out at second, 6-4.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Gavin Kilen grounds out to SS.

-Hunter Ensley works a walk.

-Andrew Fischer smacks an RBI double to left-center.

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Bonnies 1

4th Inning: 

T4

-David Marshall Jr. strikes out swinging.

-Mike Gunning grounds out to 3B.

-Antonio Cordeiro grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Gabe Watts (1-1, 4.15 ERA) on to pitch for Salina*

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 3B.

• Third baseman’s throw took the first baseman off the bag but he was able to apply the tag on Peebles before he reached the base.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.

-Dalton Bargo grounds out to C.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Bonnies 1

5th Inning: 

T5

-Morgan Little grounds out to 2B.

-Conner Vercollone rips a double to deep left field.

-Ryan Kucy flies out to CF. Vercollone to third.

-Paul Vossen pops up to P on a bunt.

• New career-long outing for Phillips (5.0 IP).

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Dean Curley is walked on four pitches.

-Gavin Kilen singles through the right side. Curley to second.

Curley steals third, Kilen steals second.

-Hunter Ensley sends a sac fly to RF. Curley scores. Kilen to third.

-Andrew Fischer lines a sac fly to the RF. Kilen scores.

• Hard-hit right to the right-fielder.

-Levi Clark is walked.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bonnies 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Jayce Tharnish flies out to deep right field.

-Chris Hoalcraft grounds out to C.

-David Marshall Jr. drives a double to LF.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Nate Snead (1-0, 0.75 ERA) on to pitch for Phillips*

-Mike Gunning grounds out to 3B.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Cannon Peebles flies out to LF.

-Manny Marin delivers a double down the LF line.

Marin advances to third on a passed ball.

-Cannon Peebles pops up to C.

-Dean Curley slaps a two-run oppo homer to right field.

• 333 feet, 93 mph.
• Curley’s 6th HR of the season.
• Lindsey Nelson Stadium special.

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Tom Wilke (0-0, 6.00 ERA) on to pitch for Watts*

-Gavin Kilen HBP.

• 91 mph fastball right in the middle of the back.

-Hunter Ensley reaches on a throwing error by P. Kilen to second, advances to third on the error.

• Grounder hit the pitcher. He picked it up and fired it low and outside to the first baseman, allowing Ensley to reach.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bonnies 1

7th Inning: 

T7

*Curley to 1B*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dalton Bargo*

*Fischer to LF*

-Antonio Coredeiro grounds out to 2B.

-Morgan Little grounds out to 2B.

-Connor Vercollone grounds out to 3B.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

*Brian Carrothers to C for Cordeiro*

-Levi Clark is walked on four pitches.

*Jay Abernathy pinch-running for Clark*

-Reese Chapman doubles to left-center. Abernathy to third.

-Cannon Peebles HBP.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Manny Marin.

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ethan Catney-Forbes on to pitch for Wilke*

-Marin crushes a grand slam to left field to end the game.

• Tennessee’s 8th grand slam of the season. The NCAA record is 14.
• Marin’s 2nd HR of the season.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 7, Bonnies 1

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 11, St. Bonaventure Bonnies 1 (7 inn. run-rule)