SCORE: Tennessee 3, LSU 6 | FINAL

*The game did not start until 10:55 p.m. ET due to a weather delay

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

No. 4 Tennessee baseball (34-7, 12-6 SEC) is set to battle the No. 7 LSU Tigers (34-8, 12-6 SEC) Friday in game one of a three-game series in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

First pitch in Alex Box Stadium is at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

Games two and three of the series will be televised.

For a full preview of the series, including projected pitching matchups, notable storylines and a prediction, click HERE.

Tennessee enters the series coming off a 11-1 run-rule midweek win over Lipscomb.

The midweek win served as a bounce back from a home series loss to Kentucky a week ago. After a dominant game one win thanks to another Liam Doyle gem, Tennessee’s offense fell flat in back-to-back games. The Vols scored just three combined runs in games two and three as Kentucky pulled off the upset.

The series loss marked Tennessee’s second straight at home, a first in the Tony Vitello era. Additionally, three runs in a two-game span was the worst mark in the Tony Vitello era at home and worst since the 2019 SEC-opening series at Auburn.

With the series loss, Tennessee dropped two spots in this week’s D1 Baseball Top 25 rankings. See where Tennessee landed in all five major polls below.

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Ranks Following Series Loss Against Kentucky

In last Saturday’s game, a foul ball unfortunately hit Tennessee relief pitcher Tanner Wiggins in the mouth. Tony Vitello said there were teeth involved in Wiggins’ injury, and the sophomore underwent surgery over the weekend on his jaw.

Read more about Wiggins’ status HERE.

STRUGGLES: Struggles From Back Half Of Lineup Amplifies Tennessee’s Offensive Issues Against Kentucky

Injury/Availability Notes

• Tanner Wiggins underwent jaw surgery after getting hit by a foul ball and is in the recovery stage.
• Brayden Krenzel is OUT all weekend with an illness, the same illness he dealt with last weekend. He is progressing, though, and could be back next weekend.
• Gavin Kilen’s made his return to defense in Tuesday’s game and remains at second base Friday.
• UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.

Prediction: LSU wins two of three.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Following Run-Rule Win Over Lipscomb

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast, including a full reaction of Tennessee’s series loss to Kentucky and what it means, click here.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello Recaps Run-Rule Midweek Win Over Lipscomb

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

3B Dean Curley (R)

2B Gavin Kilen (L)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

LF Dalton Bargo (L)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

SS Ariel Antigua (R)

DH Jay Abernathy (L)

Lineup Notes:

• With Gavin Kilen back at second base after dealing with a hamstring injury, Dean Curley slides to second and Ariel Antigua starts at shortstop.
• Jay Abernathy gets the start at designated hitter and is in the nine hole.

LSU STARTING NINE: 

LF Derek Curiel (L)

1B Jared Jones (R)

2B Daniel Dickinson (R)

DH Ethan Frey (R)

SS Steven Milam (R)

RF Jake Brown (L)

C Luis Hernandez (R)

3B Michael Braswell III (R)

CF Chris Stanfield (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (7-1, 2.48 ERA, 10 app., 10 starts, 58.0 IP, 31 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 17 BB, 104 K, 10 XBH, .154 opp. batting avg., 0.83 WHIP)

vs.

Tigers So. LHP Kade Anderson (6-1, 3.92 ERA, 10 app., 10 starts, 1 CG, 57.1 IP, 48 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 13 BB, 91 K, 17 XBH (12 HR), .224 opp. batting avg., 1.07 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Really good pitching matchup for Friday night’s game.
• Anderson is a good arm but see he’s struggled with giving up homers. Could be a storyline tonight if the power is there for the Vols.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Smokey Greys

LSU: Purple hats, purple jerseys and white pants.

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*NOTES*

• The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or LSU leads by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning, the game is over.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Dean Curley works a walk.

-Gavin Kilen flies out to the warning track in left field.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out looking.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.

B1

-Derek Curiel walks on four pitches.

-Jared Jones strikes out swinging.

-Daniel Dickinson chops out to shortstop. Nice play by Ariel Antigua. Curiel advances to second.

-Ethan Frey strikes out looking.

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman singles to right field.

-Cannon Peebles pops out to second base.

-Ariel Antigua singles on an 0-2 pitch to right field. Chapman advances to second.

-Jay Abernathy walks. Chapman advances to third. Antigua advances to second.

-Curley chops into a 6-4 fielder’s choice.

B2

-Steven Milam strikes out swinging. Doyle went down 2-0 before throwing three straight fastballs for strikes.

-Jake Brown grounds out to shortstop.

-Luis Hernandez flies out to centerfield.

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Kilen strikes out swinging.

-Fischer strikes out swinging.

-Ensley pops out to first base.

B3

-Doyle makes a great play to get Michael Braswell at first on a swinging bunt.

-Chris Stanfield strikes out swinging.

-Curiel grounds out to second base.

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Bargo strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Chapman strikes out swinging.

-Peebles grounds out to shortstop.

B4

-Jones walks.

-Dickinson flies out to left field after a long battle.

-Frey strikes out swinging.

-Milam pops out in foul territory down the left field line.

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

5th Inning: 

T5

-Antigua flies out to right field.

-Abernathy strikes out looking.

-Curley flies out to left field.

B5

-Brown grounds out to shortstop.

-Hernandez pops out in foul territory behind the plate.

-Braswell strikes out looking.

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

6th Inning: 

T6

-Kilen beats the shift with a single to left field. Eight pitch at-bat.

-Fischer singles up the middle. Kilen scores.

-Ensley strikes out swinging.

-Bargo grounds into a 5-4-3 double play.

B6

-Stanfield flies out to shallow centerfield.

-Curiel grounds out to second base.

-Jones singles to centerfield.

-Dickinson flies out to centerfield.

Score: Vols 1, Tigers 0

7th Inning: 

T7

-Chapman strikes out swinging.

-Peebles doubles to left field.

-Antigua strikes out swinging.

Levi Clark is pinch hitting for Jay Abernathy.

-Clark walks.

Curley grounds into a fielder’s choice. 5UA

B7

-Frey flies out to right-center field.

-Milam flies out to right-center field.

-Brown walks on a 3-2 pitch.

RHP Tanner Franklin is coming in to pitch

Josh Pearson pinch hits for Hernandez

-Pearson singles to left field. Brown advances to second.

Ashton Larson is pinch hitting for Braswell

-Larson flies out to left field.

Score: Vols 1, Tigers 0

8th Inning: 

T8

-Kilen pops out to catcher.

-Fischer doubles down the right field line.

RHP Zac Cowan (2-0, 1.21 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 37.1 IP) is coming in to pitch.

Fischer advances to third on a wild pitch.

-Ensley singles to right field. Fischer scores.

-Bargo pops out to third base.

-Chapman singles to left field. Ensley advances to second.

-Peebles strikes out swinging

B8

RHP Nate Snead is in to pitch for Tennessee

-Stanfield singles to right field.

-Curiel lines out to centerfield.

-Jones strikes out looking.

-Dickinson grounds into a 5-4 fielder’s choice.

Score: Vols 2, Tigers 0

9th Inning: 

T9

RHP Jacob Meyers is in to pitch.

-Antigua grounds out to shortstop.

-Clark walks.

Brayden Sharp is pinch running for Clark

Sharp steals second.

-Kilen doubles into the left-center gap. Sharp scores.

-LSU intentionally walks Fischer.

-Ensley chops one to third. Baserunners interference on Kilen ends the inning.

B9

-Frey reaches on a Curley throwing error.

-Milam strikes out swinging.

-Brown reaches on a Curley fielding error.

-Reaves walks. Frey advances to third. Brown advances to second.

Dalton Beck is pinch hitting

-Beck drives in a pair of runs with a single to center field. Tying run advances to second.

-Stanfield flies out to left field.

-Curiel singles to right field. Reaves scores. Beck advances to third.

-Jared Jones walks off the game with a home run to centerfield.

Score: Vols 3, Tigers 6

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 3, LSU Tigers 6