SCORE: Tennessee 1, Auburn 8 | FINAL (Auburn wins series 2-1)
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
No. 12 Tennessee baseball (37-10, 14-9 SEC) is set to battle the No. 10 Auburn Tigers (32-15, 12-11 SEC) Sunday in game three of a three-game series in Knoxville.
First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium will be at 2:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
***THE GAME WILL ONLY BE 7 INNINGS***
Tennessee enters the game coming off an extra-innings victory in game two. The game was suspended after one pitch was thrown in the top of the 10th Saturday. The two sides finished the game earlier on Sunday, with the Vols claiming a 5-4 win thanks to a Chris Newstrom pinch-hit walk-off RBI single.
The win was much-needed and evened the series for Tennessee, as Auburn took game one 6-1. After playing the top half of the first inning Friday, inclement weather postponed the rest of the game to Saturday.
With Liam Doyle not being able to pitch on Saturday after tossing the opening frame Friday, the Tigers did enough offensively against Tennessee pitchers while the Vols offense was shut down.
Doyle was able to return Sunday, however, recording a pair of scoreless innings in extras to help lead the Vols to the massive win.
Read recaps of both games below.
GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball’s Offense Falls Flat In Series Opener Versus Auburn
GAME TWO RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Walks Off Auburn To Even Up Weekend Series
Tennessee entered the weekend coming off a narrow midweek win over Northern Kentucky. Before that, the Vols dropped two of three in a weekend series at LSU.
The loss dropped Tennessee six spots in the latest D1 Baseball Top 25 poll to No. 12. Additionally, Tennessee has now lost three of its past four series and two straight.
See where Tennessee landed in all five major polls below.
RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Rankings After Series Loss to LSU
Following the series loss to LSU, Tony Vitello adjusted the lineup in the midweek contest against Northern Kentucky. Dean Curley moved to second base in a full-time role while Gavin Kilen moved over to shortstop. That has remained the case this weekend.
Additionally, Kilen moved to the leadoff spot in the lineup and Curley was moved down to the two-hole. That has also remained the case so far this weekend.
INFIELD ADJUSTMENT: Tennessee Baseball ‘Knows What’ Its Middle Infield Is Going To Look Like After Tumultuous April
Opponent Scout
After a rough 2024 season, Auburn has bounced back this season and is back as one of the top handful of teams in the SEC. The Tigers lost just two games in the pre-conference slate. UAB got them in a midweek game and a second time last month. Old Dominion also won one game in a three-game series against the Tigers.
Auburn has won five of its seven SEC series to this point in the season but its conference record is just a game above .500 because the Tigers were swept in both series — at Georgia and at Texas. The Tigers have series wins over Alabama, Vanderbilt and a series sweep over LSU.
Auburn’s two best players from last season are back and are its best bats again. Cooper McMurray is hitting .337 with nine home runs, 13 doubles and 40 RBIs. Ike Irish is hitting .329 with 11 home runs, 11 more extra-base hits and 37 RBIs. Four Tigers are hitting over .300 and four have four or more home runs.
On the mound, the Tigers rank 13th in the SEC in team-ERA. Carson Myers and Parker Carlson are Auburn’s top bullpen arms and have been good but not great this season.
Head coach Butch Thompson is in his 10th year at Auburn and boasts a pair of Preseason All-Conference selections in catcher Ike Irish (1st team) and first baseman Cooper McMurray (2nd team). Auburn was picked to finish 12th in the league in the preseason.
Injury/Availability Notes
- In game two against Kentucky, 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 afterward on his jaw.
- Read more about Wiggins’ status HERE.
- UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
- But on Monday, Osuna again took legal action still seeking eligibility. Read more HERE.
TRANSCRIPT: What Tony Vitello Said Following Northern Kentucky Win, Previewing Auburn
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
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:
SS Gavin Kilen (L)
2B Dean Curley (R)
1B Andrew Fischer (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
LF Dalton Bargo (L)
DH Levi Clark (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
C Cannon Peebles (S)
3B Manny Marin (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Same lineup and order it’s been all series long.
- Gavin Kilen remains at shortstop. Dean Curley at second base.
- Marin at third.
- Clark at DH over Abernathy, Newstrom and others.
AUBURN STARTING NINE:
2B Chris Rembert (R)
CF Cade Belyeu (L)
RF Ike Irish (L)
1B Cooper McMurray (L)
DH Lucas Steele (S)
3B Eric Guevara (R)
LF Bub Terrell (L)
C Chase Fralick (L)
SS Eric Snow (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. RHP AJ Russell (0-0, 2.45 ERA, 5 app., 4 starts, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 2 XBH, .185 opp. batting avg., 0.95 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers Fr. RHP Christian Chatterton (3-1, 3.95 ERA, 11 app., 11 starts, 43.1 IP, 28 H, 22 R, 19 ER, 17 BB, 51 K, 13 XBH, .188 opp. batting avg., 1.04 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Second straight Sunday start for Russell. He’ll look to rebound after a forgettable 1.2-inning start last week at LSU.
- Chatterton started the year as a part of the weekend rotation but ran into struggles early in SEC play.
- Has since moved into a midweek starter role and excelled. Now returns to the SEC weekend rotation for the first time since March 29.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Sunday creams
Auburn: Orange shirts, white pants
*NOTES*
- The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Auburn leads by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning, the game is over.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Chris Rembert flies out to LF.
-Cade Belyeu strikes out swinging.
-Ike Irish works a walk.
-Cooper McMurray strikes out swinging.
- Sword for strike three.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Gavin Kilen fouls out to C.
-Dean Curley flies out to RF.
-Andrew Fischer flies out to CF,
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Lucas Steele strikes out swinging.
-Eric Guevara out at first 1B to P.
-Bub Terrell flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Hunter Ensley singles through the left side.
- Hard-hit ball ricocheted off Eric Snow’s glove. Was very hard-hit.
-Dalton Bargo lines into a 4-3 double play.
-Levi Clark doubles to right field.
- Ike Irish slipped and fell back-pedaling, allowing the ball to drop.
-Reese Chapman grounds out to P.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Chase Fralick singles down the LF line.
-Eric Snow flares a single to center. Fralick to second.
-Chris Rembert singles through the left side.
- Bases loaded with no outs for Cade Belyeu
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Nate Snead (3-1, 3.05 ERA) on to pitch for Russell*
Fralick scores on a wild pitch. Snow and Rembert advance.
-Cade Belyeu knocks an RBI single up the middle.
-Ike Irish reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to SS. Belyeu out at second, 6-4.
-Cooper McMurray doubles to right field. Irish to third.
-Lucas Steele knocks a sac fly to LF. Irish scores.
-Eric Guevara strikes out swinging.
- Sword for strike three.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Cannon Peebles strikes out looking.
-Manny Marin strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Gavin Kilen flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 4
4th Inning:
T4
-Bub Terrell flies out to 3B.
-Chase Fralick grounds out to SS.
-Eric Snow grounds out to 3B.
- Really nice play by Manny Marin.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
*Pitching change: LHP Cade Fisher (1-2, 5.76 ERA) on to pitch for Chatterton*
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Andrew Fischer works a walk.
-Hunter Ensley singles to right field.
-Dalton Bargo infield fly to SS.
Runners advance on a passed ball.
-Levi Clark strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 4
5th Inning:
T5
*Chris Newstrom to RF for Reese Chapman*
-Chris Rembert singles to left field.
-Cade Belyeu singles through the right side. Rembert to third.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Brandon Arvidson (2-0, 4.29 ERA) on to pitch for Snead*
Belyeu advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Ike Irish works a walk.
- Bases loaded with no outs for Cooper McMurray
-Cooper McMurray strikes out looking.
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Brayden Krenzel (2-0, 3.92 ERA) on to pitch for Arvidson*
-Lucas Steele works an RBI walk. Rembert scores.
- Bases loaded with no outs for Eric Guevara.
-Eric Guevara works an RBI walk. Belyeu scores.
- Bases loaded with no outs for Bub Terrell.
- Really questionable check swing call in the at-bat.
**TONY VITELLO HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM THE GAME**
- Vitello went to each umpire and gave them a piece of his mind. Looked like he knew he was going to get ejected for what he was about to do and didn’t care. Got his money’s worth.
-Bub Terrell strikes out swinging.
-Chase Fralick drives an RBI single to right field to score Irish. Steele thrown out at home, 9-2.
- Nice throw from Newstrom.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Chris Newstrom strikes out swinging.
-Cannon Peebles smokes a solo homer to left field.
- Peebles’ 10th HR of the season.
-Manny Marin strikes out looking.
-Gavin Kilen fouls out to LF.
- Tremendous sliding catch by Auburn left-fielder Bub Terrell in foul territory.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 7
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Tanner Franklin (1-1, 4.30 ERA) on to pitch for Krenzel*
-Eric Snow fouls out to RF.
-Chris Rembert grounds out to C on a bunt.
- Great play by Peebles to get to the ball and fire a laser to first.
-Cade Belyeu grounds out to SS.
- Call was challenged and the ruling STOOD. Fischer’s foot stayed on the bag and the throw was in time.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Deric Fabian to SS for Eric Snow*
-Dean Curley flies out to LF in left-center at the warning track.
-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley HBP.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 7
7th Inning:
T7
-Ike Irish is walked on four pitches.
Irish advances to second on a passed ball.
-Cooper McMurray chops a single over Franklin’s head. Irish to third.
-Lucas Steele rips an RBI single through the right side to score Irish. McMurray to second.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Breedlove (2-0, 3.06 ERA) on to pitch for Franklin*
*Cole Edwards pinch-running for Lucas Steele*
-Eric Guevara grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. McMurray to third.
-Bub Terrell grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Levi Clark pops up to 1B.
-Chris Newstrom HBP.
*Jay Abernathy pinch-running for Chris Newstrom*
-Cannon Peebles pops into a 4-3 double play.
- Abernathy was way too far off first base, easily out for the double play.
END OF GAME
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 8
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 1, Auburn Tigers 8
