Tennessee baseball announced its probable starters for this weekend’s series against Vanderbilt at Lindsey Nelson Stadium with one small tweak. The Vols’ did not name a starter for game three of the series on Sunday afternoon.
AJ Russell has served as the game three opener each of the last two weeks for Tennessee baseball after making his SEC debut the week before in a relief outing against Kentucky. Russell is dealing with a minor blister that flared up in his start against Auburn last weekend.
That could be the reason that Tony Vitello listed the Sunday starter role as to be determined. Whether Tennessee lists Russell on its weekend availability report Thursday night will be telling about Russell’s status entering the weekend.
The junior right hander hasn’t excelled in his first two SEC starts. Against LSU, Russell labored to get five outs while allowing two earned runs. The Franklin native was much better last week against Auburn though the final line didn’t back it up. Russell retired six of seven batters faced in the first two innings before three straight singles, the first two softly hit, ended Russell’s day.
Nate Snead relieved Russell with the bases loaded in the third inning and allowed all three runs to score given Russell three earned runs allowed in two innings pitched.
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“It was good, it was better,” Vitello said of Russell’s appearance. “It wasn’t like he was out of the zone or not throwing good pitches. They did a really good job. I mean, they did a good job with two strikes throughout the series, but it kind of spiraled there quick on him, but he was really good, especially in the first inning. You could tell there was an attitude difference, and certainly the stuff spoke to that as well.”
If Russell doesn’t start for Tennessee on Sunday, freshman Tegan Kuhns in the logical choice. The right hander started for Tennessee in game three the first six SEC series before moving to the bullpen two weeks ago. Kuhns effectively started for the Vols last week when game one resumed against Auburn in the second inning Saturday morning, throwing a season-best 4.2 innings.
It’s business as usual for Tennessee the first two games of the series. LHP Liam Doyle will start Friday while RHP Marcus Phillips will start Saturday. Doyle has been one of the nation’s best pitchers this season and enters the weekend with a 2.39 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in eight SEC starts this season. Phillips has been a bit more up-and-down in SEC play but still effective, posting a 3.02 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in eight SEC starts
Vanderbilt’s pitching staff is the strength of its team. Friday night starter J.D. Thompson and Sunday starter Conner Fennell have both been great to this point in the season.
Tennessee baseball’s weekend series against Vanderbilt begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The SEC Network is broadcasting the game. ESPN2 is broadcasting game two (5 p.m. ET Saturday) and game three (3 p.m. ET Sunday).
