LIVE Updates, Score, Notes: No. 17 Tennessee Baseball vs. Belmont Score, Updates

Photo via Tennessee Athletics/Vol Photos

SCORE: Tennessee 9, Belmont 4 | FINAL

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

No. 17 Tennessee baseball (39-12, 15-11 SEC) is set to battle the Belmont Bruins (24-28, 13-11 MVC) Tuesday in a midweek contest in Knoxville.

Tuesday is Senior Night. Hunter Ensley will be going through Senior Night festivities before first pitch in what could be his final game in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium will be at 5:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

Tennessee enters the game coming off a series loss to Vanderbilt. The Vols won game one 3-2 behind another incredible Liam Doyle start, but UT was unable to clinch the series in games two and three, falling 10-6 and 7-5, respectively.

Tennessee’s offense couldn’t capitalize on opportunities consistently enough, defensive woes continued to occur, Marcus Phillips struggled once again holding runners and the bullpen wasn’t as good as it needed to be, leading to back-to-back losses.

Read recaps of all three games below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Takes Series Opener Over Vanderbilt In Pitcher’s Duel
GAME TWO RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Drops Game Two Of Weekend Series Against Vanderbilt
GAME THREE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Drops Finale Against Vanderbilt, Fourth Straight Series

The series loss extends a troubling trend for the Vols, who have lost four straight series and five of their last six. This weekend’s series in Fayetteville against Arkansas is a big one as it pertains to Tennessee’s SEC Tournament seeding and eventual NCAA Tournament seeding.

SEEDING: Where Tennessee Projects In SEC Baseball Tournament Seeding A Week Out

The Vanderbilt series loss saw Tennessee drop even further in the latest D1 Baseball Top 25 poll to No. 17.

See where Tennessee landed in all major polls below.

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Ranks Following Series Loss Against Vanderbilt
Opponent Scout

Belmont has been a mediocre MVC team and struggled against P4 competition early in the season. The Bruins are 0-7 against Vanderbilt, Notre Dame and Kentucky, the other three P4 teams they played this year.

Belmont was run-ruled once by Kentucky in a three-game series and by Vanderbilt in its lone midweek matchup against the Commodores.

Head coach Dave Jarvis is in his 28th season at Belmont and boasts zero Preseason All-Conference selections. The Bruins were picked to finish T-8th in the MVC Preseason Poll.

Tuesday’s contest marks the fifth consecutive year in which the Vols have faced the Bruins in their final non-conference game of the regular season. UT owns a 15-4 series advantage and has defeated Belmont in each of the previous 10 meetings.

This is not a team that should have Tennessee on upset alert. Expect a stress-free win on Senior Night.

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 two Mondays ago, Osuna again took legal action still seeking eligibility. Read more HERE.
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Following Series-Finale Loss Against Vanderbilt

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including how Tennessee could make a change to its pitching rotation against Arkansas, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast recapping the Vanderbilt series and looking at why Tennessee must finish strong to close the regular season, click HERE.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello Recaps Series Loss to Vanderbilt

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 Gavin Kilen (L)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

3B Dalton Bargo (L)

2B Dean Curley (R)

LF Levi Clark (R)

DH Blake Grimmer (L)

C Stone Lawless (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

Lineup Notes:
  • Chapman back in the lineup after sitting Sunday’s game.
  • Grimmer at DH for the second straight game. Clark in left for the second straight game.
  • Top 5 of the order remains the same.
  • Lawless behind the plate for the midweek.

BELMONT STARTING NINE: 

2B Charlie Davis (L)

RF Ty Allen (R)

LF Blake Barton (R)

DH Mike Sprockett (L)

C Landon Godsey (R)

CF Michael Lareau (L)

1B Tucker Smith (R)

3B Kaden Galason (R)

SS Dean Spoto (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. LHP Michael Sharman (3-1, 3.48 ERA, 16 app., 2 starts, 20.2 IP, 18 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 9 BB, 23 K, 7 XBH, .234 opp. batting avg., 1.31 WHIP)

vs.

Bruins Fr. LHP Lake Morris (1-1, 8.65 ERA, 10 app., 4 starts, 26.0 IP, 31 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 20 BB, 18 K, 13 XBH, .292 opp. batting avg., 1.96 WHIP)

Pitching notes:
  • Sharman logs yet another midweek start. He’s been very good with midweek opportunities as of late.
Uniforms

Tennessee: Midweek pinstripes

Belmont: Navy tops, grey pants


*NOTES*

  • There IS a run-rule today.

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Charlie Davis grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Ty Allen strikes out looking.

-Blake Barton works a walk.

Barton picked off at first, 1-3.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Gavin Kilen works a walk.

-Andrew Fischer grounds out to 1B unassisted. Kilen to second.

-Hunter Ensley legs out an infield single to SS. Kilen to third.

-Dalton Bargo strikes out looking.

-Dean Curley flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Bruins 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Mike Sprockett lines out to 1B.

-Landon Godsey strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Michael Lareau singles to right field.

-Tucker Smith reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Lareau out at second, 6-4.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Levi Clark works a leadoff walk.

-Blake Grimmer reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B. Clark out at second, 5-6.

Was initially ruled a double play. Call was overturned after review.

-Stone Lawless reaches first on fielder’s choice. Grimmer reaches second on throwing error.

-Reese Chapman bloops a single to left field. Grimmer advances to third. Lawless advances to second.

-Gavin Kilen sends an RBI groundout to 2B. Grimmer scores. Lawless advances to third. Chapman advances to second.

-Andrew Fischer drives a three-run homer to right field. Lawless scores. Chapman scores. Fischer scores.

  • Fischer’s 21st HR of the season.
  • 349 feet, 105 mph

-Hunter Ensley smacks a solo homer to the third deck of porches to left field.

  • Ensley’s 10th HR of the season.
  • 396 feet, 100 mph

-Dalton Bargo works a walk.

***WEATHER DELAY FROM 5:47 TO 6:47 P.M. ET***

*Pitching change: RHP Logan Brock (2-2, 6.04 ERA) on to pitch for Morris*

Bargo caught stealing, 2-6.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

*Pitching change: So. RHP Thomas Crabtree (1-0, 2.77 ERA) on to pitch for Sharman*

*Colby Backus to CF for Hunter Ensley*

-Kaden Galason strikes out swinging.

-Dean Spoto strikes out looking.

-Charlie Davis grounds out to P.

  • Hard-hit ball. Hit Crabtree in the glove.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Dean Curley flies out to CF.

-Levi Clark flies out to CF.

-Blake Grimmer singles to SS.

  • Throw was high but Grimmer may have beat it anyway.

-Stone Lawless works a walk. Grimmer to second.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Ty Allen flies out to CF.

-Blake Barton rips a solo homer to left field.

-Mike Sprockett grounds out to 2B.

  • Hit into the shift.

-Landon Godsey strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Gavin Kilen grounds out to 2B.

-Andrew Fischer singles up the middle.

-Colby Backus fouls out to 2B.

-Dalton Bargo drops a single in right field. Fischer to second.

-Dean Curley grounds into a 4-6 fielder’s choice. Bargo out at second.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 1

5th Inning: 

T5

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Andrew Behnke (2-0, 5.00 ERA) on to pitch for Crabtree*

-Michael Lareau hammers a solo homer to left field.

-Tucker Smith flies out to CF.

-Kaden Galason HBP.

-Dean Spoto strikes out swinging on three pitches.

Galason caught stealing 1-3-6.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Pitching change: LHP Trey Maeker (1-1, 7.18 ERA) on to pitch for Brock*

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to CF.

-Stone Lawless works a walk.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 2

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Breedlove (3-0, 3.20 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*

-Charlie Davis strikes out swinging.

-Ty Allen is walked on four pitches.

Allen caught stealing, 2-4.

  • Overslid the bag by A LOT. Had the steal the whole way.

-Blake Barton works a walk.

-Mike Sprockett grounds out to 1B unassisted.

  • Great play by Fischer. Absolute rocket down the 1B line.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Gavin Kilen strikes out swinging.

-Andrew Fischer flies out to LF.

-Colby Backus strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Bruins 2

7th Inning: 

T7

-Landon Godsey doubles to left-center.

-Michael Lareau works a walk.

Runners advance on a wild pitch.

-Tucker Smith strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

*Nolan Sergeant pinch-hitting for Kaden Galason*

-Nolan Sergeant sends an RBI groundout to 1B unassisted. Lareau to third. Godsey scores.

-Dean Spoto strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

*Cade Batchelor to 3B for Sergeant*

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Jonathon Van Ness (0-1, 6.50 ERA) on to pitch for Maeker*

-Dalton Bargo singles through the left side.

-Dean Curley works a walk.

*Jay Abernathy pinch-running for Curley*

-Levi Clark knocks an RBI single through the left side. Abernathy to second.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to LF.

Runners advance on a wild pitch.

-Stone Lawless ropes a two-run double to left field.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 1B unassisted. Lawless to third.

-Gavin Kilen drives an RBI single to right field, out at second 9-4.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 9, Bruins 3

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Brayden Krenzel (2-0, 3.75 ERA) on to pitch for Breedlove*

*Kilen to 2B*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Levi Clark*

*Abernathy to LF*

*Manny Marin to 3B for Reese Chapman*

*Bargo to RF*

-Charlie Davis grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Ty Allen works a walk.

-Blake Barton flies out to LF.

-Mike Sprockett drives an RBI double down the RF line. Allen scores all the way from first.

-Landon Godsey strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: RHP Owen Marsh (3-1, 4.45 ERA) on to pitch for Van Ness*

-Andrew Fischer works a walk.

-Colby Backus HBP. Fischer to second.

*Chris Newstrom pinch-hitting for Dalton Bargo*

-Chris Newstrom grounds into a 1-6-3 double play. Fischer to third.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 9, Bruins 4

9th Inning: 

T9

*Hunter High to RF for Chris Newstrom*

-Michael Lareau strikes out swinging.

-Tucker Smith flies out to RF.

*Gardner Lawrence pinch-hitting for Cade Batchelor*

-Lawrence singles up the middle.

*Jake Maddox pinch-hitting for Dean Spoto*

-Jake Maddox strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 9, Bruins 4

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 9, Belmont Bruins 4

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