SCORE: Tennessee 6, Wake Forest 7 | FINAL (Forces a Monday elimination game)

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No. 14 Tennessee baseball (45-16, 16-14 SEC) is set to battle Wake Forest (38-21, 16-14 ACC) Sunday in the Knoxville Regional Final.

First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium will be at 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU. Mike Monaco (PxP) and Kyle Peterson (Analyst) are calling the game.

For a full preview of the game including a prediction, click HERE.

Tennessee enters the game 2-0 so far in the Knoxville Regional. The Vols beat 4-seed Miami (OH) Friday 9-2 before knocking off 3-seed Cincinnati 10-6 on Saturday.

Starting pitchers Liam Doyle and Marcus Phillips turned in great outings on Friday and Saturday, respectively, while the offense has continued to roll. Gavin Kilen tallied four hits against Cincinnati while Andrew Fischer, Dean Curley and Cannon Peebles all recorded multiple hits. Peebles and Kilen have 10 combined hits so far in the regional.

Read recaps of both of Tennessee’s wins below.

MIAMI (OH) RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Coasts Past Miami (Ohio) For NCAA Tournament Opening Win

CINCINNATI RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Knocks Off Cincinnati To Advance To Knoxville Regional Final

Regional two-seed Wake Forest is 2-1 so far in the regional. The Demon Deacons lost to Cincinnati 11-6 in game one of the regional on Friday but have since knocked off Miami (OH) and Cincinnati in elimination games.

Wake Forest’s offense has tallied 24 combined runs in the past two games. Offense is certainly the Demon Deacons’ strength while the pitching is suspect. Wake is able to start Logan Lunceford against Tennessee, however, who has been one of its main starting pitchers all year.

If Wake Forest beats Tennessee Sunday night, the two teams will play an elimination game on Monday. First pitch time and TV details are unknown right now for the potential game.

CHANGING NARRATIVES: Maligned Vols Deliver For Tennessee Against Cincinnati In NCAA Tournament

Tennessee enters the NCAA Tournament coming off a 2-1 run in the SEC Tournament. The Vols dominated Alabama in game one in Hoover, tallying a season-high 20 hits in a 15-10 victory. UT then claimed arguably its biggest win of the season with a 7-5 extra innings win over 1-seed Texas to advance to the tournament semifinals.

Tennessee’s run would end there in a disappointing 10-0 run-rule loss to eventual tournament champions Vanderbilt.

While the Vols ended their tournament run with a whimper, Tennessee’s pair of wins were massive. They are the reason Knoxville was named a host site, as Tennessee wasn’t projected to host before the tournament began.

VIDEO REACTION: Instant Reaction: Tennessee Baseball Defeats Cincinnati in Knoxville Regional

Tennessee has the most momentum it’s had in nearly two months. The offense has been good to great since the start of the Arkansas series aside from the Vanderbilt game. AJ Russell and Brandon Arvidson delivered superb performances in Hoover to change the outlook of the bullpen. Infield mistakes are happening less.

Additionally, Marcus Phillips excelled against Cincinnati, a team that steals bases at a high rate. Phillips has shown lots of improvement in his ability to handle the run game over the last few weeks. Doyle’s bounce back performance Friday against Miami (OH) was also big.

Tennessee’s draw in the regional was a favorable one and the weekend has proved that so far. The Vols were able to coast against Miami (OH). Cincinnati and Wake Forest’s lack of pitching depth has shown in their losses.

Tennessee is in good position against the Demon Deacons Sunday night. The Vols have all bullpen arms available aside from Russell and the red-hot offense should be able to take advantage of a mediocre Wake Forest pitching staff.

Opponent Scout

• 36-20 (16-14 ACC) record
• Finished eighth in the ACC regular season standings, second round exit in ACC Tournament
• No. 30 in RPI
• Swept Miami, beat North Carolina and Louisville in series. Dropped series against Florida State and Clemson.

Strengths

Wake Forest has a really good offense and is one of the nation’s most patient. The Demon Deacons worked 363 walks, the fourth best rate in the entire country. Led by the high walk rate, Wake Forest enters the weekend ranked sixth nationally with a .431 on-base percentage.

They can hit for power too, ranking No. 13 nationally with a .532 slugging percentage. With five players who have hit 10-plus home runs this season, Wake Forest ranks 11th nationally in home runs.

Weaknesses

The Demon Deacons aren’t overly aggressive on the base paths, stealing 70 bases and not ranking in the top 100 nationally.

Injury/Availability Notes

• Tanner Wiggins and Alberto Osuna will not play for the remainder of the season. Osuna has been ineligible all season long and Wiggins is recovering from a mouth injury after getting hit by a foul ball in the Kentucky series.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tony Vitello Said Following Tennessee Baseball’s NCAA Tournament Win Over Cincinnati

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including a feature on AJ Russell, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast previewing the Knoxville Regional, click HERE.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello, Cannon Peebles, Marcus Phillips Discuss Tennessee’s Win Over Cincinnati

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)

LF Dalton Bargo (L)

2B Dean Curley (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

DH Levi Clark (R)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

3B Manny Marin (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Same lineup as it has been the last seven games for Tennessee.

WAKE FOREST STARTING NINE: 

RF Matt Scanell (L)

SS Marek Houston (R)

3B Kade Lewis (L)

1B Jack Winnay (R)

DH Dalton Wentz (S)

LF Luke Costello (R)

2B Austin Hawke (R)

C Jimmy Keenan (R)

CF Javar Williams (L)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols So. LHP Dylan Loy (4-0, 3.68 ERA, 29 app., 0 starts, 2 SV, 29.1 IP, 17 H, 14 R, 12 ER, 10 BB, 32 K, 8 XBH, .163 opp. batting avg., 0.92 WHIP)

vs.

Demon Deacons Jr. RHP Logan Lunceford (5-5, 5.40 ERA, 16 app., 14 starts, 1 SV, 55.0 IP, 41 H, 36 R, 33 ER, 28 BB, 85 K, 16 XBH, .203 opp. batting avg., 1.25 WHIP)

Pitching Notes:

• First start of Loy’s season. The sophomore lefty will likely be used as an opener. Tegan Kuhns, Brandon Arvidson, Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin and Brayden Krenzel are all ready to go behind him.
• Lunceford has been one of Wake’s main starters this year but hasn’t had a great season. Demon Deacons have most of their bullpen arms ready to go behind Lunceford.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Dark Mode

Wake Forest: White shirts and pants with black and gold caps

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*NOTES*

• There is NO run-rule in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tennessee is the AWAY team today because it has been the away team less than Wake Forest so far this weekend.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Gavin Kilen flies out to LF.

-Andrew Fischer flies out to CF.

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 2B.

• Nice play by Austin Hawke.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Matt Scannell strikes out looking.

-Marek Houston drives a solo homer off the scoreboard.

• 366 feet, 102 mph.

-Kade Lewis flies out to LF.

• Nice running catch by Dalton Bargo along the foul line. At the warning track, too.

-Jack Winnay strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Demon Deacons 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Dalton Bargo lines out to RF.

• Hard-hit ball. Bargo hasn’t missed many barrels this Regional but has little to show for it. Some bad luck.

-Dean Curley strikes out looking.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Dalton Wentz lines out to RF.

-Luke Costello works a walk.

*Pitching change: So. LHP Brandon Arvidson (2-0, 3.66 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*

• Mid-count. 1-2 against Austin Hawke.

-Austin Hawke strikes out looking.

-Jimmy Keenan strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Demon Deacons 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 2B.

-Manny Marin reaches on a fielding error by P.

• Lunceford couldn’t cleanly field the soft grounder on a swinging bunt from Marin.

-Gavin Kilen delivers an RBI double to right-center. Marin scores.

• Right fielder slipped while fielding the ball in right-center. Allows Manny to easily make it home and Kilen to second.
• It is raining hard in LNS. Turf is slippery. Rain also helped with Lunceford’s error on the ground ball.

-Andrew Fischer slaps an RBI single down the RF line. Kilen scores.

• Two-out error has really come back to bite Wake.

-Hunter Ensley reaches on a 6-4 fielder’s choice. Fischer out at second.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Javar Williams is walked on four pitches.

-Matt Scannell reaches on a bunt single to 2B, advances to second on a throwing error by Curley. Williams advances to third on the error.

• Curley fired a throw over Kilen’s head at second base trying to get Williams out coming back to the bag… but Williams was not that far off from the bag. He was never getting him. Bad mistake gives Wake a pair ISP with no outs.

-Marek Houston strikes out swinging.

-Kade Lewis dribbles an RBI groundout to 1B unassisted. Williams scores. Scannell to third.

-Jack Winnay knocks an RBI double to left-center. Scannell scores.

-Dalton Wentz rips an RBI double to the left-field corner. Winnay scores.

Wake Forest challenged a no hit by pitch call on a 1-0 pitch to Luke Costello. The call STOOD.

-Luke Costello strikes out swinging.

• Costello smoked a 2-2 pitch just foul into the left-field porches. Would’ve been a two-run homer.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Demon Deacons 4

4th Inning: 

T4

-Dalton Bargo lines out to 2B.

-Dean Curley drops a single into centerfield.

-Reese Chapman pops up to SS.

-Levi Clark flies out to CF.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Austin Hawke strikes out swinging.

-Jimmy Keenan works a walk.

-Javar Williams hammers a two-run homer to right field.

-Matt Scannell strikes out swinging.

-Marek Houston strikes out swinging.

• Sword for strike three on the check swing. 7 Ks for Arvidson.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Demon Deacons 6

5th Inning: 

T5

-Cannon Peebles flies out to CF.

-Manny Marin sends a single up the middle.

-Gavin Kilen reaches on a fielder’s choice to 2B. Marin out at second, 4-6.

-Andrew Fischer crushes a two-run homer to right-center.

• Fischer’s 23rd HR of the season.
• 429 feet, 106 mph.

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Kade Lewis grounds out to 1B unassisted.

• Nice play by Andrew Fischer. Lewis’ ground ball was deep along the 1B line. Fischer sprinted to the bag to beat Lewis’ slide.

-Jack Winnay singles to left field.

-Dalton Wentz strikes out swinging.

-Luke Costello grounds into a 6-4 fielder’s choice. Winnay out at second.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Demon Deacons 6

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Rhys Bowie (0-2, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Lunceford*

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.

-Dean Curley works a walk.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to C. Curley to second.

-Levi Clark smacks a two-run homer into the Tennessee bullpen in right field.

• 342 feet, 94 mph
• Clark’s 10th HR of the season.

-Cannon Peebles is walked.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Austin Hawke strikes out looking.

• Nice job by Arvidson to come back from being down 3-1 in the count.

-Jimmy Keenan strikes out looking.

-Javar Williams strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Demon Deacons 6

7th Inning: 

T7

-Gavin Kilen works a leadoff walk.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Hunter Ensley is walked on four pitches.

-Dalton Bargo infield fly to SS.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Josh Gunther (1-3, 3.58 ERA) on to pitch for Bowie*

-Dean Curley works a walk.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Reese Chapman.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging to strand ’em loaded.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Matt Scannell flies out to LF.

-Marek Houston works a walk.

-Kade Lewis strikes out swinging.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Nate Snead (4-1, 3.94 ERA) on to pitch for Arvidson*

-Jack Winnay singles to left field. Houston to second.

-Dalton Wentz strikes out swinging.

• 100 mph strike three blown by him.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Demon Deacons 6

8th Inning: 

T8

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

-Manny Marin pops up to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Luke Costello strikes out swinging.

-Austin Hawke grounds out to P on a bunt.

-Jimmy Keenan triples to left field.

• Bargo completely lost the ball. Throwing his hands up while the ball had some serious hang time. Dropped near the warning track.

Crew chief challenged to see if it was a ground rule double. The call STOOD.

-Javar Williams strikes out swinging.

• BIG roar and fist bump from Snead. He’s fired up.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Demon Deacons 6

9th Inning: 

T9

*Pitching change: So. LHP Haiden Leffew (3-1, 4.59 ERA) on to pitch for Gunther*

-Gavin Kilen strikes out swinging.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out looking.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging on three pitches.

• Unbelievable inning from Leffew. Strikes out the top of the lineup in order on 13 pitches. Tip your cap.
• Leffew threw 48 pitches against Miami (OH) yesterday.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

-Matt Scannell works a leadoff walk.

-Marek Houston singles up the middle.

-Kade Lewis reaches on a bunt single to P.

• Snead looked to third once he fielded it but throw wasn’t gonna be on time. Looked elsewhere but both were too late. Didn’t throw the ball.
• Bases loaded with no pouts for Jack Winnay.

-Jack Winnay issued a four-pitch RBI walk to end it.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Demon Deacons 7

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Wake Forest Demon Deacons 7