Tennessee baseball’s season is on the line Monday night when they host Wake Forest in a decisive game seven of the Knoxville Regional.
The winner heads to Fayetteville to face Arkansas next weekend. Tennessee is looking for a fifth straight supers appearance. Wake Forest is looking to climb all the way out of the loser’s bracket by winning four straight games.
Here’s three keys and a quick prediction for Tennessee’s regional finals matchup.
More From RTI: Breaking Down The Pitching Availability For Tennessee, Wake Forest Ahead Of Game Seven
Three Keys
1. Make The Simple Defensive Play
Defense has been one of Tennessee’s issues this season. Playing a clean defensive game is ideal but more than anything, Tennessee just needs to make the simple and smart defensive plays.
The Vols twice made mistakes on bunt attempts against Wake Forest on Sunday. Dean Curley threw a ball to second he should have ate. Nate Snead tried to go to third with runners on first and second. This is bound to be a high scoring game. Don’t give runs away with defensive mistakes. Live to fight another day.
No errors on pick off attempts, no throws going into the outfield on stolen base attempts. Tennessee doesn’t have to be perfect defensively. Just do simple better.
2. Get Production From Struggling Bats In The Middle Of The Lineup
As previously stated, this projects to be a high scoring game. Tennessee’s best chance to win is to get consistent production from its lineup. Most notably, I’m paying attention to Hunter Ensley, Dalton Bargo and Reese Chapman.
That group— hitting in the three, four and six spots— has combined to total just three hits so far this weekend and all three were in game one of the series. Bargo and Chapman have reached bas just twice the last two games.
Tennessee’s stars have played like stars this weekend. The back of the lineup has been production. They need those middle of the lineup bats need to step up.
3. Get Three Innings From Tegan Kuhns
Tennessee has not yet named a starting pitcher but Tegan Kuhns is the most likely option. But whether Kuhns starts or not, Tennessee needs him to eat a good number of outs.
Nine is the number I’m looking for. If Kuhns records nine outs in relatively efficient fashion, then Tennessee’s pitching will be in a much better spot. Kuhns has totaled three-plus innings only twice since the start of April.
Let’s see if the freshman right hander can rise to the occasion in the biggest outing of college career to date.
A Quick Prediction
Tennessee baseball has struggled in weekend deciding games this season but I feel good about the Vols’ pitching. Of my three keys, I really think the second is the most important. Tennessee needs consistent offensive production to win this game.
The Vols did not play horribly in the loss against Wake Forest on Sunday night. My pick is for Tennessee to get the job done.
Tennessee 9, Wake Forest 7
