Tennessee baseball is back in action this weekend as it prepares to face No. 4 Texas in the penultimate series of the regular season. The Vols are in need of collecting wins to improve their NCAA Tournament hopes with the selection show just over two weeks away.
Here’s how to watch the three games and more details on the SEC weekend series in Knoxville.
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How To Watch: Tennessee baseball (32-17, 11-13 SEC) vs. No. 4 Texas (36-10, 15-8 SEC)
Game one: 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 8
Announcers — PxP: Charlie Collier, CC: Cody Hawn
Watch: SEC Network+
Game two: 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 9
Announcers — PxP: Charlie Collier, CC: Cody Hawn
Watch: SEC Network+
Game three: Noon ET on Sunday, May 10
Announcers — PxP: Karl Ravech, CC: Chris Burke
Watch: ESPN2
Josh Elander Faces Off Against His Former Coach
When first-year Tennessee head coach Josh Elander strolls to home plate for the pregame meeting Friday night, he’ll come face-to-face with one of the most influential people in his baseball life. Elander played for now Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle at TCU from 2010-2012.
A three-year starting catcher for the Horner Frogs, Elander was a part of TCU’s first ever College World Series appearance and Schossnagle’s first ever appearance as a head coach. Meeting with the media earlier this week, Elander offered his appreciating for Schlossnagle while downplaying the meeting this weekend.
“Someone I’ve kept in touch with a ton and, again, there’s a lot of people that I wouldn’t be standing here (without), and he’s definitely one of them, and I don’t take that for granted,” Elander said. “But, again, he knows my family and my kids and all that. We stay in touch a ton and but, again, I get that could be the narrative and whatnot, but this is Tennessee versus Texas at home and in May. And I’m excited for our fans to get here and support us.”
Texas Is One Of The SEC’s Top Teams
Texas enters the weekend tied for second place in the SEC standings with a 15-8 conference record. The Longhorns lone SEC series loss came against rival Texas A&M last month.
Schlossnagle’s second Texas team has series wins over Auburn, Oklahoma and Mississippi State. All three teams were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the series. The Longhorns lone sweep of the season was against the Sooners.
A top five team, Texas is a near lock for a top eight national seed but is also looking to improve its seeding in the final weeks of the regular season.
Projected Starting Pitching
Friday:
Vols RHP Tegan Kuhns (3-4, 3.46 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 65 IP, 80 K, 12 BB) vs. LHP Dylan Volantis (7-0, 1.87 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 62.2 IP, 92 K, 19 BB)
Saturday:
Vols LHP Evan Blanco (5-3, 4.36 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 66 IP, 80 K, 21 BB) vs. RHP Ruger Riojas (5-2, 3.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 60.2 IP, 69 K, 12 BB)
Sunday:
Vols RHP Landon Mack (4-4, 4.67 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 61.2 IP, 77 K, 25 BB) vs. LHP Luke Harrison (5-2, 4.35 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 60 IP, 70 K, 26 BB)
A Quick Prediction
Georgia boasts a better record, but no team in the SEC has been more impressive this season than Texas. Outside of two losses at Texas A&M, they have won every SEC series set in front of them.
The Longhorns starting pitching is up there with Ole Miss for the best Tennessee has seen in a series this season. Tennessee needs better at-bats than they had against the Rebels. The Vols badly need to pick up at least one win this weekend or they’ll be desperate next weekend in Oklahoma City.
Texas wins two out of three
