For the first time this season, Tennessee baseball took the field without starting right fielder Reese Chapman in its two games at the SEC Tournament in Hoover. But there’s optimism that Chapman will be back the next time Tennessee takes the field.
“Reese it seems to be, we’re hoping to have him back sooner rather than later,” Tennessee head coach Josh Elander said Wednesday night. “We’ll see how that one plays out but I’ll get with those two guys tonight.”
Chapman suffered a face injury during the Vols’ Monday practice in Hoover when a line drive struck him in the face. Tennessee quickly rushed him to UAB hospital that night before he returned to Knoxville on Tuesday.
“He’s back in Knoxville tonight,” Elander said Tuesday. “He’s going to get that thing worked on, as far as the actual timeline of what we’re looking at, I’m just glad Reese is in good spirits and we’ll see how it plays out over the next few days.”
With Chapman out of the lineup in Tennessee’s win over South Carolina, freshman Nate Eisfelder started in right field while Jay Abernathy started at second base, Blake Grimmer at first base and Levi Clark at catcher.
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Against Arkansas, Abernathy started in centerfield, Eisfelder started in right field, Grimmer started at second base, Clark started at first base and Garrett Wright started behind the plate. Stone Lawless did not start either game but did catch in the late innings of the Arkansas game.
Chapman exited the regular season red-hot at the plate after hitting six-for-13 with three extra-base hits and four RBIs in Tennessee’s series victory over Oklahoma over the weekend.
After a solid junior season as a full-time starter, Chapman has perhaps been Tennessee’s best hitter in his senior season. Over the course of the regular season, Chapman slashed .316/.422/.577 with 10 home runs, 19 doubles, one triple and 44 RBIs.
Chapman was also very productive in SEC play, slashing .306/.391/.603 with seven home runs, 13 doubles, one triple and 26 RBIs.
After picking up one win at the SEC Tournament, Tennessee returns to Knoxville where they await their draw for the NCAA Tournament.
