Tennessee Baseball (9-2) will take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-8) for game two of a three-game series in Lindsey Nelson Stadium at 6 p.m. ET. The Vols won game one 8-2, so UT will go for the series win today.
SECN+ has the call. Reminder that the online broadcasts can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.
For a refresher of Rocky Top Insider’s coverage of Tennessee’s series-opening win over the Bulldogs, check out the links below.
Everything Tony Vitello Said After Win
Tony Vitello Press Conference Video
The Vols have won nine straight, with their most recent win on Friday against Gonzaga serving as head coach Tony Vitello’s 200th career win.
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
LF Jared Dickey
2B Christian Moore
1B Blake Burke
3B Zane Denton
RF Griffin Merritt
SS Maui Ahuna
CF Kyle Booker
DH Logan Chambers
C Charlie Taylor
Lineup Notes:
-Chambers gets his third start of the season at DH.
-Taylor starting at catcher for the second consecutive night. Also two straight games Cal Stark hasn’t started at C or DH.
-Kyle Booker returns to the starting lineup after going 1-3 at the plate on Friday, having pinch-hit for Christian Scott in the fourth inning.
GONZAGA STARTING NINE:
SS Connor Coballes
2B Savier Pinales
CF Enzo Apodaca
3B Brian Kalmer
1B Tommy Eisenstat
DH Grayson Sterling
LF Sam Stem
RF Sam Canton
C Ezra Samperi
Pitching Matchup
Vols So. RHP Chase Burns (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 2 app., 2 starts, 11.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 18 K, .143 opp. batting avg., 2 WP, 1 HP)
vs.
Gonzaga R-Jr. RHP Jacob Rutherford (1-0, 8.64 ERA, 3 app., 0 starts, 8.1 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, .379 opp. batting avg., 3 HP)
Pitching notes:
-Rutherford is not nearly the starting pitcher Gonzaga’s Friday night starter Owen Wild is. Vols will likely have more early-game success at the plate on Saturday. Additionally, Gonzaga’s weak bullpen will undoubtedly hurt the Bulldogs again.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Orange on White
Gonzaga: Grey on Grey
1st Inning:
T1
-Connor Coballes grounds out to 2B.
-Savier Pinales grounds out 1B to P.
-Enzo Apodaca strikes out swinging.
End Top Half.
B1
-Jared Dickey fouls out to 3B.
-Christian Moore singles through the left side on the first pitch of the at-bat.
-Blake Burke knocks a single into shallow center field. Runners on first and second with one out for Tennessee.
-Moore advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Zane Denton works a walk.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out with the bases loaded.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging. All were bad swings on the three-pitch strikeout. Tennessee continues to struggle with runners on base.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Brian Kalmer strikes out looking.
-Tommy Eisenstat singles through the right side.
-Grayson Sterling doubles to left center. The hit bounced out of Dickey’s glove, almost a great catch. Eisenstat advances to third.
-Sam Stem strikes out swinging.
-Sam Canton knocks a two-run double into right center. Gonzaga strikes first.
-Ezra Samperi lines out to left center. Nice catch by Dickey.
End of Bottom Half.
B2
-Kyle Booker strikes out swinging.
-Logan Chambers is walked.
-Charlie Taylor lines out to right center.
-Jared Dickey grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 2
3rd Inning:
T3
-Connor Coballes grounds out p to 1B.
-Savier Pinales grounds out to 2B.
-Enzo Apodaca doubles into RF.
-Brian Kalmer strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Christian Moore works a leadoff walk.
-Blake Burke smokes an RBI triple off the right field wall. After review, it’s ruled a ground-rule double. Runners at second and third with no outs for Zane Denton.
-Denton fouls out to 3B.
-Griffin Merritt sends a sac fly into center field. Moore scores and Burke advances to third.
-Maui Ahuna flies out to the warning track in left center.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 2
4th Inning:
T4
-Tommy Eisenstat works a leadoff walk on a full count.
-Grayson Sterling strikes out swinging.
-Sam Stem strikes out swinging.
-Sam Canton flies out to left field.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Kyle Booker singles up the middle.
-Logan Chambers reaches on a fielder’s choice. Booker out at second.
-Charlie Taylor grounds into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 2
5th Inning:
T5
-Ezra Samperi singles up the middle.
-Connor Coballes flies out to RF on the first pitch of the at-bat.
-Samperi steals second.
-Savier Pinales pops up to SS.
-Enzo Apodaca flies out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Jared Dickey singles up the middle.
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
-Blake Burke reaches on a fielder’s choice. Fielding error by Gonzaga second baseman failing to catch the third baseman’s throw allows Dickey to advance to third. Burke at first.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging, Burke caught stealing at second.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 2
6th Inning:
T6
-Brian Kalmer flies out to RF.
-Tommy Eisenstat grounds out to 2B.
-Grayson Sterling strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to 2B.
-Kyle Booker crushes a solo homer to right center.
-Logan Chambers strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half,
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 2
7th Inning:
T7
*Dunn pinch-hitting for Stem*
-Dunn strikes out.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Burns*
-Sam Canton strikes out swinging. SWORD.
-Ezra Samperi grounds out p to 1B.
End of Top Half.
B7
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Payton Graham (0-0, 8.44 ERA) on to pitch for Rutherford*
-Charlie Taylor strikes out looking.
-Jared Dickey is walked.
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Blake Burke annihilates a three-run homer over the Tennessee bullpen. Tennessee takes the lead.
-Zane Denton is walked.
-Griffin Merritt crushes a two-run homer off the batter’s eye.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging on a full count.
-Kyle Booker strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 2
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Seth Halvorsen (1-0, 2.16 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
*Christian Scott replaces Merritt at RF*
-Connor Coballes strikes out swinging.
-Savier Pinales bloops a double to center field.
-Enzo Apodaca grounds out to 3B.
-Brian Kalmer out at first p to ss to 1b. Great defensive play by Maui Ahuna to field a ball that bounced off Halvorsen’s glove and throw Kalmer out at first to end the top half.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Reese Chapman pinch-hitting for Logan Chambers at DH*
-Chapman is plunked.
-Charlie Taylor strikes out swinging. Chapman steals second.
-Jared Dickey singles to 1B. Chapman advances to third. Play under review at first.
-Christian Moore strikes out looking.
-Blake Burke flies out to left center.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 2
9th Inning:
T9
-Tommy Eisenstat strikes out swinging.
-Halvorsen retires the next two to end the game.
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 7, Gonzaga Bulldogs 2
