Tennessee Baseball (11-3) is set to take on Morehead State (9-4) on Friday night for game one of a three-game series at 6:30 p.m. ET in Knoxville.
The Vols are looking to bounce-back after a 7-6 midweek loss to Boston College on Tuesday night. The loss to the Eagles ended an 11-game winning streak for the Volunteers.
First pitch in Knoxville on Friday is at 6:30 p.m. ET. 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.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball Wearing Dark Mode Uniforms in Series Opener
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
SS Maui Ahuna
2B Christian Moore
1B Blake Burke
3B Zane Denton
CF Jared Dickey
LF Griffin Merritt
DH Dylan Dreiling
RF Kavares Tears
C Charlie Taylor
Lineup Notes:
-Tears making his first career start, and he’s starting in the outfield. Merritt moves to LF, which he’s more comfortable in, but it’s the Cincy transfer’s first start there this year.
-Dickey starting in center field for the third time this season and first time since Game 2 vs. Dayton.
-Dreiling getting his fifth start of his freshman season.
-Ahuna leading off for the third consecutive game.
MOREHEAD STATE STARTING NINE:
CF Ryley Preece
1B Jackson Feltner
SS Colton Becker
DH Roman Kuntz
C Ryan Grabosch
2B Nick Gooden
RF Chase Vinson
3B Isaias Guzman
LF Logan Castleman
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (2-1, 2.20 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 16.1 IP, 14 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 30 K, .223 opp. batting avg., 3 HP)
vs.
Morehead State Sr. RHP Luke Helton (2-1, 5.28 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 1 CG, 15.1 IP, 20 H, 11 R, 9 ER, 6 BB, 17 K, .317 opp. batting avg., 1 HP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Dark Mode
Gonzaga: Light Blue on White
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Ryley Preece strikes out looking.
-Jackson Feltner is walked.
-Colton Becker is walked. 11 balls on 18 pitches for Dollander.
-Roman Kuntz strikes out swinging.
-Ryan Grabosch flies out to CF.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna works a leadoff walk on a full count.
-Ahuna advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Christian Moore is walked. His 17th walk of the season.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
-Zane Denton ropes an RBI double to the right field wall. Ahuna scores, Christian Moore advances to third.
-Jared Dickey lays down an RBI groundout to score Moore.
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Eagles 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Nick Gooden grounds out to 2B.
-Chase Vinson strikes out swinging.
-Isaias Guzman strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 2B.
-Kavares Tears singles through the right side.
-Charlie Taylor singles through the right side. Runners on the corners.
-Maui Ahuna crushes a three-run homer to right center. His first home run as a Vol.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 2B.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, Eagles 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Logan Castleman strikes out looking.
-Ryley Preece strikes out swinging.
-Jackson Feltner pops up to SS.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Zane Denton drills a leadoff homer to right center.
-Jared Dickey homers off the batter’s eye.
-Griffin Merritt is HBP.
-Dylan Dreiling knocks a two-run homer to CF.
-Kavares Tears crushes an absolute moonshot homer to RF. 420 feet with a 34 degree launch angle. His first homer as a Vol comes in his first career start.
**FIVE Vols have hit home runs in this game. Four this inning.**
-Charlie Taylor grounds out to 2B.
-Maui Ahuna is walked on four pitches.
*Pitching change: RHP Alex Kafka (1-0, 8.53 ERA) on to pitch for Helton*
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 10, Eagles 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Colton Becker pops up to 1B.
-Roman Kuntz singles up the middle.
-Ryan Grabosch strikes out swinging.
-Nick Gooden homers off the scoreboard for a two-run shot.
-Dollander strikes out Chase Vinson.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Jared Dickey singles through the right side.
-Dickey advances on a wild pitch.
-Griffin Merritt lines out to CF.
-Dylan Dreiling lines out to SS.
-Kavares Tears hits an RBI single up the middle.
-Charlie Taylor flies out to RF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 11, Eagles 2
5th Inning:
T5
-Isaias Guzman strikes out looking.
-Dollander strikes out Logan Castleman.
T5: Chase Dollander logs his 10th strikeout of the evening.
The junior now has three consecutive games with double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his career.
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 11, 2023
-Ryley Preece flies out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Maui Ahuna is plunked.
-Christian Moore HBP.
-Blake Burke is walked on four pitches.
-Zane Denton knocks a two-run single into right center. Runners on the corners with no outs for Jared Dickey.
-Jared Dickey reaches second on a fielding error by the Morehead State left fielder. Burke scores on the error, and Denton advances to third.
-Griffin Merritt hits a 2 RBI single through the left side.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Will Grimmett (0-0, 9.00 ERA) on to pitch for Kafka*
-Dylan Dreiling lines out to CF.
-Kavares Tears grounds into a 4-3 double play.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 16, Eagles 2
6th Inning:
T6
-Jackson Feltner singles to LF.
-Colton Becker reaches first on a fielder’s choice. Feltner out at second.
-Roman Kuntz is walked on four pitches.
-Ryan Grabosch strikes out swinging.
*Pitching change: RHP Bryce Jenkins (1-0, 1.80 ERA) on to pitch for Dollander*
-Nick Gooden grounds out to SS.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Charlie Taylor pops up to SS.
-Maui Ahuna is walked.
*Jake Kendro pinch-hitting for Christian Moore*
-Ahuna advances to second on a passed ball.
-Kendro is walked.
-Blake Burke reaches on a fielder’s choice. Kendro out at second.
-Zane Denton smokes a bases-clearing triple to left center to score two runs. Denton has hit for the cycle.
-Reese Chapman knocks an RBI single to LF to score Denton.
-Christian Scott smacks a two-run homer to RF.
-Dylan Dreiling pops up to SS.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 21, Eagles 2
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: So. LHP Jacob Bimbi (0-0, 4.15 ERA) on to pitch for Jenkins*
-Chase Vinson singles through the left side.
-Isaias Guzman strikes out looking.
-Logan Castleman grounds into a 4-3 double play.
End of Top Half.
B7
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ethan Davis (0-0, 9.64 ERA) on to pitch for Grimmett*
*Logan Chambers pinch-hitting for Kavares Tears*
-Chambers fouls out to catcher.
*Ryan Miller pinch-hitting for Charlie Taylor*
-Miller is walked.
-Maui Ahuna hits a two-run, wall-scraping homer to left field. First career multi-home run game for Ahuna.
-Kendro strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley doubles to right center.
-Ensley advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Austen Jaslove strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 23, Eagles 2
8th Inning:
T8
*Jr. RHP Hollis Fanning (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Bimbi*
-Preece flies out to CF.
-Feltner homers to left center.
-Becker strikes out looking.
-Sepulveda singles to right field.
-Sakamoto fouls out to 1B.
End of Top Half.
B8
-Reese Chapman pops up to SS.
-Christian Scott is walked.
*Ethan Payne pinch-hitting for Dylan Dreiling*
-Payne singles up the middle.
-Chambers infield fly to SS.
-Miller grounds out to 3B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 23, Eagles 3
9th Inning:
T9
*Fr. RHP JJ Garcia (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Fanning*
-Nick Gooden flies out to CF.
-Chase Vinson doubles to right center.
-Bartman is walked.
-Castleman singles. Vinson scores on a throwing error by Garcia.
-Preece strikes out.
-Garcia gets a K to end the game.
Score: Vols 23, Eagles 4
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 23, Morehead State Eagles 4
