*SCROLL DOWN FOR AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 2, LSU 5 | T9
Tennessee baseball (20-6, 3-3 SEC) is set to take on top-ranked LSU in game one of a three-game series in Baton Rouge on Thursday.
First pitch is at 8 p.m. ET in Alex Box Stadium. ESNPU has the broadcast, with Dave Neal (PxP) and Kyle Peterson (Analyst) serving as the broadcasters.
Tennessee enters the Top-10 series on a five-game winning streak, having won a pair of midweek games against Western Carolina and UNC Asheville and sweeping Texas A&M last weekend. The Vols’ sweep of the Aggies was much-needed, as Tennessee got swept by Missouri to open SEC play.
The Vols will be looking for their first series win in Baton Rouge since 2009 this weekend. For a full preview of the series, click here.
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
C Jared Dickey
CF Hunter Ensley
DH Dylan Dreiling
LF Griffin Merritt
RF Christian Scott
Lineup Notes:
–Dreiling getting the biggest start of his career. Tony Vitello going with an offense-heavy lineup with Dickey at catcher.
–Jared Dickey getting his fourth start at catcher in the past five games.
–Christian Scott and Hunter Ensley continue to start in the outfield.
LSU STARTING NINE:
2B Gavin Dugas
LF Tre’ Morgan
CF Dylan Crews
3B Tommy White
DH Cade Beloso
1B Jared Jones
RF Josh Pearson
SS Jordan Thompson
C Brady Neal
Pitching Matchup
Vols. Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (4-2, 3.93 ERA, 34.1 IP, 29 H, 15 R, 15 ER, 8 BB, 53 K, 1.09 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers Jr. RHP Paul Skenes (5-0, 0.72 ERA, 37.1 IP, 14 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 71 K, 0.568 WHIP)
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging on three pitches.. All three pitches were 100+ mph.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Gavin Dugas knocks Dollander’s first pitch to left center for a leadoff double.
-Tre’ Morgan is walked.
-Dylan Crews flies out to RF.
-Tommy Tanks flies out to CF.
-Cade Beloso flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Zane Denton grounds out to 2B.
-Jared Dickey singles up the middle. The Vols first hit.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey picked off c to 1b.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Jared Jones grounds out to SS.
-Josh Pearson pops up to 2B.
-Jordan Thompson grounds out to 2B. Dollander has sat down six straight.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to CF.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott grounds out to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Brady Neal is walked.
-Gavin Dugas is walked. Runners on first and second with no outs for the Tigers.
-Tre’ Morgan grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. Neal advances to third.
-Dylan Crews flies out to LF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
-Zane Denton fouls out to LF. Great catch by Tre’ Morgan.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Tommy Tanks HBP off the hand. He is clearly angry jogging to first.
-Cade Beloso HBP. Tanks advances to second. Call under review. Call overturned, it hit the bottom of the bat and is a foul ball.
-Beloso fouls out to 3B.
-Jared Jones strikes out swinging.
-Josh Pearson flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Jared Dickey sends a leadoff single up the middle.
-Hunter Ensley singles to RF, Dickey advances to second. Bats are starting to pick up.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to CF. Dickey advances to third.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott hits a crucial RBI single into CF to score Dickey.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Jordan Thompson ropes a double down the LF line.
-Brady Neal strikes out swinging.
-Gavin Dugas homers to left field for a two-run shot.
-Tre’ Morgan strikes out looking.
-Dylan Crews singles to right center.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Seth Halvorsen (2-1, 2.29 ERA) on to pitch for Dollander*
-Crews steals second.
-Tommy White grounds out to p.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 2
6th Inning:
T6
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
-Blake Burke singled through the right side.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey flies out to right center.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Cade Beloso grounds out to 2B.
-Jared Jones singles up the middle. Paxton Kling pinch runs for Jones.
-Josh Pearson grounds out to 2B.
-Jordan Thompson strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 2
7th Inning:
T7
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 1b unassisted.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Brady Neal flies out to CF.
-Gavin Dugas pops up to 2B in SS territory.
-Tre’ Morgan grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 2
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: LHP Nate Ackenhausen on to pitch for Skenes*
*Milazzo to c for Neal*
-Christian Scott flies out to LF.
-Maui Ahuna singles to the right-center gap.
-Ahuna advances to second on a passed ball.
-Ahuna advances to third on a wild pitch.
*RHP Garrett Edwards (3-0, 0.87 ERA) on to pitch for Ackenhausen*
-Christian Moore knocks an RBI single to CF.
-Blake Burke flies out to left center.
-Moore is caught stealing at second. Play under review. Very close call. Call OVERTURNED.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B8
-Dylan Crews flies out to shallow RF to 2B.
-Tommy White grounds out to SS.
-Cade Beloso reaches on a fielding error by Halvorsen, who dropped the toss from Blake Burke at first base.
-Paxton Kling singles to 2B. Moore missed the tag on Beloso and the throw is late to first.
*Gavin Guidry pinch-running for Beloso*
-Josh Pearson HBP. Bases loaded with two outs for Jordan Thompson.
-Jordan Thompson crushes a bases-clearing double to right center.
-Thompson advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Milazzo flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 5
9th Inning:
T9
-Jared Dickey flies out to the warning track in RF.
-Hunter Ensley reaches on a throwing error by the SS.
-Dylan Dreiling singles to RF. Runners on the corners with one out.
*Kavares Tears pinch-hitting for Griffin Merritt*
-Tears strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott flies out to CF.
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 2, LSU Tigers 5
