“My biggest level of excitement is, you got the second half of the season in the league, and kind of the old ‘How do you eat a big ‘ole steak?’ Or an elephant? Which, I don’t know why anyone would eat an elephant, maybe people do eat elephant… one bite at a time. Let’s focus on the game that’s here Friday. Normally, you look at stuff maybe with an extra narrative. Again with this group, make a decision on what you want your personality and attitude to be, and it needs to revolve around the program’s strength and history and things like that. But it also needs to adhere to, who are the personalities that are currently in the locker room and that will take the ball on Friday or be in the lineup on Friday. That, to me, is the bigger theme, and if you ask most of these SEC teams, my first year in the league was obviously with Arkansas. It was like, ‘Who’s the rivalry?’ And there wasn’t one. Or if you ask, everyone has a bunch of different questions. These guys are as close as Kentucky, I think, by proximity. They’re obviously in our state, though, but it’s a private school, and everyone in the league has been trying to beat them in recruiting for the last 20 years for a variety of reasons. All those things are present, but I don’t think they necessarily change what we’re trying to do in our locker room or what they’re trying to do, either.”
Game One — RHP Andrew Lindsey (0-2, 2.49 ERA, .95 WHIP, 31 K, 8 BB, 25.1 IP) vs. LHP Carter Holton (4-0, 3.46 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 46 K, 16 BB, 39 IP)
Game Two — RHP Chase Dollander (4-4, 4.18 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 71 K, 16 BB, 47.1 IP) vs. TBA
Game Three — RHP Drew Beam (4-2, 3.73 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 43 K, 13 BB, 41 IP) vs. LHP Devin Futrell (6-1, 2.35 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 40 K, 12 BB, 46 IP)
Bats To Know
Tennessee
Christian Moore — .300 BA, .400 OBP, .981 OPS, 6 HR, 12 XBH, 26 RBI
Blake Burke — .324 BA, .400 OBP 1.069 OPS, 13 HR, 19 XBH, 32 RBI
Jared Dickey — .299 BA, .380 OBP, .891 OPS, 7 HR, 13 XBH, 27 RBI
Dylan Dreiling — .300 BA, .417 OBP, .946 OPS, 3 HR, 9 XBH, 9 RBI
Vanderbilt
RJ Schreck — .362 BA, .497 OBP, 1.189 OPS, 9 HR, 23 XBH, 42 RBI
Chris Maldonado — .360 BA, .433 OBP, 1.051 OPS, 4 HR, 15 XBH, 23 RBI
Enrique Bradfield Jr. — .309 BA, .472 OBP, .961 OPS, 5 HR, 13 XBH, 22 RBI, 26 SB
Parker Noland — .268 BA, .361 OBP, .818 OPS, 6 HR, 13 XBH, 29 RBI
Last Three Series
Tennessee
03/30 — 04/01 — LSU won two out of three over Tennessee in Baton Rouge
04/06 — 04/08 — Florida won two out of three over Tennessee in Knoxville
04/14 — 04/16 — Arkansas swept Tennessee in Fayetteville
Vanderbilt
03/31 — 04/02 — Vanderbilt swept Georgia in Nashville
04/06 — 04/08 — Vanderbilt won two out of three over Missouri in Columbia
04/14 — 04/16 — Vanderbilt won two out of three over South Carolina in Nashville
Prediction
Tennessee has finally reached the final series in its four week gauntlet that saw them play four straight top five opponents in conference play.
Vanderbilt doesn’t have the offensive firepower than LSU or Florida has but they’re not 13-2 in SEC play by accident. The Commodores have a deep and fantastic pitching staff with an abundance of left-handed arms to throw as Tennessee’s lefty heavy lineup.
Vanderbilt enters the weekend playing very well. Tennessee enters the weekend playing poorly. If the Vols want to make the NCAA Tournament they need to start winning series, but I have a hard time seeing them win this one.
Vanderbilt wins two out of three
