*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 8, Bulldogs 7 | FINAL
Twenty-fourth ranked Tennessee baseball (27-14, 8-10 SEC) is set to host the Mississippi State Bulldogs (24-17, 6-12 SEC) inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium for game one of a three-game series.
First pitch is at 7 p.m. ET. SEC Network has the broadcast. Two games of Tennessee’s series against the Bulldogs will be broadcasted on television, as the series finale will air on ESPNU on Sunday.
Tennessee is entering the series on a four-game winning streak, having swept Vanderbilt in Knoxville last weekend and throttling Bellarmine in the midweek.
The Vols seem to be playing their best baseball of the season right now and will look to keep the momentum going. For all of RTI’s coverage of the BaseVols in the past week, click here. For the latest weekly Rocky Top Insider baseball podcast, click here.
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
SS Maui Ahuna
CF Hunter Ensley
LF Jared Dickey
1B Blake Burke
2B Christian Moore
DH Dylan Dreiling
3B Zane Denton
C Cal Stark
RF Christian Scott
Lineup Notes:
–Typical lineup from Tennessee. Dreiling gets the DH start with a righty on the mound for Mississippi State. Tears and Merritt will be top candidates to come off the bench.
–Cal Stark continues to start behind the plate.
MISSISSIPPI STATE STARTING NINE:
SS David Mershon
CF Colton Ledbetter
DH Hunter Hines
LF Dakota Jordan
RF Kellum Clark
3B Slate Alford
1B Luke Hancock
2B Armani Larry
C Ross Highfill
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Andrew Lindsey (0-2, 2.81 ERA, 14 app., 2 starts, 32.0 IP, 22 H, 15 R, 10 ER, 10 BB, 41 K, .188 opp. batting avg., 1.00 WHIP)
vs.
Bulldogs Jr. RHP Cade Smith (1-1, 4.91 ERA, 6 app., 5 starts, 22.0 IP, 17 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 13 BB, 22 K, .213 opp. batting avg., 1.36 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Icy White
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-David Mershon singles up the middle.
-Mershon steals second.
-Colton Ledbetter works a walk on a full count.
-Hunter Hines is walked on a full count. State has the bases loaded with no outs.
-Dakota Jordan reaches on a fielding error by Maui Ahuna. Mershon scores on the error.
-Kellum Clark strikes out swinging.
-Slate Alford strikes out swinging.
-Luke Hancock pops up to SS in shallow LF.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna leads off with a single to right center.
-Ahuna advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Hunter Ensley singles through the left side.
-Jared Dickey sends an RBI single up the middle to score Ahuna. Ensley advances to third.
-Runners advance on a wild pitch. Ensley scores.
-Blake Burke is walked.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging. Burke and Dickey advance to second and third on a wild pitch.
-Dylan Dreiling bounces an RBI groundout to 1B. Burke advances to third and Dickey scores.
-Zane Denton rips an RBI single to RF. Burke scores.
-Denton advances to second on a passed ball.
-Cal Stark grounds out to 3B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Amani Larry grounds out to SS. Hard-hit grounder that Ahuna fielded well.
-Ross Highfill grounds out to 2B.
-Colton Ledbetter flies out to shallow CF.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Christian Scott is walked.
-Maui Ahuna flies out to LF in CF.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to p.
-Jared Dickey lines out to SS. Hard, hard hit ball that was right at Mershon.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-Hunter Hines strikes out looking.
-Dakota Jordan smokes a double to leadoff center. Hammered that baseball.
-Kellum Clark pops up to 3B in LF.
-Slate Alford grounds out to SS.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Blake Burke fouls out to LF.
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to the warning track in LF.
-Zane Denton knocks a single to RF. Moore advances to third.
-Cal Stark works a walk. Bases loaded for Christian Scott.
-Christian Scott strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Luke Hancock grounds out to 2B.
-Amani Larry singles through the left side.
-Larry advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Ross Highfill bounes a groundout to second base. Larry advances to third.
-David Mershon flies out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to center field.
-Jared Dickey singles into right center.
-Blake Burke pops up to 2B in shallow RF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Colton Ledbetter grounds out to 2B. Nice catch by Blake Burke as he had to lunge to the right.
-Hunter Hines flies out to shallow CF.
-Dakota Jordan grounds out to 3B.
-Dylan
End of Top Half.
B5
*Pitching change: So. RHP Tyson Hardin (0-0, 13.20 ERA) on to pitch for Smith*
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling is walked.
-Zane Denton flies out to CF.
-Cal Stark doubles to left field. Dreiling advances to third.
-Christian Scott knocks a two-run single through the left side. Advances to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Both Dreiling and Stark score.
-Maui Ahuna smokes an RBI double to RF to score Scott.
-Hunter Ensley fouls out to 1B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Kellum Clark singles to CF.
-Clark steals second.
-Slate Alford homers to the left field wall for a two-run bomb.
-Luke Hancock singles to CF.
-Amani Larry reaches on a fielder’s choice. Hancock out at second.
-Larry steals second.
-Ross Highfill grounds out to 3B. Nice throw by Zane Denton.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 2.19 ERA) on to pitch for Lindsey*
-David Mershon strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Tyler Davis (1-0, 11.15 ERA) on to pitch for Hardin*
-Jared Dickey strikes out swinging.
-Blake Burke grounds out to SS.
-Christian Moore is walked.
*Griffin Merritt pinch-hitting for Dylan Dreiling*
-Merritt flies out to RF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 3
7th Inning:
T7
-Colton Ledbetter homers to RF. Solo homer.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Aaron Combs (3-0, 1.20 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Hunter Hines strikes out swinging.
-Dakota Jordan flies out to CF.
-Kellum Clark is hit by a 1-0 pitch.
-Slate Alford is walked on a full count. Clark advances to second.
-Luke Hancock smacks a two-run double to right center.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Chase Burns (3-3, 5.15 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*
-Amani Larry strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Zane Denton fouls out to 3B in LF foul territory.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott flies out to the warning track in CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 6
8th Inning:
T8
*Bryce Chance pinch-hitting for Ross Highfill*
-Chance strikes out swinging.
-David Mershon lines out to RF.
-Colton Ledbetter flies out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Hancock to c for Highfill*
-Maui Ahuna strikes out looking.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF.
-Jared Dickey reaches on a fielding error by the Miss State third baseman.
-Blake Burke is walked.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP KC Hunt (1-1, 10.12 ERA) on to pitch for Davis*
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Bulldogs 6
9th Inning:
T9
-Hunter Hines homers over the Tennessee bullpen to leadoff the inning. Second pitch of the at-bat.
-Dakota Jordan pops up to SS.
-Kellum Clark strikes out looking.
-Slate Alford strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B9
–Griffin Merritt homers over the batter’s eye to walk it off.
Score: Vols 8, Bulldogs 7
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 8, Mississippi State Bulldogs 7
