*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 12, Bulldogs 8 | FINAL
Twenty-fourth ranked Tennessee baseball (28-14, 9-10 SEC) is set to host the Mississippi State Bulldogs (24-18, 6-13 SEC) inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium for game two of a three-game series.
First pitch for game two is at 6:30 p.m. ET in Knoxville. SEC Network + has the stream. 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.
The Vols won the series opener, 8-7, off a Griffin Merritt walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. Merritt’s walk-off home run in the opener marked his second walk-off blast in six days.
For all of Rocky Top Insider’s of Tennessee’s series-opening win, 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 Griffin Merritt
3B Zane Denton
RF Christian Scott
C Cal Stark
Lineup Notes:
–Nearly same lineup as the series opener. Griffin Merritt gets the DH start over Dylan Dreiling.
–Stark and Scott swap places in the order.
MISSISSIPPI STATE STARTING NINE:
SS David Mershon
CF Colton Ledbetter
1B Hunter Hines
LF Dakota Jordan
RF Kellum Clark
DH Bryce Chance
C Luke Hancock
2B Amani Larry
3B Nate Chester
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (5-4, 3.81 ERA, 10 app., 10 starts, 1 CG, 54.1 IP, 45 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 19 BB, 80 K, .224 opp. batting avg., 1.19 WHIP)
vs.
Bulldogs Jr. RHP Landon Gartman (2-2, 2.65 ERA, 9 app., 9 starts, 43.1 IP, 43 H, 36 R, 32 ER, 19 BB, 25 K, .246 opp. batting avg., 1.44 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Orange on White
Mississippi State: Maroon Tops with Grey Pants
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Chase Dollander strikes out David Mershon.
-Colton Ledbetter bloops a single into LF.
-Ledbetter steals second. He is now 16-17 on the year stealing bases.
-Hunter Hines legs out an infield single. Tennessee challenged the call of safe and the ruling was confirmed. Vols lose a challenge. Runners on the corners with no outs for Mississippi State. Ledbetter advances to third.
-Dakota Jordan crushes a three-run homer off the left-side of the batter’s eye.
-Kellum Clark is walked on five pitches.
-Clark steals second.
-Bryce Chance is walked. Runners on first and second with no outs.
-Luke Hancock flies out to RF.
-Amani Larry strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna flies out to RF in right center.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
-Jared Dickey flies out to the warning track in LF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 3
2nd Inning:
T2
-Nate Chester flies out to CF.
-David Mershon grounds out to SS.
-Colton Ledbetter flies out to LF.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Blake Burke singles to left center.
-Christian Moore reaches on a fielder’s choice. Burke out at second 6-4.
-Griffin Merritt is HBP on a full count. Moore advances to second. Call was challenged and confirmed. Mississippi State loses a challenge.
-Zane Denton flies out to center field. Moore advances to third.
-Christian Scott is walked. Bases loaded for Cal Stark with two outs.
-Cal Stark flies out to RF to strand the bases loaded.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 3
3rd Inning:
T3
-Hunter Hines leads off with a solo homer to RF.
-Dakota Jordan flies out to LF.
-Kellum Clark singles to RF. Moore nearly made the leaping grab but it ricocheted off his glove.
-Clark steals second.
-Bryce Chance grounds out to SS.
-Luke Hancock lines out to RF. Fantastic catch by Christian Scott.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to 2B.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to LF.
-Jared Dickey flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Bulldogs 4
4th Inning:
T4
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Zander Sechrist (0-1, 1.99 ERA) on to pitch for Dollander* Shortest outing of his Tennessee career.
-Amani Larry strikes out swinging.
-Nate Chester grounds out to SS.
-David Mershon strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Blake Burke rips a single into right field.
-Christian Moore puts the Vols on the board with a two-run homer off the batter’s eye.
-Griffin Merritt singles up the middle.
-Zane Denton flies out to LF. Griffin Merritt is thrown out coming back to first for the double play.
-Christian Scott flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Bulldogs 4
5th Inning:
T5
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bryce Jenkins (1-0, 3.55 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Colton Ledbetter singles to RF.
-Hunter Hines hits his second home run of the game. A no-doubt two-run blast to right field.
-Dakota Jordan strikes out swinging.
-Kellum Clark doubles off the left-field wall.
*Pitching change: Fr RHP AJ Russell (1-0, 0.55 ERA) on to pitch for Jenkins*
-Clark advances to third on a passed ball.
-Bryce Chance knocks a sac fly to RF. Clark scores.
-Luke Hancock lines out to SS.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Cal Stark is walked.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to LF.
-Jared Dickey cranks a two-run homer to right field.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Colby Holcombe (2-2, 5.20 ERA) on to pitch for Gartman*
-Blake Burke is walked.
-Christian Moore doubles to right center. Mississippi State’s center fielder makes a fielding error to allow Burke to score.
-Griffin Merritt ropes an RBI single off the left-field wall to score Moore.
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 6, Bulldogs 7
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Seth Halvorsen (2-2, 4.02 ERA) on to pitch for Russell*
-Amani Larry doubles to LF.
-Nate Chester flies out to RF. Nice job by Scott to hold Larry at second.
-David Mershon singles to CF. Larry advances to third.
-Mershon steals second.
-Colton Ledbetter lines out to 1B. Burke tries to make it a double play by catching Mershon coming back to second, but the throw is in the dirt and goes past Ahuna. Larry scored on the error. Mershon advances to third on the error.
-Hunter Hines is intentionally walked.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Camden Sewell (2-0, 3.72 ERA) on to pitch for Halvorsen*
-Dakota Jordan strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Christian Scott works a leadoff walk.
-Cal Stark is walked.
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Brock Tapper (2-0, 3.71 ERA) on to pitch for Holcombe*
-Maui Ahuna strikes out looking.
-Hunter Ensley reaches on a fielder’s choice by 3B. Cal Stark out at second base. Christian Scott scores on a throwing error by the State second baseman trying to get Ensley at first. Ensley advances to second on the error.
-Jared Dickey is plunked.
-Blake Burke smokes a three-run homer off the batter’s eye and the Vols take the lead.
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Evan Siary (1-1, 5.01 ERA) on to pitch for Tapper*
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 10, Bulldogs 8
7th Inning:
T7
-Kellum Clark grounds out to SS.
-Bryce Chance strikes out looking.
-Luke Hancock is walked.
-Amani Larry strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to 3B.
-Zane Denton crushes a solo home run to RF.
-Christian Scott smokes a double to deep left field.
-Cal Stark hits a shallow RBI single into shallow CF.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley singles to CF. Cal Stark advances to third.
-Jared Dickey is walked. Bases loaded for Blake Burke.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Cole Cheatham (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Siary*
-Blake Burke grounds into a fielder’s choice as Dickey is out at second.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 12, Bulldogs 8
8th Inning:
T8
-Nate Chester strikes out swinging.
-David Mershon grounds out to 2B.
-Colton Ledbetter strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B8
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B. Runs over the Miss state first-baseman, but Moore doesn’t get ejected.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
-Zane Denton strikes out looking.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 12, Bulldogs 8
9th Inning:
T9
-Hunter Hines strikes out swinging.
-Dakota Jordan flies out to RF.
-Kellum Clark is walked on four pitches.
-Clark steals second easily.
-Bryce Chance strikes out swinging.
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 12, Mississippi State Bulldogs 8
