*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 9, Govs 4 | FINAL
Twenty-third ranked Tennessee baseball (32-16, 12-12 SEC) is set to host the Austin Peay Governors (23-25, 13-11 ASUN) inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a midweek battle. This will be the penultimate midweek game of the Vols’ season.
First pitch in Knoxville is at 6:30 p.m. ET. SECN+ will have 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.
Tennessee is entering the midweek matchup coming off a series loss to Georgia. Entering the road series against the Bulldogs, the Vols were on a 6-0 winning streak in SEC play, but the series loss has dropped the Vols back down to .500 (12-12) in league action.
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Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
SS Maui Ahuna
LF Hunter Ensley
DH Jared Dickey
1B Blake Burke
2B Christian Moore
3B Zane Denton
RF Kavares Tears
CF Christian Scott
C Charlie Taylor
Lineup Notes:
–Kavares Tears returns to action from injury tonight against Austin Peay, and he also gets the start. This will be Tears’ first action since game two vs. Vanderbilt.
–With Tears being added to the outfield starters, Scott and Ensley shift over and Dickey moves to DH.
–Charlie Taylor gets the midweek start at catcher.
AUSTIN PEAY STARTING NINE:
LF Clayton Gray
DH Lyle Miller-Green
3B Ambren Voitik
SS Jon Jon Gazdar
RF John Bay
CF Nathan Barksdale
2B Matt Aribal
C Gus Freeman
1B Conner Gore
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. LHP Zander Sechrist (0-1, 1.67 ERA, 18 app., 10 starts, 27.0 IP, 25 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 27 K, .245 opp. batting avg., 1.04 WHIP)
vs.
Govs So. RHP Davin Pollard (3-2, 5.23 ERA, 24 app., 0 starts, 20.2 IP, 20 H, 14 R, 12 ER, 20 BB, 23 K, .250 opp. batting avg., 2.00 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Pinstripes
Austin Peay: Grey on Grey
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Clayton Gray strikes out looking.
-Lyle Miller-Green strikes out swinging.
-Ambren Voitik grounds out to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna smokes a double down the RF line.
-Hunter Ensley is walked on a full count.
-Jared Dickey pops up to 3B.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF.
-Baserunners steal second and third.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Governors 0
2nd Inning:
T2
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Hollis Fanning (0-0, 1.23) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Jon Jon Gazdar rips a leadoff double down the LF line.
-John Bay flies out to CF.
-Fanning picks off Gazdar at second.
-Nathan Barksdale flies out to CF.
End of Top Half.
B2
*Pitching change:Jr. RHP Tyler Hampu (0-2, 7.59 ERA) on to pitch for Pollard*
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to SS.
-Christian Scott smacks a solo homer to left center.
-Charlie Taylor is walked.
-Maui Ahuna works a walk. Runners on first and second with two outs.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Governors 0
3rd Inning:
T3
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Jacob Bimbi (2-0, 2.84 ERA) on to pitch for Fanning*
-Matt Aribal knocks a single into shallow RF.
-Gus Freeman is walked. Runners on first and second with no outs for Austin Peay.
-Conner Gore grounds out to p on a sac bunt as baserunners advance to second and third.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 2.77 ERA) on to pitch for Bimbi*
-Colton Gray lays down an RBI groundout to 2B. Aribal scores.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Aaron Combs (3-0, 2.20 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Lyle Miller-Green strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B3
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Kyle Margans (3-1, 4.65 ERA) on to pitch for Hampu*
-Jared Dickey singles up the middle.
-Blake Burke singles into right field. Dickey advances to second.
-Christian Moore slaps a single into CF. Dickey scores on a fielding error by the APSU center fielder.
-Zane Denton reaches on a fielder’s choice by the second baseman. Moore out at 2B. Burke advances to third.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Christian Scott is walked.
–Charlie Taylor hammers a GRAND SLAM off the batter’s eye.
-Maui Ahuna works a walk.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 6, Governors 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Ambren Voitik singles into center field.
-Jon Jon Gazdar smacks a double into left center. Voitik advances to third.
-John Bay is walked.
-Nathan Barksdale strikes out looking.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bryce Jenkins (1-0, 4.85 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*
-Matt Aribal flies out to RF. A great throw by Kavares Tears keeps Voitik at third.
-Gus Freeman grounds into a fielder’s choice as Bay is out at second 6-4.
End of Top Half.
B4
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Jackie Robinson (1-1, 6.08 ERA) on to pitch for Margans*
-Jared Dickey grounds out to 2B.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Christian Moore strikes out looking.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 6, Governors 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Conner Gore strikes out swinging.
-Clayton Gray singles to CF.
-Gray steals second.
-Lyle Miller-Green is walked.
-Ambren Voitik strikes out swinging.
-Jon Jon Gazdar strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half
B5
*Sr. RHP Zach Wyatt (0-0, 5.00 ERA) on to pitch for Robinson*
-Zane Denton grounds out at first 1b to p.
-Kavares Tears flies out to CF to the warning track.
-Christian Scott is walked.
-Scott steals second.
-Charlie Taylor is walked on four pitches.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging to strand a pair.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 6, Governors 1
6th Inning:
T6
-John Bay grounds out to 3B. Nice play by Zane Denton.
-Nathan Barksdale knocks a single into right field.
-Matt Aribal is walked.
-Gus Freeman is walked. Bases loaded for Conner Gore.
-Conner Gore draws an RBI walk on a full count to bring in a run.
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Andrew Behnke (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Jenkins*
-Clayton Gray is walked on four pitches. Another RBI walk brings in a run for the Govs.
-Lyle Miller-Green strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Ambren Voitik is walked on four pitches to bring in another run for APSU.
-Jon Jon Gazdar strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B6
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Paul Rector (0-1, 4.85 ERA) on to pitch for Wyatt*
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
-Jared Dickey pops up to 3B in the middle of the field due to the shift.
-Blake Burke is hit in the knee by a pitch.
-Christian Moore doubles to right center. Burke advances to third, rounds third but is thrown out at home. A brouhaha goes down at the plate and the benches clear. No physical contact, though, but Hunter Ensley is EJECTED from the game. He will be suspended for Friday’s game against Kentucky. Play under review. Call stands.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 6, Governors 4
7th Inning:
T7
*UMPIRES HAVE OVERTURNED HUNTER ENSLEY”S EJECTION. He will not be suspended for Friday’s game*
*APSU pitcher Paul Rector was ejected after the altercation*
-John Bay reaches on a muffed throw by Blake Burke. Bay advances to second on a error.
-Nathan Barksdale strikes out swinging.
-Matt Aribal strikes out swinging.
-Gus Freeman grounds out to p. Nice defensive play by Behnke.
End of Top Half.
B7
*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Campbell Holt (2-1, 5.57 ERA) on to pitch for the ejected Rector*
-Zane Denton strikes out swinging.
*Griffin Merritt pinch-hitting for Kavares Tears*
-Merritt crushes a solo homer to left center on the first pitch of the AB.
-Christian Scott grounds out to 2B.
-Charlie Taylor grounds out to SS.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 7, Governors 4
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Seth Halvorsen (2-2, 3.82 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
*Merritt to RF for Tears*
-Conner Gore singles to left center.
-Gore advances to second on a passed ball.
-Clayton Gray is walked on four pitches.
-Lyle Miller-Green fouls out to deep RF. Baserunners advance to second and third.
-Ambren Voitik strikes out swinging.
-Jon Jon Gazdar strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Peyton Jula (4-3, 6.68 ERA) on to pitch for Holt*
–Maui Ahuna drills his seventh home run of the season well over the right field wall. Four Vols have now homered tonight.
-Hunter Ensley is walked on a full count.
-Ensley steals second.
-Jared Dickey brings Ensley home with an RBI single up the middle.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
-Zane Denton is walked.
-Griffin Merritt out at first on a swinging bunt to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 9, Governors 4
9th Inning:
T9
-John Bay strikes out looking on three pitches.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Jake Fitzgibbons (2-0, 2.53 ERA) on to pitch for Halvorsen*
*Halvorsen to CF for Scott*
*Scott to RF for Merritt*
-Nathan Barksdale grounds out to SS.
-Matt Aribal is walked on a full count.
-Gus Freeman strikes out swinging.
END OF GAME
Score: Vols 9, Governors 4
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 9, Austin Peay Governors 4
