*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 10, Wildcats 7 | FINAL
Twenty-third ranked Tennessee baseball (34-16, 13-12 SEC) is set to host seventeenth-ranked Kentucky (34-14, 14-11 SEC) inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium for game two of a three-game series.
First pitch on Saturday is set for Noon ET in Knoxville. SEC Network has the stream, as Saturday’s contest is the only televised game of the series.
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 will be looking to clinch the series with a win on Saturday, as the Vols convincingly won the series opener, 10-6. For all of RTI’s coverage of the series opener, 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:
–Same nine and same order as game one. So, Merritt gets the DH start.
KENTUCKY STARTING NINE:
CF Jackson Gray
LF Ryan Waldschmidt
1B Hunter Gilliam
2B Emilien Pitre
3B Jase Felker
DH Reuben Church
C Devin Burkes
RF James McCoy
SS Grant Smith
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (5-5, 4.26 ERA, 12 app., 12 starts, 1 CG, 63.1 IP, 58 H, 32 R, 30 ER, 23 BB, 88 K, .240 opp. batting avg., 1.29 WHIP)
vs.
Wildcats Sr. LHP Tyler Bosma (4-3, 5.04 ERA, 12 app., 12 starts, 50.0 IP, 50 H, 29 R, 28 ER, 21 BB, 34 K, .259 opp. batting avg., 1.42 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Orange tops, White pants
Kentucky: Blue tops, Grey pants
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Jackson Gray singles right through the left side gap.
-Dollander picks off Gray at first.
-Ryan Waldschmidt bounces a grounder short to Dollander. Dollander bobbles it when picking it up and it allows Waldschmidt to reach. Waldschmidt was originally ruled out but it was reviewed OVERTURNED. It’s an error on Dollander.
-Hunter Gilliam strikes out swinging.
-Stark catches Waldschmidt stealing at second. Kentucky challenging the call. Call overturned. Waldschmidt is safe.
-Waldschmidt steals third.
-Emilien Pitre strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to 2B.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to CF.
-Jared Dickey flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Jase Felker grounds out to 2B.
-Reuben Church pops up to RF in shallow RF.
-Devin Burkes singles through the left side.
-James McCoy grounds out to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Blake Burke works a leadoff walk.
-Christian Moore slaps a single into left field. Burke advances to second.
-Griffin Merritt bloops an RBI single into shallow CF to score Burke. Moore advances to second.
-Zane Denton brings Christian Moore home with an RBI single up the middle.
-Christian Scott reaches on a beautiful bunt single to 3B. Barely safe. Bases loaded for Cal Stark.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Maui Ahuna hits a two-run single through the left side. The chooper scores both Merritt and Denton.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Ryder Giles (1-1, 3.45 ERA) on to pitch for Bosma*
-Hunter Ensley grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Wildcats 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Grant Smith homers to left field to leadoff the inning.
-Jackson Gray strikes out looking.
-Ryan Waldschmidt pops up to SS.
-Hunter Gilliam grounds out to 2B. Nice play by Moore to get stop it and make the throw.
End of Top Half.
B3
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Strickland (3-0, 4.75 ERA) on to pitch for Giles*
-Jared Dickey lines out to RF.
-Blake Burke singles up the middle.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF.
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to 1B unassisted.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 4, Wildcats 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Emilien Pitre pops up to SS.
-Jase Felker flies out to CF.
-Reuben Church strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Zane Denton flies out to CF.
-Christian Scott strikes out looking.
-Cal Stark knocks a single into left field.
-Maui Ahuna singles through the right side. Stark advances to second.
-Hunter Ensley reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS, and Ahuna beats the throw to second. Bases loaded for Jared Dickey.
-Jared Dickey hits a GRAND SLAM off the scoreboard. His 12th HR of the season and second grand slam.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, Wildcats 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Devin Burkes works a leadoff walk.
-James McCoy strikes out swinging.
-Grant Smith strikes out swinging.
-Jackson Gray flies out to CF.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Christian Moore lines out right to the second baseman.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
-Zane Denton grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, Wildcats 1
6th Inning:
T6
*During Waldschmidt’s at-bat, trainer Jeff Wood “Woody” comes out to look at Dollander’s right leg. Maybe a right hamstring or calf. Dollander seems to be fine and remains in the game.*
-Waldschmidt is walked.
-Hunter Gilliam doubles to LF as Dickey can’t make a sliding catch. Waldschmidt advances to third.
-Emilien Pitre drills a two-run double to the right-center gap.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Camden Sewell (4-0, 2.87 ERA) on to pitch for Dollander*
-Cal Stark picks off Pitre at second, as Pitre got caught in a pickle and is ultimately tagged by Christian Moore. Hitter missed on a bunt.
-Jase Felker singles to 1B. Sewell was there in time to cover first but his foot missed the bag when attempting to make the tag.
-Reuben Church singles through the left side. Felker advances to second.
-Devin Burkes flies out to the warning track in LF. Felker stays at second.
-James McCoy ropes an RBI double to LF. Felker scores and Church advances to second.
-Grant Smith flies out to CF.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Christian Scott grounds out 1b to p.
-Cal Stark is HBP.
-Maui Ahuna lines out to deep LF. Bad luck for the junior.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to p.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 8, Wildcats 4
7th Inning:
T7
-Jackson Gray singles to LF.
-Gray steals second.
-Ryan Waldschmidt strikes out looking.
-Hunter Gilliam is walked.
-Emilien Pitre ropes an RBI double down the LF line. Gilliam advances to third.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Chase Burns (4-3, 5.09 ERA) on to pitch for Sewell*
-Gilliam scores on a wild pitch. Pitre advances to third.
-Jase Felker sends an RBI single through the left side to score Pitre.
-Felker steals second.
-Reuben Church strikes out swinging.
-Felker steals third.
-Devin Burkes strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B7
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Ryan Hagenow (2-1, 2.75 ERA) on to pitch for Strickland*
-Jared Dickey singles through the left side.
-Blake Burke lines a single into right field. Dickey advances to third.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Mason Moore (2-1, 2.48 ERA) on to pitch for Hagenow*
-Christian Moore reaches on a fielder’s choice. Dickey out at the plate coming home. Moore and Burke advance to second and third in the midst of everything. Dickey seems to have hurt his right shoulder sliding home. Took his helmet off and was immediately in pain but walked into the dugout shortly thereafter.
*Dylan Dreiling pinch-hitting for Griffin Merritt*
-Dreiling is walked on a full count. Bases loaded for Zane Denton with one out.
-Zane Denton ropes a two-run double to the left field wall. Dreiling advances to third.
-Christian Scott strikes out swinging.
-Cal Stark lines out to SS to end the inning.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 10, Wildcats 7
8th Inning:
T8
-James McCoy is walked.
-Grant Smith strikes out swinging.
-Jackson Gray strikes out looking.
-Ryan Waldschmidt singles to RF. McCoy advances to third.
-Hunter Gilliam grounds out to 3B. Great play by Zane Denton to make the diving stop and throw.
End of Top Half.
B8
*Pitching change: So. LHP Evan Byers (1-0, 0.71 ERA) on to pitch for Moore*
-Maui Ahuna flies out to CF.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
*Kavares Tears pinch-hitting for Jared Dickey*
-Tears flies out to the warning track in right center.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 10, Wildcats 7
9th Inning:
T9
*Tears to RF for Scott*
*Scott to CF for Ensley*
*Ensley to LF for Dickey*
––Chase Burns back out on the mound––
-Emilien Pitre flies out to CF.
-Jase Felker flies out to CF.
*Chase Stanke pinch-hitting for Reuben Church*
-Stanke strikes out swinging.
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 10, Kentucky Wildcats 7
