*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 5 | FINAL (14 innings)
Tennessee baseball (39-19) is set to take on the Clemson Tigers (44-17) in Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, on Saturday night. First pitch for Saturday night’s matchup is at 6 p.m. ET. ESPN2 has the broadcast.
The Vols are the No. 2 team in the regional while Clemson is the top-ranked host squad.
Tennessee’s upcoming matchup with Clemson will be the both team’s second game of the weekend. Clemson won their NCAA Tournament opener against Lipscomb, 12-5, while the Vols bashed Charlotte 8-1 on Friday night.
Saturday night’s game is crucial for both teams, as the winner wins the single elimination side of the bracket and must get beaten twice (once on Sunday night, once on Monday afternoon), to lose the regional. However, the loser will have to play tomorrow against Charlotte at Noon ET then beat the winner of tonight’s game twice to win the regional.
For all of RTI’s coverage of the regional up to this point, including a short preview of tonight’s contest, 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
DH Griffin Merritt
2B Christian Moore
1B Blake Burke
3B Zane Denton
RF Christian Scott
C Cal Stark
Lineup Notes:
–Same lineup as last night.
CLEMSON STARTING NINE:
CF Cam Cannarella
RF Cooper Ingle
LF Will Taylor
P Caden Grice
1B Billy Amick
2B Riley Bertram
3B Blake Wright
SS Benjamin Blackwell
C Jacob Jarrell
Lineup Notes:
–Caden Grice, Clemson’s own Shohei Ohtani, is batting cleanup while also starting on the mound. Grice has been the Tigers’ best arm down the stretch and best power hitter all season.
Pitching Matchup
Vols Jr. RHP Chase Dollander (6-6, 4.28 ERA, 14 app., 14 starts, 1 CG, 73.2 IP, 65 H, 37 R, 35 ER, 25 BB, 107 K, .232 opp. batting avg., 1.23 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers Jr. LHP Caden Grice (8-1, 3.25 ERA, 13 app., 13 starts, 69.1 IP, 48 H, 31 R, 25 ER, 32 BB, 91 K, .195 opp. batting avg., 1.16 WHIP)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Dark Mode (Second night in a row)
Clemson: Purple on White
*Clemson is the home team*
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Maui Ahuna strikes out looking.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B1
-Cam Cannarella lines out to RF.
-Cooper Ingle singles through the left side.
-Cal Stark catches Cooper Ingle stealing at second. Play under review. Call stands.
-Will Taylor is walked.
-Caden Grice grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Griffin Merritt lines out to LF.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
-Blake Burke singles up the middle.
-Zane Denton pops up to SS in shallow LF.
End of Top Half.
B2
-Billy Amick gets a single to drop in shallow RF. Christian Moore couldn’t make the catch in the sun. Great at-bat by Amick.
-Riley Bertram flies out to CF.
-Amick takes second on a wild pitch.
-Blake Wright strikes out swinging.
-Benjamin Blackwell singles up the middle. Amick rounds third and tries to score but Blake Burke’s throw home beats him to end the inning.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Christian Scott works a leadoff walk.
-Cal Stark bunts Scott over to second but is out at first for out number one.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B3
-Jacob Jarrell works a leadoff walk.
-Cam Cannarella strikes out swinging.
-Cooper Ingle lines out to CF.
-Will Taylor grounds out to SS.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Jared Dickey grounds out to SS.
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to SS.
-Christian Moore smacks a solo home run to LF and it’s no longer a scoreless game.
-Blake Burke singles through the left side.
-Zane Denton strikes out looking.
End of Top Half.
B4
-Caden Grice strikes out looking.
-Billy Amick is hit by a pitch.
-Riley Bertram strikes out swinging.
-Blake Wright flies out to RF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Christian Scott grounds out to 2B.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging on three pitches. Looked at the first two.
-Maui Ahuna strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B5
-Benjamin Blackwell singles to SS. Ahuna did a great job to stop it in the infield but dropped the ball in the transfer.
-Blackwell steals second.
-Jacob Jarrell knocks a single into LF. Blackwell advances to third. Crowd is loud as the Tigers are threatening with no outs.
-Cam Cannarella slaps a three-run home run to RF.
-Cooper Ingle grounds out to 2B.
-Will Taylor singles to deep left field. Nice throw by Jared Dickey to keep Taylor at first.
*Pitching change: RHP Chase Burns (4-3, 5.30 ERA) on to pitch for Dollander*
-Caden Grice ropes Chase Burns’ first pitch of the game down the LF line for an RBI double.
-Billy Amick grounds out to SS. Grice advances to third.
-Riley Bertram grounds out to 2B.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 4
6th Inning:
T6
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey is hit hard by a pitch in the hands. He’s quickly checked on by trainer Jeff Wood then walks to first. Seems to be okay but he went to the ground in pain after getting hit.
-Griffin Merritt grounds into a 5-4-3 double play. Great play by the Clemson infield.
End of Top Half.
B6
-Blake Wright flies out to LF.
-Benjamin Blackwell strikes out looking.
-Jacob Jarrell strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 1, Tigers 4
7th Inning:
T7
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 3B.
-Zane Denton drills a solo homer to right center. Wallscraper.
-Christian Scott grounds out to 2B.
End of Top Half.
B7
-Cam Cannarella leads off the inning with a double down the RF line.
-Cooper Ingle pops up to 3B.
-Cal Stark catches Cannarella stealing at third. Another nice play by Stark defensively.
-Will Taylor strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 4
8th Inning:
T8
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Maui Ahuna grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 2B. Vols go down in order on seven pitches. Grice is at 98 pitches and will likely go the distance.
End of Top Half.
B8
-Caden Grice lines out to SS.
-Billy Amick grounds out to 3B. Nice throw by Zane Denton.
-Riley Bertram singles to RF, and Scott guns him down at second to end the inning.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 2, Tigers 4
9th Inning:
T9
-Jared Dickey grounds out to SS.
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to SS.
-Christian Moore singles to RF. Vols stay alive as Blake Burke, the tying run, comes to the plate.
-Blake Burke singles through the right side. Moore advances to third.
*Ethan Payne pinch-running for Blake Burke*
*Pitching change: LHP Ryan Ammons (2-0, 3.60 ERA) on to pitch for Grice*
-Zane Denton CRANKS a three-run homer to left field to put Tennessee ahead. Unreal two out rally from the Vols. Denton’s SECOND HR of the game is his biggest of his Tennessee career as the go-ahead homer puts Tennessee on top.
-Christian Scott is walked on four pitches.
*Pitching change: RHP Rob Hughes (0-0, 1.32 ERA) on to pitch for Ammons*
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging, out c to 1B.
End of Top Half.
B9
*Payne to 1B for Burke*
-Blake Wright leads off the inning with a double to right center.
-Benjamin Blackwell strikes out swinging.
-Jacob Jarrell strikes out swinging.
-Wright advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Cam Cannarella ties it with an RBI double to right center. Winning run at second.
-Cooper Ingle is intentionally walked.
-Will Taylor strikes out to end regulation.
END OF REGULATION
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 4
10th Inning:
T10
-Maui Ahuna rips a single through the right side.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Jared Dickey flies out to LF.
-Griffin Merritt strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B10
Burns staying on the mound.
-Caden Grice legs out an infield single to SS.
*Mac Starbuck pinch-hitting for Amick due to Grice having to be DH now*
-Mac Starbuck is walked.
-Chase Burns plunks Riley Bertram who was very animated in jogging to first after slamming the bat down. Bases loaded for Blake Wright with no outs.
-Blake Wright strikes out swinging.
-Benjamin Blackwell reaches on a fielder’s choice to walk it off. Vols tried to turn the double play but Blackwell was ruled safe.
CALL OVERTURNED AFTER REVIEW. Tennessee turns the double play to stay alive. Chase Burns got out of the bases-loaded, no-outs jam with a strikeout and double play.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 5
11th Inning:
T11
*Pitching change: RHP Jackson Lindley (3-3, 2.93 ERA) on to pitch for Hughes*
-Christian Moore doubles down the RF line.
-Ethan Payne bunts Moore over to third. Out at first.
-Zane Denton is intentionally walked.
*Pitching change: RHP Reed Garris (4-0, 2.17 ERA) on to pitch for Lindley*
-Christian Scott strikes out looking.
*Dylan Dreiling pinch-hitting for Cal Stark*
*Pitching change: LHP Tristan Smith (0-1, 4.75 ERA) on to pitch for Garris*
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 1B unassisted. Almost legged out the infield single. Play is under review. Call STANDS to end the top half.
End of Top Half.
B11
*Charlie Taylor to c for Stark*
-Jacob Jarrell strikes out swinging.
-Cam Cannarella is walked.
-Cooper Ingle grounds out to 2B. Cannarella advances to second.
-Will Taylor is walked.
*Pitching change: RHP Seth Halvorsen (2-3, 4.01 ERA) on to pitch for Burns against Caden Grice*
What a 99-pitch relief outing from Chase Burns.
—-Winning run at second with two outs.
-Caden Grice strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 5
12th Inning:
T12
-Maui Ahuna lines out to SS.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.
-Jared Dickey grounds out to 3B.
Vols go down in order on six pitches.
End of Top Half.
B12
-Pinch-hitter Ty Olenchuk flies out to right center in his first AB of the season.
-Riley Bertram pops up to SS.
-Blake Wright flies out to CF.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 5
13th Inning:
T13
*Pitching change: RHP Willie Weiss (2-0, 7.00 ERA) on to pitch for Smith*
-Griffin Merritt grounds out to SS. Close call at first. Play is under review. Call OVERTURNED as Merritt is SAFE.
*Pitching change: RHP Nick Clayton (8-0, 3.23 ERA) on to pitch for Weiss*
*Austen Jaslove pinch-running for Griffin Merritt*
-Jaslove advances to second on a passed ball.
-Christian Moore is walked.
-Ethan Payne bunts the runners over with a beautiful sac bunt.
-Zane Denton is intentionally walked. Bases loaded for Christian Scott.
-Scott grounds into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. This game has had everything and then some for both sides.
End of Top Half.
B13
-Benjamin Blackwell flies out to RF in foul territory.
-Jacob Jarrell grounds out to 3B. Nice job by Ethan Payne to make the stretch and catch.
*Nathan Hall pinch-hitting for Cam Cannarella, who was EJECTED, per the broadcast, meaning he will not be available for the Tigers in their next game*
-Hall strikes out swinging.
End of Bottom Half.
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 5
14th Inning:
T14
*Pitching change: RHP Casey Tallent (1-0, 3.05 ERA) on to pitch for Clayton*
*Hall to CF for Cannarella*
-Charlie Taylor flies out to RF.
-Maui Ahuna is walked.
-Hunter Ensley drills an RBI double to deep right center to score Ahuna.
-Jared Dickey is intentionally walked.
*Pitching change: LHP B.J. Bailey (2-2, 4.20 ERA) on to pitch for Tallent*
*Kavares Tears pinch-hitting for Austen Jaslove*
-Tears strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore is walked to load the bases with two outs. Ethan Payne due up.
-Ethan Payne strikes out swinging.
End of Top Half.
B14
*Tears to DH for Jaslove*
-Cooper Ingle grounds out to SS.
-Will Taylor is walked.
-Caden Grice strikes out as Taylor steals second.
-Taylor steals third.
-Jack Crighton flies out to RF.
END OF GAME. VOLS WIN THE THRILLER.
Score: Vols 6, Tigers 5
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Clemson Tigers 5
