SCORE: Vols 16, Falcons 6 | FINAL (7 inn.)
Eighth-ranked Tennessee baseball (10-1) is hosting Bowling Green baseball (2-6) Sunday in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in game three of a three-game weekend series. First pitch is at 1 p.m. ET.
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. You can also watch or listen to the game using the links.
The Vols are looking to sweep the series against Bowling Green on Sunday. Tennessee was victorious Friday night, 11-1, in a run-rule victory in eight innings, and then followed it up with a 12-1 run-rule win on Saturday in seven innings.
AJ Causey dominated on the mound in his first start as a Vol Friday to lead the Vols, then Drew Beam and a seven-run sixth inning led the Big Orange to a win on Saturday.
This weekend’s series marks the second for the Vols this season, as they opened their season in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington against three different teams. Last weekend, Tennessee swept their first true weekend series against UAlbany, winning 8-5, 21-6 and 12-0 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Therefore, a win on Sunday would give Tennessee back-to-back series sweeps.
Tennessee is on an nine-game winning streak since their loss to Oklahoma in the second game of the season. Other than the pair of wins over Bowling Green, Tennessee’s winning streak includes the sweep over UAlbany and midweek wins over High Point, UNC Asheville and ETSU along with a win over Baylor on the last day in Arlington.
As for Bowling Green, the Falcons are yet to win a series, as they lost two out of three to Middle Tennessee State on opening weekend and lost two of three to Memphis last weekend. Considering those have been Bowling Green’s only opponents so far this season, the Falcons have still only played against teams in the state of Tennessee.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage regarding the first two games of the series thus far, click here.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball Uses Seven-Run Sixth Inning, Great Beam Start to Clinch Series Over Bowling Green
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
2B Christian Moore (R)
1B Blake Burke (L)
3B Billy Amick (R)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
C Cannon Peebles (S)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
DH Dalton Bargo (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
Lineup Notes:
- Top four the same order as it’s been, but Tears moves to center.
- NO Hunter Ensley in the lineup for the first time this weekend.
- Bargo gets the nod at DH. First lineup without Villeneuve in a while.
- Peebles starts at catcher for the second straight day.
- Chapman gets the start at right, his first start of the series and first since the series opener against UAlbany.
BOWLING GREEN STARTING NINE:
CF Nathan Archer (L)
DH DJ Newman (R)
SS Sam Seidel (L)
C Cooper McKenzie (R)
RF Caden Parker (R)
3B Leighton Banjoff (R)
1B Brady Birchmeier (R)
RF Gavin Ganun (R)
2B David Silva (R)
Pitching Matchup
Pitching notes:
- Schaefer gets his second career start, first on a weekend.
- Expect Tennessee to use multiple pitchers today, as Tony Vitello said many arms will get work following game two of the series.
- While Sechrist isn’t starting, it doesn’t mean he’s lost the job – would still expect to see him come out of the pen today.
- Mitchell has the best numbers of any Bowling Green pitcher so far this season.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Sunday creams
Bowling Green: Orange tops, white bottoms
*NOTE* There IS a run-rule today. If Tennessee leads by 10 runs in the middle of the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Nathan Archer pops up to 3B.
-DJ Newman grounds out to 3B.
-Sam Seidel lines out to 1B.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging on a full count.
-Blake Burke lines out to SS. 107 mph line drive right to the short stop.
-Billy Amick knocks a single into center field.
-Kavares Tears drives a single through the right side. Amick advances to third.
-Cannon Peebles smacks an RBI double to right center. Amick scores. Tears advances to third.
Tears scores on a wild pitch. Peebles advances to third.
-Dylan Dreiling delivers an RBI ground-rule double that bounces into the bullpen. Peebles scores.
Dreiling advances to third on a wild pitch. Tony Vitello challenges the ruling to see if Bargo got hit by the pitch. Call is CONFIRMED. No HBP.
-Dalton Bargo drops an RBI single into right field.
Bargo steals second.
-Dean Curley is walked.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 4, Falcons 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Cooper McKenzie works a leadoff walk.
-Caden Parker ropes a double to left field. McKenzie advances to third.
-Leighton Banjoff knocks a sac fly to CF to score McKenzie. Parker advances to third.
-Brady Birchmeier is walked. Runners on the corners with one out.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (0-0, 2.08 ERA) on to pitch for Schaefer*
-Gavin Ganun chops an RBI groundout to 3B. Nice job by Amick to charge and make the play. Parker scores. Birchmeier advances to second.
-David Silva grounds out to SS. Flat out incredible play by Curley to make the throw in time, and it was a great stretch from Burke who has improved significantly defensively.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Landon Willeman (0-0, 5.40 ERA) on to pitch for Mitchell*
-Christian Moore works a leadoff walk on a full count.
-Blake Burke smokes a 110 mph RBI double to left center to score Moore.
-Billy Amick strikes out looking. First out of the weekend for Amick so far. He was 6-6 at the plate with a couple of walks on the series.
-Kavares Tears works a walk.
Baserunners steal second and third.
-Cannon Peebles sends an RBI single into shallow center field. Looked like a handful of Bowling Green players lost it in the sun. It was also hit in the perfect spot to drop in shallow center. Peebles now has three straight multi-hit games. Tears advances to third.
-Dylan Dreiling cranks a three-run home run off the scoreboard. 363-foot bomb. His second HR of the season.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley flies out to the warning track in CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 9, Falcons 2
3rd Inning:
T3
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Matthew Dallas (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
-Nathan Archer is walked on four pitches.
-DJ Newman is walked.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (0-0, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Dallas*
-Sam Seidel reaches on a fielder’s choice as Newman is out at second, 1-6. Archer advances to third.
Seidel steals second.
-Cooper McKenzie strikes out looking.
-Caden Parker strikes out swinging. Kirby gets Tennessee out of the jam. Back-to-back appearances for Kirby dating back to Tuesday’s game against High Point where Connell got the Vols out of trouble.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Rigo Ramos (0-0, 18.90 ERA) on to pitch for Willeman*
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.
-Christian Moore is aboard with an infield single. Ricocheted off the pitcher’s wrist of his non-throwing arm.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Billy Amick pops up to 1B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 9, Falcons 2
4th Inning:
T4
*Pitching change: So. RHP Marcus Phillips (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Leighton Banjoff strikes out swinging.
-Brady Birchmeier singles into left field.
Birchmeier advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Gavin Ganun strikes out swinging.
Birchmeier advances to third on a wild pitch.
-David Silva grounds out to 3B. Nice play by Amick to stop a hard-hit grounder.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Kavares Tears is walked on four pitches.
-Cannon Peebles sends a single into center field. Tears advances to second.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley HBP. Bases loaded with two outs for pinch-hitter Hunter Ensley.
*Hunter Ensley pinch-hitting for Reese Chapman*
-Ensley works a bases-loaded walk. Terrific at-bat.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF in left center.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Falcons 2
5th Inning:
T5
*Ensley to CF*
*Tears to RF*
-Nathan Archer grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-DJ Newman strikes out looking.
-Sam Seidel flies out to the warning track in RF. 1-2-3 inning for Phillips.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Blake Burke pops up to 3B.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Logan Bell (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Ramos*
-Billy Amick strikes out looking.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Falcons 2
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Dylan Loy (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Phillips*
*Camden Bates to 2B for Moore*
-Cooper McKenzie is walked on four pitches.
-Caden Parker works a walk.
-Leighton Banjoff flies out to the warning track in LF.
-Brady Birchmeier grounds into a 5-3 double play. Amick fields the grounder, steps on third for the second out of the inning then makes the throw to first on time for out number three. Another solid play from Amick on defense.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Cannon Peebles works a leadoff walk after a long at-bat.
*Bradke Lohry pinch-running for Peebles*
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
-Dalton Bargo ropes an RBI double deep into left field. Lohry scores, but it’s very close. Bowling Green challenges the ruling.
Call Stands
*Ethan Payne pinch-hitting for Dean Curley*
-Payne knocks a single into right field. Bargo advances to third.
*Colby Backus pinch-hitting for Ensley*
-Backus is walked. Bases loaded for Bates.
-Camden Bates sends a sac fly to CF to score Bargo. Vols now lead by 10 runs. Important for the run rule.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Connar Penrod (0-1, 27.00 ERA) on to pitch for Bell*
*Robin Villeneuve pinch-hitting for Blake Burke*
-Villeneuve ropes an RBI single through the left side to score Payne. Backus advances to third.
*Cal Stark pinch-hitting for Billy Amick*
-Stark knocks an RBI single to center field. Villeneuve advances to second. Backus scores.
*Hunter High pinch-hitting for Kavares Tears*
-Hunter High strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 14, Falcons 2
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Zander Sechrist (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*
*Payne to 3B*
*Villeneuve to 1B*
*Backus to CF*
*High to RF*
*Bates to SS*
*Lohry to 2B*
*Charlie Taylor to C for Stark*
-Gavin Ganun launches a solo homer to the left-field porches.
-David Silva singles to CF.
-Nathan Archer strikes out swinging.
*Pitching change: RS-Fr. RHP Austin Hunley (1-0, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-DJ Newman rips a single through the left side. Runners on first and second with one out.
-Sam Seidel ropes a two-run triple down the RF line
-Cooper McKenzie works a walk on a full count.
-Caden Parker reaches on a fielding error by Lohry. McKenzie advances to second. Seidel scores on the grounder.
-Leighton Banjoff grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Bradke Lohry strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.
-Dalton Bargo ropes a 105 mph single to RF. Dreiling advances to second.
-Ethan Payne delivers an RBI single into right center. Dreiling scores. Bargo advances to second.
-Colby Backus smokes an RBI double to left field to walk it off.
END OF GAME
Score: Vols 16, Falcons 6
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 16, Bowling Green Falcons 6
