SCORE: Vols 6, Illinois 3 | FINAL
Eighth-ranked Tennessee baseball (13-1) is set to host the Illinois Fighting Illini (5-6) Friday night in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in game one of a three-game series.
First pitch is at 6 p.m. ET in Knoxville. SECN+ 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. You can also watch or listen to the game using the links.
The Vols enter Friday on an 12-game winning streak, having won their most recent game over Southern Indiana, 2-1. While Tennessee narrowly defeated Southern Indiana on Wednesday, they blew out a formerly ranked Kansas State team, 15-5, on Tuesday. Tennessee’s offense exploded in victory, hitting six total home runs with freshman shortstop Dean Curley hitting three.
In addition to the pair of midweek wins this week, the Vols have swept their last two series against UAlbany and Bowling Green and have not lost since the second game of the season, when they fell to Oklahoma, 5-1.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage of Tennessee’s season so far, click here.
More From RTI: Zander Sechrist, Kirby Connell Shine as Tennessee Baseball Narrowly Defeats Southern Indiana
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)
DH Robin Villeneuve (R)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
C Cal Stark (R)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Stark gets the nod at catcher after Peebles has started four consecutive games.
- Outfield rotation back to the way it was on opening day.
- Robin gets the DH start.
ILLINOIS STARTING NINE:
LF Cameron Chee-Aloy (R)
SS Cal Hejza (R)
C Camden Janik (R)
3B Coltin Quagliano (R)
1B Drake Westcott (L)
DH Vytas Valincius (R)
RF Ryan Moerman (R)
CF Asher Bradd (R)
2B Brody Harding (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. RHP AJ Causey (2-0, 1.23 ERA, 3 app., 1 start, 14.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 18 K, .122 opp. batting avg., 0.55 WHIP)
vs.
Fighting Illini Sr. RHP Jack Crowder (0-0, 7.07 ERA, 3 app., 3 starts, 14.0 IP, 14 H, 13 R, 11 ER, 9 BB, 17 K, .259 opp. batting avg., 1.64 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Causey gets his second straight Friday start as AJ Russell continues to work his way back to full health.
Uniforms:
Tennessee: Icy whites
Illinois: Dark blue hats, tops and bottoms with orange accents
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Cameron Chee-Ahoy strikes out swinging.
-Cal Hejza ropes a double to left field.
-Camden Janik smacks an RBI double to right center to score Hejza. Wind helped the ball find the gap as it was hit to center field.
-Coltin Quagliano reaches on a fielder’s choice as Janik is out at third, 6-5.
-Drake Westcott strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore ropes a leadoff double to left field.
-Blake Burke delivers an RBI double to right field to score Moore.
-Billy Amick knocks a two-run home run to right field. His 9th HR of the season.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.
-Dean Curley grounds into a fielder’s choice as Dreiling is out at second, 6-4.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Fighting Illini 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Vytas Valincius strikes out swinging.
-Ryan Moerman grounds out to 3B.
-Asher Bradd singles through the left side. Amick nearly made the play, but the ball hopped over his glove.
-Brody Harding singles to left center. Hard-hit ball. Bradd advances to third.
-Cameron Chee-Ahoy strikes out swinging. Big K from Causey to strand a pair of baserunners.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Cal Stark cranks a solo leadoff home run to left field. A no-doubter. 372-feet. His first HR of the year was an impressive one as Stark went down and got it.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to right field.
-Christian Moore singles through the right side.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 1B unassisted. Moore advances to second.
-Billy Amick flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Fighting Illini 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-Cal Hejza strikes out looking.
-Camden Janik doubles into left field.
-Coltin Quagliano grounds out to SS.
-Drake Westcott strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Kavares Tears grounds out to SS.
-Robin Villeneuve works a walk on a full count.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out looking.
-Dean Curley strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Fighting Illini 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Vytas Valincius strikes out swinging.
-Ryan Moerman strikes out swinging.
-Asher Bradd grounds out to 2B. Great play by Moore.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Cal Stark flies out to LF.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore fouls out to 1B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Fighting Illini 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Brody Harding strikes out swinging.
-Cameron Chee-Aloy strikes out swinging.
-Cal Hejza works a walk.
-Hejza steals second, advances to third on a throwing error by Causey who tried to catch him stealing but threw the ball in the outfield.
-Camden Janik grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Blake Burke works a leadoff walk.
-Billy Amick grounds into a 5-4-3 double play.
-Robin Villeneuve lines out to SS.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Fighting Illini 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Coltin Quagliano grounds out to 3B.
-Drake Westcott strikes out looking. 11th K for Causey, He’s one away from a career high.
-Vytas Valincius slaps a single into left field.
-Ryan Moerman strikes out looking.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Dylan Dreiling doubles to deep left-center field.
-Dean Curley smokes an RBI double to left field.
*Pitching change: RHP Joseph Glassey (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Crowder*
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley pops up to 2B in shallow right field.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Fighting Illini 1
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Derek Schaefer (1-0, 6.00 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
AJ Causey final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 K, 104 pitches (66 strikes)
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) March 9, 2024
-Asher Bradd works a leadoff walk.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (0-0, 2.57 ERA) on to pitch for Schaefer*
-Brody Harding flies out to LF.
*Jacob Schroeder pinch-hitting for Cameron Chee-Aloy*
-Schroeder strikes out looking.
-Cal Hejza reaches on a fielding error by Curley. Bradd advances to third.
-Camden Janik flies out to CF. Nice job by Behnke to get out of the inning and strand a pair.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
*Pitching change: LHP Regan Hall (1-1, 4.32 ERA) on to pitch for Glassey*
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Billy Amick flies out to CF.
-Kavares Tears fouls out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Fighting Illini 1
8th Inning:
T8
-Coltin Quagliano is aboard with an infield single.
-Drake Westcott singles through the right side.
-Vytas Valincius strikes out looking.
-Ryan Moerman strikes out swinging.
-Asher Bradd flies out to LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: RHP Ben Plumley (0-2, 22.09 ERA) on to pitch for Hall*
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out looking.
-Dylan Dreiling sends a solo home run over the right field wall. His fourth HR of the season.
-Dean Curley grounds out to 3B.
-Cal Stark pops up to SS.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Fighting Illini 1
9th Inning:
T9
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 1.50 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
-Brody Harding hits a single into center field.
-Connor Milton flies out to CF.
-Cal Hejza doubles to left field. Harding advances to third.
-Camden Janik knocks an RBI single to right center field to score Harding. Hejza advances to third. Runners on the corners with one out.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Marcus Phillips (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Coltin Quagliano lays down an RBI groundout to 3B. Hejza scores, Janik advances to second.
Janik advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Drake Westcott grounds out to SS.
END OF GAME
Score: Vols 6, Fighting Illini 3
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Illinois Fighting Illini 3
