SCORE: Tennessee 12, Auburn 2 | FINAL (7 inn. – run rule)
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (24-6, 5-5 SEC) is back on the road this weekend after spending the last two weekends at home earning series victories over Ole Miss and Georgia.
The Vols are looking for their third straight series victory as they battle the Auburn Tigers (18-11, 2-8 SEC). Tennessee must win on Saturday to keep their hopes of winning the series alive, however, as the Vols dropped the series opener to the Tigers, 9-5.
While Auburn’s win over Tennessee was just their second in league play, the Tigers are a better team than the record indicates, as they’ve had a number of tight losses.
First pitch is at 4:30 p.m. ET, and SEC Network+ is streaming the game. 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.
This series is Tennessee’s second on the road this season. The first came on SEC opening weekend when the Vols lost two of three in Tuscaloosa.
Prior to Tennessee’s series-opening loss to Auburn, they last played in Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Sunday, shutting out Georgia, 7-0, in the series rubber match. The Vols had a rare off date in the mid week.
In addition to the series wins over Ole Miss and Georgia, some highlights from Tennessee’s season have been its series sweep over Illinois, 10-run midweek win over Kansas State, plus wins over Texas Tech and Baylor in Arlington.
Injury Note
-3B Billy Amick is traveling with Tennessee to Auburn this week but is “likely out” for the weekend series. Dalton Bargo is starting at third, while Curley keeps his shortstop role. Ariel Antigua could also see a start at shortstop and Curley slide over to third. Tony Vitello also mentioned Alex Perry as a possible option as he works back from a hamstring injury.
-Vitello said left-handed relief pitcher Andrew Behnke is expected to return this weekend after missing the previous three weeks (sickness).
-AJ Russell is out again this weekend as he battles forearm soreness. Russell will likely be out for a while, but he didn’t suffer a very serious injury.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including the at-bat by at-bat thread from Tennessee’s series-opening loss to Auburn, click here.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball Drops Series Opener At Auburn
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
2B Christian Moore (R)
1B Blake Burke (L)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
3B Dalton Bargo (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
SS Dean Curley (R)
DH Reese Chapman (L)
C Cal Stark (C)
Lineup Notes:
- Dalton Bargo starts at third in place of Amick and moves back up to the three-hole after being in the seven-hole on Friday.
- Reese Chapman gets the DH nod over Villeneuve, rightfully so as Chapman has been better as of late.
- Ensley gets the outfield start for the second straight day.
- Stark handles catcher duties for the second straight game. Seems Stark is now the 1A behind the plate with Cannon Peebles struggling.
AUBURN STARTING NINE:
LF Mason Maners (L)
SS Cooper Weiss (R)
C Ike Irish (L)
1B Cooper McMurray (L)
CF Chris Stanfield (R)
DH Christian Hall (L)
RF Cade Belyeu (L)
2B Javon Hernandez (R)
3B Deric Fabian (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. RHP Drew Beam (3-1, 4.06 ERA, 7 app., 7 starts, 37.2 IP, 44 H, 22 R, 17 ER, 6 BB, 32 K, .288 opp. batting avg., 1.33 WHIP)
vs.
Tigers Jr. RHP Conner McBride (3-1, 4.21 ERA, 6 app., 6 starts, 25.2 IP, 22 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 8 BB, 22 K, .237 opp. batting avg., 1.17 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Beam is looking to bounce back after getting shelled by Georgia last week, giving up seven runs (four earned), in 2.2 innings.
- McBride started the season as a midweek guy for Auburn before becoming a consistent member of the weekend rotation recently.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Orange tops, grey bottoms
Auburn: All white
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Auburn leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
- The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Christian Moore singles through the left side.
-Blake Burke flies out to the warning track in LF.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
Moore caught stealing at second to end the inning, 2-6.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Mason Maners works a leadoff walk.
-Cooper Weiss bunts Maners over to second, out at first P to 1B.
-Ike Irish grounds out to P. Nice play by Beam to field the chopper. Had to reach back a long ways to catch the ball before making the throw to first. Maners advances to third.
-Cooper McMurray fouls out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Kavares Tears strikes out looking.
-Dalton Bargo smacks a solo homer to left field on the first pitch he sees. Golfed out the opposite field bomb.
-Hunter Ensley is walked.
-Dean Curley rips a double to left field. Ensley advances to third.
-Reese Chapman fouls out to 3B after a long, 11-pitch at-bat.
-Cal Stark works a walk to load the bases for Christian Moore.
-Moore crushes a grand slam to right center. 39th career home run for Moore.
*Pitching change: LHP Tanner Bauman (2-1, 4.61 ERA) on to pitch for McBride*
-Blake Burke grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Chris Stanfield flies out to CF.
-Christian Hall strikes out swinging.
-Cade Belyeu doubles to LF.
-Javon Hernandez strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Tigers 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Dylan Dreiling ropes a solo leadoff homer to right field.
-Kavares Tears works a walk.
-Dalton Bargo is unconscious. Hammers a two-run shot to RF.
*Pitching change: RHP Chase Allsup (1-2, 7.02 ERA) on to pitch for Bauman*
-Hunter Ensley is walked.
-Dean Curley slaps a single to left field. Ensley advances to second.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Cal Stark flies out to CF. Ensley advances to third.
-Christian Moore grounds out to P.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Deric Fabian strikes out looking.
-Mason Maners strikes out swinging.
-Cooper Weiss grounds out to SS.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Tigers 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Blake Burke hammers a solo homer to left center to break the program HR record. No. 41 for Burke in his career. Burke also extends his hit streak to 21 games. On-base streak to 29 games.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out looking.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Dalton Bargo flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Ike Irish strikes out looking.
-Cooper McMurray grounds out to 2B.
-Chris Stanfield flies out to CF. Beam has retired seven in a row and looks really good.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 9, Tigers 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Hunter Ensley drives a leadoff single through the left side.
-Dean Curley flies out to LF.
*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Chapman*
-Peebles flies out to LF. To the warning track.
-Cal Stark flies out to CF.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Christian Hall strikes out swinging.
-Cade Belyeu strikes out swinging.
-Javon Hernandez flies out to CF. Beam has retired 10 straight. Everything is working for him right now.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 9, Tigers 0
6th Inning:
T6
-Christian Moore flies out to CF.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Dylan Dreiling smacks a solo homer to RF after a good AB. A no-doubter. Monster shot. 422-feet. His second of the day and 12th of the season (ties for team-lead). Vols have a big enough lead for the run rule.
-Kavares Tears is walked after a very long at-bat. Double-digit pitches.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Deric Fabian grounds out to SS.
-Mason Maners flies out to CF.
-Cooper Weiss grounds out to 2B. Beam has retired 13 straight.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Tigers 0
7th Inning:
T7
-Hunter Ensley continues his strong day with a leadoff single up the middle.
-Dean Curley doubles to LF. Ensley advances to third.
-Cannon Peebles fouls out to 3B.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
-Christian Moore ropes a two-run double to left center. Career-high 6 RBI for Moore.
*Pitching change: RHP Ben Schorr (0-1, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Allsup*
Moore advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Blake Burke flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Ike Irish grounds out, 1-5-3. Ricocheted off of Beam.
-Cooper McMurray doubles down the RF line.
-Chris Stanfield singles to LF, advances to second on a throwing error by Dreiling. McMurray advances to third.
McMurray scores on a wild pitch, Stanfield advances to third on the wild pitch.
-Christian Hall strikes out swinging.
Stanfield scores on a wild pitch.
-Cade Belyeu flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 12, Tigers 2
END OF GAME – RUN RULE
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 12, Auburn Tigers 2 (7 inn.) – RUN-RULE
