SCORE: Tennessee 3, LSU 1 | FINAL

*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*

Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (28-6, 8-5 SEC) is set to battle the LSU Tigers (22-13, 3-10 SEC) Friday night in Lindsey Nelson Stadium in game two of a marquee three-game series.

The LSU series is the most significant for the Vols so far this season at home.

First pitch is at 5:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. 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.

All three games will be televised this weekend. Game one was on ESPNU and game three will also air on the SEC Network.

Tennessee is looking to clinch the series with a win on Saturday after defeating the Tigers, 6-3, in the series opener. Billy Amick homered on the first pitch he’d seen in three weeks, AJ Causey shoved in a great relief outing, Kirby Connell got Tennessee out of a big jam, and Dylan Dreiling also left the yard in the win.

Read all about Tennessee’s series-opening win here.

The Vols are hosting LSU for the first time since the 2021 NCAA Super Regional in Knoxville. The last time the two sides met prior to this season was in the College World Series last year in Omaha. The Tigers beat the Vols, 5-0, to end their season. In fact, both of Tennessee’s losses in the 2023 CWS came to the eventual national champions.

LSU had Tennessee’s number in the regular season last year, too, when it won two of three against the Vols in Baton Rouge.

Most recently in SEC play, Tennessee earned a series win over Auburn on the road, taking the final two games after dropping the series opener. The series win over the Tigers marked Tennessee’s third straight, as it also owns series wins over Georgia and Ole Miss, both of which came in Knoxville.

Tennessee opened SEC play in Tuscaloosa against Alabama, who are the only team to beat the Vols in a series this season, winning games two and three.

In addition to the series wins over Ole Miss, Georgia and Auburn, 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.

As for LSU, the defending champs have had a tough first half of the season. After losing a lot to the MLB Draft, the Tigers have struggled to succeed so far in league play and are yet to win a series. LSU has dropped series to Vanderbilt, Florida, Arkansas and Mississippi State. The Tigers are yet to win an SEC series. LSU’s best win this season came against Texas in the Astros Foundation Classic in Houston.

Injury Note

-3B Billy Amick is back for this series after missing the last eight games with an appendix injury prior to Friday.

-AJ Russell remains out as he deals with 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 their series-opening win over LSU and everything Tony Vitello said to after the win, click here.

For the most recent RTI Press Pass Podcast on Tennessee Baseball, click here.

More From RTI: WATCH: Tony Vitello Recaps Series-Opening Win Over LSU

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)

3B Billy Amick (R)

RF Kavares Tears (L)

LF Dylan Dreiling (L)

SS Dean Curley (R)

DH Dalton Bargo (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

Lineup Notes:

• One change from last night’s lineup: Cannon Peebles starting over Cal Stark at catcher. Stark still seems to be the 1A or outright No. 1 catcher on the team, though.
• Outfield rotation remains the same with Ensley getting the nod in center. Seems like the outfield rotation that will be used more times than not.
• Bargo stays at the DH spot with Amick returning to the lineup.
• No Robin Villeneuve or Reese Chapman again, but they’ll likely get pinch-hit opportunities. Villeneuve had one at-bat in Friday’s win.

LSU STARTING NINE:

1B Jared Jones (R)

3B Tommy White (R)

RF Ashton Larson (L)

LF Mac Bingham (R)

DH Hayden Travinski (R)

SS Michael Braswell III (R)

CF Paxton Kling (R)

2B Steven Milam (S)

C Alex Milazzo (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. RHP Drew Beam (4-1, 3.63 ERA, 8 app., 8 starts, 2 CG, 44.2 IP, 47 H, 24 R, 18 ER, 7 BB, 40 K, .267 opp. batting avg., 1.21 WHIP)

vs.

Tigers Jr. RHP Luke Holman (6-1, 2.01 ERA, 8 app., 8 starts, 44.2 IP, 28 H, 15 R, 10 ER, 13 BB, 71 K, .174 opp. batting avg.)

Pitching notes:

• Beam stays on Saturday as he has all season. Looking to build off of last week’s incredible performance against Auburn in which he threw a complete game in a run-rule victory.
• Holman is an Alabama transfer and LSU’s ace. By far their best pitcher. Should be a great pitching matchup tonight in LNS.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Orange tops, white bottoms

LSU: Purple tops, white bottoms

**Tonight is an ORANGE OUT in Lindsey Nelson Stadium for the fans**

First Pitch

VFL legend and MLB Hall of Famer Todd Helton is throwing out the first pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

RTI will have video of Helton throwing the pitch. Be sure to check in on RTI YouTube, RTI X and RTI Instagram for the video of the first pitch.

Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell threw out the first pitch ahead of the series opener on Friday night. Watch Caldwell’s first pitch here.

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*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or LSU leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.

• Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Jared Jones flies out to CF on the first pitch of his at-bat.

-Tommy White singles to LF on the first pitch of his at-bat..

-Ashton Larson singles to RF on the first pitch of his at-bat. White advances to second.

-Mac Bingham flies out to CF.

-Hayden Travinski singles up the middle. Runners advance to second and third, but White is out at third as he attempted to go home and was tagged out by Amick when coming back to the bag. 4-5 putout.

• Tremendous play by Christian Moore to prevent the ball from going into the outfield. He ultimately prevented a run from scoring.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Christian Moore flies out to the warning track in RF.

-Blake Burke lines out to LF.

-Billy Amick pops up to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Michael Braswell III smokes a double to LF.

-Paxton Kling works a walk.

-Steven Milam reaches on an ugly throwing error by Amick and advances to second on the error. Kling advances to third on the error. Braswell III scores on the error.

• Milam laid down a bunt, and Amick tried to make a difficult play and threw it into right field. Run easily came across.

-Alex Milazzo strikes out looking.

-Jared Jones strikes out swinging.

-Tommy White out at first 1B to P.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Kavares Tears flies out to RF.

-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.

-Dean Curley is walked on four pitches.

Runners advance to second and third on a wild pitch.

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.

––Tony Vitello is very UNHAPPY with Luke Holman not getting a pitch-clock violation, which would have led to a Hunter Ensley walk. Vitello exchanges some words with the home plate umpire––

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Ashton Larson singles to left center.

-Mac Bingham reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS as Larson is out at second, 6-4.

• Should have been a 6-4-3 double play, but Moore’s throw was too high and took Burke off the bag.

-Hayden Travinski slaps a single to LF. Bingham advances to second.

-Michael Braswell III grounds into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. Got it that time.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Cannon Peebles pops up to 3B.

-Christian Moore flies out to RF.

-Blake Burke works a walk. On-base streak at 33 games.

-Billy Amick strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 1

4th Inning: 

T4

-Paxton Kling sends a single through the left side.

-Steven Milam strikes out looking.

Kling steals second.

-Alex Milazzo pops up to 1B.

-Jared Jones strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Kavares Tears flies out to CF.

-Dylan Dreiling flies out to RF.

-Dean Curley lines out to RF. Almost got out of the ballpark.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 1

5th Inning: 

T5

-Tommy White delivers a single up the middle. White has had a really solid weekend thus far.

-Ashton Larson flies out to RF.

-Mac Bingham strikes out swinging.

White steals second.

-Hayden Travinski grounds out to SS. Great play by Curley to field it and make the throw on time.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Dalton Bargo flies out to RF. Nice play by Ashton Larson to make a leaping catch.

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.

-Cannon Peebles pops up to P in foul territory on a bunt attempt.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Tigers 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Michael Braswell III grounds out to SS.

-Paxton Kling is walked on four pitches.

-Steven Milam grounds into a 1-4-3 double play. Hit off Beam then Moore did the rest easily.

END OF TOP HALF.

B6

-Christian Moore lines out to the warning track in LF.

• Another barrel that didn’t quite get out of the park. 116 mph laser.

-Blake Burke singles to 2B to end the no-hitter and extend his hit streak.

• 25-game hit streak now for Burke.

-Billy Amick ropes a double to LF. Burke advances to third. Vols in business now.

-Kavares Tears strikes out looking.

*Pitching change: So. LHP Griffin Herring (2-0, 2.42 ERA) on to pitch for Holman*

-Dylan Dreiling rips a two-run single to right center on the first pitch of that at-bat. Dreiling comes through in the clutch again.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Tigers 1

7th Inning: 

T7

RHP Aaron Combs is warming up the bullpen.

-Alex Milazzo grounds out to 2B.

-Jared Jones works a walk.

-Tommy White flies out to RF.

*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (0-0, 1.64 ERA) on to pitch for Beam*

-Ashton Larson is walked on four pitches. Jones moves to second.

-Mac Bingham strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

*Bradke Lohry pinch-hitting for Dalton Bargo*

––Interesting move here––

-Lohry strikes out swinging.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.

-Cannon Peebles works a walk on a full count.

-Christian Moore strikes out looking.

• Questionable strike three call, to say the least. Moore had to move out of the way or it would’ve hit him. Burke came over to calm Moore down who obviously disagreed with the call.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Tigers 1

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: RHP Nate Snead (6-1, 3.29 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*

*Cal Stark to C for Peebles*

-Hayden Travinski pops up to SS.

-Michael Braswell III strikes out looking.

-Paxton Kling strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Blake Burke flies out to CF in shallow center field.

-Billy Amick launches a solo home run off the scoreboard. Some significant insurance for the Vols.

• Amick is now third on the team in HR with 12. 104 mph off the bat.

-Kavares Tears singles to SS in 2B territory.

• Nice play by Braswell III to prevent it from going in the outfield, but he couldn’t complete what would have been an impressive play. Throw took Jared Jones off the bag.

-Dylan Dreiling reaches on a fielder’s choice by 2B as Tears is out at second, 4-6.

-Dean Curley grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Tigers 1

9th Inning: 

T9

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dean Curley*

-Steven Milam grounds out to 2B.

*Josh Pearson pinch-hitting for Alex Milazzo*

-Pearson singles over Curley’s head into LF. Tying run at the plate.

-Jared Jones strikes out swinging.

-Tommy White pops up to 2B in shallow right center.

• Snead gets the save. Impressive stuff. Vols win the series.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 3, Tigers 1

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 3, LSU Tigers 1