SCORE: Tennessee 3, Kentucky 5 | FINAL
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fourth-ranked Tennessee baseball (31-6, 10-5 SEC) is set to battle the third-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (31-5, 14-1 SEC) Friday in Lexington for game one of a top-five three-game series.
First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. ET on 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 are on SECN+ this weekend.
Most recently in SEC play, Tennessee earned a series sweep over LSU in Knoxville, using great pitching from AJ Causey, Drew Beam, Nate Snead, Aaron Combs and Zander Sechrist to take all three games. The way Tennessee won the series was highly encouraging given the Vols’ pitching had been underwhelming in SEC play going into the LSU series.
The series win over LSU marked Tennessee’s fourth straight, as it also owns series wins over Georgia and Ole Miss at home and Auburn on the road.
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, LSU, 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 Kentucky, the Wildcats have an SEC-best 14-1 record in conference play. The ‘Bat Cats’ have swept Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Ole Miss. Surprisingly, Kentucky’s lone SEC loss came to the league’s worst team in Missouri, as the Wildcats took two of three games in the series.
There’s no question Kentucky is Tennessee’s toughest test to date and, on paper, will likely be Tennessee’s toughest test in the entire regular season.
STAT OF THE SERIES: This is the highest-ranked series matchup between Tennessee and Kentucky baseball in history.
Injury Note
-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 everything to know heading into this weekend’s marquee SEC series and the status of Tennessee’s program HR record, click here.
For the most recent RTI Press Pass Podcast on Tennessee Baseball, click here.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball’s Series At Kentucky Pits Different Styles Against Each Other
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)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
DH Dalton Bargo (L)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Stark gets the catcher start to open the series. Likely will start all three games given how key defense will be for the Vols in the series.
- Bargo gets the DH nod. Expect Reese Chapman to get a start this weekend, as well.
- Outfield rotation remains the same as its been with Ensley getting the nod in center. Seems like the outfield rotation that will be used more times than not.
- Top five of the order remain the same.
- Same lineup as last Saturday.
KENTUCKY STARTING NINE:
LF Ryan Waldschmidt (R)
2B Emilien Pitre (L)
SS Grant Smith (R)
DH Nick Lopez (S)
3B Mitchell Daly (R)
1B Ryan Nicholson (L)
CF Nolan McCarthy (R)
RF James McCoy (S)
C Devin Burkes (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Gr-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 3.45 ERA, 12 app., 1 start, 15.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 15 K, .125 opp. batting avg., 0.96 WHIP)
vs.
Wildcats Gr-Sr. RHP Trey Pooser (3-0, 4.11 ERA, 10 app., 4 starts, 2 SV, 35.0 IP, 30 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 13 BB, 33 K, .229 opp. batting avg., 1.23 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Stamos gets his second straight Friday start after doing well in 2.2 innings last week. It’s his second start as a Vol. Expect Stamos to be used as an opener before giving way to AJ Causey.
- Pooser, a College of Charleston transfer, has been an SEC starter for Kentucky since the second weekend of league play. He’s coming off his worst start of the season at Auburn but has been solid for the most part.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
Kentucky: All white
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Kentucky leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
- Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.
-Blake Burke grounds out to SS.
-Billy Amick grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Ryan Waldschmidt smacks a leadoff double to right center.
-Emilien Pitre flies out to CF. Waldschmidt advances to third.
-Grant Smith HBP. Runners on the corners with one out.
Tony Vitello called for a review that the batter leaned into it. Call STANDS as called.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey (6-2, 4.75 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos*
- That’s it for Stamos. Only eight pitches. Vitello clearly didn’t like what he saw and Causey gets the ball very early in this one.
-Nick Lopez pops up to 2B.
-Mitchell Daly flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Wildcats 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Kavares Tears works a leadoff walk.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out looking.
-Dean Curley lines out to RF. Great sliding catch by James McCoy in RF.
-Hunter Ensley smokes a two-run homer to right center. Landed on top of the wall.
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Ryan Nicholson strikes out swinging.
-Nolan McCarthy fouls out to C.
-James McCoy strikes out looking.
- Strong inning from Causey, who retires the side in order.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Cal Stark pops up to SS in shallow LF.
-Christian Moore grounds out to SS.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Devin Burkes strikes out swinging.
-Ryan Waldschmidt ropes a solo homer to LF.
-Emilien Pitre grounds out to 2B.
-Grant Smith slaps a single to RF.
-Nick Lopez flies out to the warning track in CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Billy Amick singles up the middle.
-Kavares Tears smacks a single to RF. Amick advances to second.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to CF.
-Dean Curley strikes out looking.
Runners advance on a wild pitch.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to the warning track in LF.
- Nearly a three-run bomb. Instead, two RISP are stranded.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Mitchell Daly grounds out to 3B.
-Ryan Nicholson singles to 3B.
- Amick went to bare-hand it but couldn’t make the play.
-Nolan McCarthy flies out to RF.
Nicholson picked off at first, C to 1B.
- Perks of having Cal behind the plate. Great tag by Burke, too.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Wildcats 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Dalton Bargo flies out to LF.
-Cal Stark rips a double to LF.
Stark advances to third on a passed ball.
-Christian Moore sends an RBI single through the left side.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF.
-Billy Amick fouls out to 1B.
- Nice job by Nicholson to reach over the Tennessee dugout ledge to make the catch.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-James McCoy knocks a single to RF.
McCoy steals second.
-Devin Burkes strikes out swinging.
-Ryan Waldschmidt pops up to 2B.
-Emilien Pitre grounds out to 3B.
- Nice job by Amick to field the hard-hit grounder.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Wildcats 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Kavares Tears grounds out to SS. Nice play by UK SS Grant Smith to field the hopper.
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 2B.’
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Grant Smith fouls out to 1B.
-Nick Lopez strikes out looking.
-Mitchell Daly strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Wildcats 1
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: RHP Travis Smith (2-2, 5.40 ERA) on to pitch for Pooser*
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
*Reese Chapman pinch-hitting for Dalton Bargo*
-Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Cal Stark grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Ryan Nicholson HBP.
-Nolan McCarthy singles to LF. Nicholson advances to second.
-James McCoy strikes out swinging.
-Devin Burkes is walked to load the bases.
-Ryan Waldschmidt connects for an RBI groundout to 1B, unassisted. Nicholson scores. McCarthy to third. Burkes to second.
*Pitching change: RHP Nate Snead (6-1, 3.12 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
-Emilien Pitre reaches on a fielding error by 3B, advances to second on a throwing error by LF. Burkes scores on the error by Dreiling, McCarthy scores on the error by Amick.
***Has since been changed to a HIT for Pitre (single)***
-Grant Smith reaches on catcher’s interference. Pitre stays at second.
-Nick Lopez is issued a four-pitch walk to load the bases.
-Mitchell Daly flies out to RF. To the warning track.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Wildcats 4
8th Inning:
T8
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
-Blake Burke reaches on a fielding error by 1B.
***Has since been changed to a HIT for Burke. Burke extends his hit streak to 28 games to break the program record.***
-Billy Amick HBP. Burke advances to second.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling fouls out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Ryan Nicholson flies out to CF.
-Nolan McCarthy launches a solo homer to LF.
-James McCoy flies out to CF.
-Devin Burkes fouls out to 1B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Wildcats 5
9th Inning:
T9
*Pitching change: RHP Johnny Hummel (2-0, 0.96 ERA)*
-Dean Curley is walked.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman flies out to RF.
-Cal Stark flies out to CF.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 3, Wildcats 5
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 3, Kentucky Wildcats 5
