SCORE: Tennessee 6, Lipscomb 9 | FINAL
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
Third-ranked Tennessee baseball (37-7, 15-6 SEC) is set to host the Lipscomb Bisons (15-27, 11-10 ASUN) Tuesday for a midweek contest in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
First pitch is at 6:00 p.m. ET in Knoxville 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.
Tennessee is looking to continue their perfect record in midweek games this season and extend their six-game winning streak after sweeping Missouri last weekend at home.
Pitching led the way in the Vols’ sweep over the Tigers, as the staff allowed just five total earned runs on the series. Drew Beam, AJ Causey, Kirby Connell and Aaron Combs all had great outings, with Connell and Combs each pitching twice.
Read more about Tennessee’s series sweep over Mizzou here.
Prior to sweeping the series over Missouri, the Vols beat (then) third-ranked Kentucky in a three-game series on the road. Tennessee won games two and three 9-4 and 13-11, respectively, after dropping the opener in Lexington, 5-3. The Kentucky series win is Tennessee’s most impressive to date.
In SEC play, Tennessee owns a series sweep over defending national champions LSU in Knoxville, series wins over No. 19 Georgia and Ole Miss at home, and a series victory over Auburn on the road.
In addition to the six conference series wins, some highlights from Tennessee’s season have been its series sweep over Illinois, 10-run midweek win over Kansas State, and wins over Texas Tech and Baylor in Arlington.
As for Lipscomb, the Bisons were projected to win the ASUN prior to the season, but due to an injury to one of their star arms, they have underwhelmed. Lipscomb does not pose much of a threat to Tennessee, whereas in years past (2022 and 2021), the Vols struggled against the Bisons, winning 5-1 in 2022 and losing 4-1 in 2021.
The Vols beat the Bisons 10-0 last year in LNS.
Injury Note
-Sophomore RHP 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 where Tennessee stands in all six polls, click here.
For RTI’s latest Press Pass Baseball Podcast, click here.
More From RTI: Former Tennessee Star Called Up to The Big League
Tennessee Baseball’s Pitching Depth Expanding As They Find Answers On The Mound
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)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
CF Colby Backus (R)
C Cannon Peebles (S)
DH Dalton Bargo (L)
Lineup Notes:
- Colby Backus gets his second straight midweek start, this time in the outfield. No Hunter Ensley with Backus in center.
- Kavares Tears gets the night off as Reese Chapman starts in right field.
- Dalton Bargo gets the DH nod.
- Cannon Peebles behind the dish. Same as its been in the midweeks.
- First game Dylan Dreiling is batting cleanup.
LIPSCOMB STARTING NINE:
CF Alex Vergara (R)
1B Mason Lundgrin (L)
SS Trace Willhoite (R)
C Austin Kelly (L)
RF Will Lee (S)
3B David Coppedge (R)
LF Jacob Tobias (L)
DH Carter Richey (L)
2B Parks Bouck (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Fr. LHP Dylan Loy (1-0, 3.14 ERA, 11 app., 3 starts, 14.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 18 K, .128 opp. batting avg., 0.91 WHIP)
vs.
Bisons Sr. RHP Ryan Kutz (0-2, 7.63 ERA, 12 app., 6 starts, 30.2 IP, 42 H, 26 R, 26 ER, 11 BB, 19 K, .323 opp. batting avg., 1.73 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Loy gets his second straight midweek start and fourth this season.
- Kutz is one of Lipscomb’s top relievers on the weekend and has received occasional starts on the weekends as well. This will be his FIRST action in a midweek game.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Pinstripes
Lipscomb: Black tops and caps, grey bottoms
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Lipscomb leads by 10 or more runs in the seventh inning or later, the game is OVER.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Alex Vergara doubles down the LF line on the second pitch of the AB.
-Mason Lundgrin strikes out looking.
-Trace Willhoite smokes an RBI single through the left side.
-Austin Kelly strikes out swinging.
Willhoite caught stealing at second, 2-6. Nice pick and tag by Curley. Strike ’em out, throw ’em out.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore HBP.
- Barely clipped his elbow pad.
-Blake Burke is walked.
-Billy Amick gets a single to drop in right field.
- Second baseman, first baseman nor the right fielder could catch it in shallow right as the Bisons make a bad defensive mistake.
- Bases loaded with no outs.
-Dylan Dreiling connects for an RBI single to 2B as Moore scores. Bases still loaded with no outs.
- Nice job by the second baseman to prevent it from going in the outfield. Amick should have been out at second, but the second baseman made a bad throw that wasn’t on time.
-Dean Curley grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Burke scores. Amick advances to third.
-Reese Chapman flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Bisons 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Will Lee pops up to 1B.
-David Coppedge singles up the middle.
-Jacob Tobias grounds out to P.
-Carter Richey flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Colby Backus ropes a double to deep left field on the first pitch of his AB.
- Backus’ 3rd double of the season.
-Cannon Peebles flies out to CF.
-Dalton Bargo is walked on four pitches.
-Christian Moore flies out to RF. Backus advances to third.
Bargo steals second.
-Blake Burke drills a two-run double to SS.
- Ricocheted off of the shortstop’s glove into no man’s land in the outfield. Two runs easily come across.
-Billy Amick pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bisons 1
3rd Inning:
T3
*Pitching change: So. RHP Marcus Phillips (0-0, 0.82 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*
-Parks Bouck lines out to 3B.
-Alex Vergara smokes a 109 mph solo home run to left field.
- 17th HR of the season for Vergara. 406-foot bomb.
-Mason Lundgrin grounds out to SS.
-Trace Willhoite flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Dylan Dreiling fouls out to 1B.
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman singles through the right side.
- Second baseman and shortstop stopped it from going deep into the outfield, but neither could get back up and make the throw in time.
Chapman steals second.
-Colby Backus strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bisons 2
4th Inning:
T4
-Austin Kelly strikes out swinging.
-Will Lee is walked.
-David Coppedge lines a double down the LF line. Lee advances to third.
-Jacob Tobias smacks a two-run double down the RF line.
-Carter Richey strikes out swinging.
-Parks Bouck strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 2B.
-Dalton Bargo slaps a double to RF.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF. Bargo advances to third.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bisons 4
5th Inning:
T5
*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (2-0, 2.57 ERA) on to pitch for Phillips*
-Alex Vergara hammers a solo home run to CF.
- Second HR of the day. Also has a double.
-Mason Lundgrin HBP.
-Trace Willhoite flies out to the warning track in deep LF.
-Austin Kelly reaches on a fielder’s choice to P as Lundgrin is out at second, 1-6.
-Will Lee reaches on a fielder’s choice to 2B as Kelly is out at second unassisted.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Billy Amick flies out to the warning track in CF.
- 108 mph off the bat. Nice jumping catch by Alex Vergara in center.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to the warning track in CF.
- Nearly the exact same thing that happened with Amick. Vergara had to jump to catch it, too. 102 mph off the bat.
-Dean Curley is walked on four pitches.
Curley steals second. Eight stolen bases for Curley this year. Leads the team by 2 (CMo – 6)
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bisons 5
6th Inning:
T6
-David Coppedge obliterates a solo homer off the third level of the left-field porches.
- 101 mph, 398 feet.
-Jacob Tobias fouls out to 2B in foul territory in right field.
*Pitching change: So. RHP JJ Garcia (1-0, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
-Carter Richey grounds out to 2B.
- Made contact on a check swing. Hit right to CMo.
-Parks Bouck crushes a solo homer to the left-field porches.
- 4th HR of the game for Lipscomb…
-Alex Vergara strikes out looking.
- First time Vergara has been retired tonight.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Tanner Lyne (1-3, 10.20 ERA) on to pitch for Kutz*
*Kavares Tears pinch-hitting for Colby Backus*
-Kavares Tears strikes out looking.
-Cannon Peebles singles up the middle.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore grounds into a 6-4 fielder’s choice as Peebles is out at second.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bisons 7
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Matthew Dallas (1-0, 2.63 ERA) on to pitch for Garcia*
*Tears to CF*
-Mason Lundgrin strikes out looking.
-Trace Willhoite HBP.
-Austin Kelly strikes out swinging.
Willhoite steals second.
-Will Lee strikes out looking.
- 94 mph fastball for strike three there from Dallas. Nice job by Dallas to strike out the side.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Blake Burke singles to SS.
-Billy Amick spanks a double to deep left-center. Burke advances to third.
- 103 mph off the bat.
-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.
- Bases loaded with no outs for Dean Curley.
-Dean Curley reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to SS. Dreiling out at second, 6-4. Burke scores. Amick advances to third.
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Bisons 7
8th Inning:
T8
-David Coppedge sends a single into center field.
-Jacob Tobias strikes out swinging.
-Carter Richey drills an RBI double to left center.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (7-1, 3.25 ERA) on to pitch for Dallas*
-Parks Bouck grounds out to 3B. Richey advances to third.
-Alex Vergara intentionally walked.
Richey scores on a wild pitch.
-Mason Lundgrin strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Adam Fallon to LF for Jacob Tobias*
-Peebles pops up to 2B.
*Robin Villeneuve pinch-hitting for Dalton Bargo*
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Bisons 9
9th Inning:
T9
-Trace Willhoite grounds out to SS.
-Austin Kelly grounds out to 2B.
-Will Lee strikes out looking.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Collin Witzke (1-2, 3.47 ERA) on to pitch for Lyne*
-Blake Burke flies out to the warning track in LF.
-Billy Amick mashes a solo homer to RF.
- 103 mph, 362 feet. 17th HR of the season for Amick.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to the warning track in RF.
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Bisons 9
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Lipscomb Bisons 9
