SCORE: Tennessee 6, Florida 2 | FINAL
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
Third-ranked Tennessee baseball (37-8, 15-6 SEC) is set to battle the Florida Gators (23-21, 9-12 SEC) Friday in game one of a three-game series in Gainesville at Condron Ballpark.
First pitch is at 3:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +. The game will serve as game one of a doubleheader after the Thursday night series opener was postponed due to weather.
Game two will begin 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one. It will also be available to stream on SEC Network +. There will be a separate RTI update thread for game two of the doubleheader.
This marks Tennessee’s first doubleheader of the season after participating in three last year (vs. Morehead State, at Missouri, at South Carolina). Tennessee won both games of the Morehead State doubleheader, lost both against Missouri and split against South Carolina.
On Friday, Tennessee is looking to bounce back after its midweek loss to Lipscomb on Tuesday in Knoxville. The loss was Tennessee’s first midweek loss of the season.
Read more about Tennessee’s midweek loss to Lipscomb here.
Prior to the midweek loss, Tennessee swept Missouri in a three-game series last weekend in Knoxville. Elite pitching led the way for the Vols in back-to-back 3-2 wins on Friday and Saturday. Tennessee won the series opener, 10-1, with a big night at the plate.
Before sweeping 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.
Additionally 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 Florida, the Gators have had an up-and-down season after finishing as the College World Series runner up last season. Florida’s lack of pitching depth has been its downfall, but there’s no question the Gators have a lot of talent, headlined by two-way player Jac Caglianone, who is one of the best players in college baseball.
Tennessee will look to avenge last year’s series loss to Florida, as the Gators won games one and two in Knoxville last season.
Injury Note
-Redshirt-sophomore star outfielder and elite bat Kavares Tears is out of the lineup as he deals with a lower-body injury. He is considered day-to-day and will likely also be out of the lineup for game two of the doubleheader.
-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 what Tony Vitello said previewing the Florida series, click here.
For RTI’s latest Press Pass Baseball Podcast, click here.
More From RTI: No. 3 Tennessee Baseball at Florida: How To Watch, Pitching Matchups, Prediction
‘A Quintessential Vol’: Kavares Tears Is Tennessee Baseball’s Latest Homegrown Star
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)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
SS Dean Curley (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
DH Bradke Lohry (R)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Kavares Tears is not in the lineup as he deals with a lower-body injury. He is day-to-day.
- Stark behind the plate as he’s been in SEC play.
- Reese Chapman gets the start in right with Tears out of the lineup.
- Ensley moves up the order with Tears not in the lineup. Dreiling batting cleanup.
- Bradke Lohry gets the DH start over Dalton Bargo, Robin Villeneuve, Colby Backus and others. Lohry’s 5th start of the season.
FLORIDA STARTING NINE:
RF Ty Evans (R)
1B Jac Caglianone (L)
SS Colby Shelton (L)
C Luke Heyman (R)
3B Tyler Shelnut (R)
2B Cade Kulrand (R)
LF Hayden Yost (L)
DH Brody Donay (R)
CF Michael Robertson (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Gr-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 2.89 ERA, 14 app., 3 starts, 18.2 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 18 K, .167 opp. batting avg., 1.02 WHIP)
vs.
Gators Jr. RHP Brandon Neely (1-2, 6.15 ERA, 16 app., 5 starts, 1 SV, 41.0 IP, 41 H, 28 R, 28 ER, 18 BB, 51 K, .255 opp. batting avg., 1.44 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Stamos starts for the fourth straight series opener. Will once again likely be used as an opener before giving way to AJ Causey. Stamos was the projected starter Thursday night and remains the same for Friday despite the postponement.
- Expect RHP Drew Beam to start game two of the doubleheader.
- Neely gets the start instead of Pierce Coppola who would’ve started Thursday night. However, Coppola went through a full warm-up before having to shut down due to the postponement. Coppola will not start game two of the doubleheader, either.
- Neely was one of Florida’s top bullpen arms to start the season but has become an SEC starter, starting the last five weekends.
- Neely has been mediocre as a starter but is coming off his best start to date (5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 107 pitches).
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
Florida: All whites
*NOTE* There IS a RUN-RULE today. If Tennessee or Florida 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 grounds out to 2B.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
-Billy Amick strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Ty Evans strikes out swinging.
-Jac Caglianone grounds out to SS.
-Colby Shelton is walked on four pitches.
-Luke Heyman strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Gators 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Dylan Dreiling slaps a leadoff single to P.
- Ricocheted off of Neely’s foot and went into shallow left center.
-Hunter Ensley singles through the left side. Dreiling advances to second.
Runners advance on a wild pitch.
-Dean Curley rips an RBI single through the right side to score Dreiling. Ensley advances to third.
- Great nine-pitch at-bat from Curley.
Ensley steals home. Curley steals second.
- Heyman tried to catch Curley stealing at second on the delayed steal play. Shortstop then fired the ball home to catch Ensley, but he did a great job to evade the tag. The call was reviewed and STOOD. Curley ultimately stole second on the throw home.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Bradke Lohry pops up to 1B.
-Cal Stark grounds out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Tyler Shelnut flies out to CF.
-Cade Kurland singles to left center. Chopper.
-Hayden Yost strikes out looking.
-Brody Donay smacks a two-run homer to RF to tie the game. Barely got over.
-Michael Robertson grounds out to SS.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 2, Gators 2
3rd Inning:
T3
-Christian Moore singles up the middle.
-Blake Burke rips a single through the right side.
-Billy Amick smokes an RBI double to deep left field. Moore scores. Burke out at home, 7-6-2.
- Elander did not send Burke, per the broadcast. Bad baserunning mistake from Burke as he ran through the stop sign. Call was reviewed and CONFIRMED.
-Dylan Dreiling sends an RBI single up the middle on an 0-2 pitch.
- Dreiling 2-2 to start today.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
Dreiling steals second.
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Ty Evans strikes out swinging.
-Jac Caglianone lines out to CF.
-Colby Shelton flies out to LF.
- Really nice 1-2-3 inning from Stamos as he retires the top of Florida’s lineup in order the second time through.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Gators 2
4th Inning:
T4
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Bradke Lohry strikes out looking.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.
- Neely has struck out five straight batters.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Luke Heyman drills a single into center field.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey (7-3, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos*
- Stamos ties a career-high in Ks with 4 and a season-high in IP with 3.0.
-Tyler Shelnut HBP. Heyman advances to second.
-Cade Kurland bunts the runners over on a sac bunt, out at first 5-4.
- Great job by Amick to field the bunt and fire a bullet to Moore at first for the out.
-Hayden Yost strikes out swinging.
-Brody Donay grounds out to P.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Gators 2
5th Inning:
T5
*Pitching change: RHP Jake Clemente (2-0, 5.19 ERA) on to pitch for Neely*
-Christian Moore grounds out to P.
-Blake Burke strikes out looking.
-Billy Amick strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Michael Robertson strikes out swinging.
-Ty Evans strikes out swinging.
-Jac Caglianone strikes out looking. Unreal movement on strike three.
- What an inning from Causey. Strikes out the side in order including Evans and Cags.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Gators 2
6th Inning:
T6
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
- 8 of the last 9 UT batters have struck out.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
- 9 of the last 10 now.
-Dean Curley works a walk on a full count.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Colby Shelton strikes out swinging.
-Luke Heyman grounds out to P.
-Tyler Shelnut strikes out swinging.
- AJ Causey is DEALING. Retired 9 straight.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Gators 2
7th Inning:
T7
*Dalton Bargo pinch-hitting for Bradke Lohry*
-Dalton Bargo flies out to the warning track in left center.
-Cal Stark is walked.
-Christian Moore slaps a single to CF. Stark advances to second.
*Pitching change: LHP Frank Menendez (0-0, 5.40 ERA) on to pitch for Clemente*
-Blake Burke lines into a 7-4 double play. Stark out coming back to second.
- Stark got too far off second. Second baserunning mistake for Tennessee today.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Cade Kurland grounds out to SS.
-Hayden Yost grounds out to 3B.
- Great play by Amick at third. Saved a base-hit.
-Brody Donay gets a single to drop in no man’s land in RF.
- Chapman laid out for it but came up just shy of the diving catch.
- Causey had retired 11 straight before the bloop single.
-Michael Robertson flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Gators 2
8th Inning:
T8
-Billy Amick ropes a leadoff double down the LF line on the first pitch of his AB.
-Dylan Dreiling walked on four pitches.
*Pitching change: RHP Ryan Slater (4-2, 6.15 ERA) on to pitch for Frank Menendez*
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS. Dreiling advances to second. Amick advances to third.
*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Dean Curley*
-Peebles intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.
-Reese Chapman knocks a sac fly to CF on a line out.
*Ariel Antigua pinch-running for Cannon Peebles*
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Antigua to SS*
-Ty Evans HBP.
-Jac Caglianone singles to CF. Evans advances to third.
-Colby Shelton strikes out swinging.
- Strike three was a pitch in the dirt. Flith.
-Luke Heyman grounds into a 6-3 double play as Caglianone is out at second.
- Great play from Antigua at shortstop. Heard that one before?
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Gators 2
9th Inning:
T9
*Pitching change: RHP Blake Purnell (0-0, 6.27 ERA) on to pitch for Slater*
-Cal Stark HBP.
-Christian Moore lines into a 5-4-3 double play. Stark caught in the rundown between first and second after Moore lined out to 3B.
- Looked like the ball bounced into the third baseman’s glove, but it’s ruled he caught it in the air.
-Blake Burke delivers a single to LF.
-Billy Amick singles through the left side. Burke advances to second.
*Pitching change: RHP Grayson Smith (0-1, 9.98 ERA) on to pitch for Purnell*
-Dylan Dreiling slaps an RBI single through the right side to score Burke. Amick advances to second.
- Ricocheted off of Caglianone’s glove at first. Big hit for Dreiling.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
-Tyler Shelnut singles to LF.
-Cade Kurland singles to RF. Shelnut advances to second.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-0, 4.94 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
-Hayden Yost lines out to CF.
-Brody Donay grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Gators 2
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Florida Gators 2
