SCORE: Tennessee 9, Northern Kentucky 3 | FINAL
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (50-11, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle Northern Kentucky (35-22, 19-11 Horizon League) Friday in game two of the NCAA Knoxville Regional. The game serves as each team’s first game in the regional and the NCAA Tournament.
First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 7:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Tennessee is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. The Vols are hosting 4-seed Northern Kentucky, 3-seed Indiana and 2-seed Southern Miss in the Knoxville Regional this weekend.
Northern Kentucky is a feisty 4-seed that has a great offense. While its pitching depth may leave something to be desired, the Norse bats can compete with the best of them. If the Vols’ pitchers aren’t on Friday night, it could be a high-scoring matchup in Lindsey Nelson.
Tennessee enters Friday’s matchup coming off an SEC Tournament championship victory on Sunday against LSU to achieve its second tournament title in three years. The Vols went 4-1 in Hoover after losing to Vanderbilt by nine runs in their first game. Tennessee followed it up with wins over Texas A&M and Mississippi State along with a revenge win over Vanderbilt and a win over LSU in the tournament championship game.
Northern Kentucky enter Friday’s matchup coming off a Horizon League tournament championship in which it upset Wright State twice on its way to the title. The Norse beat Youngstown State in the Horizon League tournament championship. This is the first time Northern Kentucky has made the NCAA Tournament in its D1 history.
Tennessee’s SEC Tournament title was enough to give them the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, which was announced Monday.
DEVELOPMENT: How Tennessee Baseball’s Zander Sechrist Elevated From Midweek Staple To Weekend Starter
TRANSCRIPT: Tony Vitello Talks Previews Knoxville Regional
The winner of Tennessee’s Friday night matchup against Northern Kentucky will face 3-seed Indiana Saturday at 6 p.m. ET in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The loser will face 2-seed Southern Miss at Noon ET on Saturday. Indiana beat Southern Miss 10-4 in game one of the regional Friday afternoon.
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including RTI’s prediction for who will win the Knoxville Regional, click here.
For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.
More From RTI: No. 1 Tennessee Baseball vs. Northern Kentucky: How To Watch, What To Know
VIDEO: Tony Vitello Previews Knoxville Regional
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)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
DH Reese Chapman (L)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Chapman gets the DH nod over Cannon Peebles, Dalton Bargo and others.
- Other 8 starters and the order the same as its been for the most part.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY STARTING NINE:
3B Cleary Simpson (L)
RF Treyvin Moss (L)
1B Liam McFadden-Ackman (R)
DH Mitch Wood (R)
CF Tyler Shaneyfelt (L)
LF Logen Devenport (R)
SS Brennan Rowe (R)
C Jake Paulick (R)
2B John Odom (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Gr-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 3.34 ERA, 18 app., 7 starts, 29.2 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 15 BB, 32 K, 8 XBH, .170 opp. batting avg., 1.08 WHIP)
vs.
Norse Gr-Sr. RHP Tanner Gillis (8-2, 4.60 ERA, 13 app., 13 starts, 1 CG, 72.1 IP, 60 H, 39 R, 37 ER, 24 BB, 80 K, 20 XBH, .221 opp. batting avg., 1.16 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Stamos continues to be an opener in a game one setting before giving way to AJ Causey.
- Gillis has been Northern Kentucky’s ace this year and has the best numbers of any of the starters.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Icy Whites
Northern Kentucky: Black on black with yellow accents
*NOTES*
- There is NO Run-Rule in NCAA Tournament play.
- Tennessee is the HOME team.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Cleary Simpson launches a leadoff homer to right center.
- Moonshot over the left edge of the video board.
-Treyvin Moss ropes a double down the LF line.
- Hit really hard and Amick couldn’t stop it on the dive.
AJ Causey is stretching in the bullpen.
-Liam McFadden-Ackman grounds out to 3B.
Moss steals third.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey (11-3, 4.10 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos*
- Mitch Wood currently in a 2-2 count.
-Mitch Wood strikes out swinging.
- First pitch for Causey is a swinging strike three on a pitch in the dirt.
-Tyler Shaneyfelt pops up to SS in shallow LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore singles through the left side.
-Blake Burke flies out to RF.
-Billy Amick lines out to CF.
-Dylan Dreiling smacks a single to RF.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 2B.
- Some really good contact from Tennessee that inning. Can tell they are seeing it well early on.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Norse 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Logen Devenport strikes out looking.
-Brennan Rowe strikes out looking.
-Jake Paulick strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Kavares Tears knocks a single to RF.
-Dean Curley grounds out to 3B on a swinging bunt. Tears advances to second.
-Reese Chapman slaps a single to LF, advances to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Tears advances to third, scores on the fielding error.
- Left-fielder muffed the ball off the hop, allowing Tears to score and Chapman to barely reach second.
-Cal Stark flies out to RF.
-Christian Moore grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Norse 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-John Odom works a walk.
Odom steals second on the first pitch of Simpson’s AB.
-Cleary Simpson flies out to CF.
-Treyvin Moss grounds out to 1B unassisted after a long at-bat. Odom advances to third.
-Liam McFadden-Ackman strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Blake Burke works a leadoff walk.
-Billy Amick HBP.
-Dylan Dreiling fouls out to LF.
Runners advance on a wild pitch.
-Hunter Ensley works a walk after a long at-bat.
- Bases loaded for Kavares Tears with one out.
-Kavares Tears works a bases-loaded walk.
-Dean Curley sends a sac fly to LF.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Norse 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Mitch Wood out at first 1B to P.
-Tyler Shaneyfelt strikes out looking.
-Logen Devenport strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Cal Stark flies out to CF.
-Christian Moore smokes a double to left-center.
- Nice job by CMo to leg it out as it wasn’t an easy double.
-Blake Burke works a walk.
-Billy Amick blasts a three-run homer to CF.
- Moonshot off the batter’s eye. 20th HR of the season for Amick.
- 106 mph, 391-feet. 38.4 degree launch angle.
- Back-to-back games with a three-run HR for Amick after a long slump.
-Dylan Dreiling rips a double to RF.
*Pitching change: RHP Nick McClanahan (2-4, 7.21 ERA) on to pitch for Gillis*
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Norse 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Brennan Rowe singles through the left side.
Rowe steals second.
-Jake Paulick grounds out to SS. Rowe advances to third.
*Peyton Lane pinch-hitting for John Odom*
-Peyton Lane strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Cleary Simpson grounds out to P.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Dean Curley flies out to RF.
-Reese Chapman pops up to 3B.
-Cal Stark works a walk.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Norse 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Treyvin Moss singles up the middle.
Moss picked off at first, 1-3.
-Liam McFadden-Ackman smokes a solo homer to RF.
-Mitch Wood out at first 1B to P.
-Tyler Shaneyfelt flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
B6
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
-Billy Amick grounds out to 2B.
- Really nice play by 2B Peyton Lane.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Norse 2
7th Inning:
T7
-Logen Devenport grounds out to 3B.
-Brennan Rowe drills a triple to left-center.
- Ensley dove for it but missed it.
-Jake Paulick connects on an RBI groundout to 1B, unassisted.
-Peyton Lane strikes out swinging on three pitches.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Hunter Ensley crushes a solo homer to RF.
- No doubter. 9th HR of the season for Ensley.
-Kavares Tears works a walk.
*Dalton Bargo pinch-hitting for Dean Curley*
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging after being up 3-0 in the count.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Cal Stark strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 7, Norse 3
8th Inning:
T8
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-0, 3.96 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dalton Bargo*
-Cleary Simpson grounds out to 2B.
-Treyvin Moss works a walk.
Moss picked off at first, 1-3.
- Kirby attempted to pickoff Moss so many times. Finally got him.
- 2nd time Moss has gotten picked off at first tonight.
Call was reviewed and STOOD.
-Liam McFadden-Ackman strikes out looking after a long battle.
- 9-pitch AB
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: RHP Jared Teke (0-0, 7.20 ERA) on to pitch for McClanahan*
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF.
-Billy Amick is walked.
Amick advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Dylan Dreiling ropes a two-run homer into the bullpen.
- Absolute laser. 18th HR of the season for Dreiling. 104 mph, 352 feet.
*Pitching change: RHP Ryan Pehrson (0-0, 10.87 ERA) on to pitch for Teke*
-Hunter Ensley strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 9, Norse 3
9th Inning:
T9
*Colton Kucera pinch-hitting for Mitch Wood*
-Kucera fouls out to 1B.
-Tyler Shaneyfelt strikes out swinging.
-Logen Devenport grounds out to 3B.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 9, Norse 3
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 9, Northern Kentucky Norse 3
