SCORE: Tennessee 11, Evansville 6 | FINAL (Vols lead Super Regional 1-0)
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Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (53-11, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle the Evansville Purple Aces (38-24, 17-10 MVC) Friday in game one of the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional.
First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Friday and Saturday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN2. Sunday is TBD.
Tennessee is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. The Vols swept through the Knoxville Regional last weekend while Evansville pulled off a big upset by winning the Greenville Regional as a 4-seed.
Evansville went 2-1 against 1-seed East Carolina last weekend while also winning a game against 3-seed VCU. The fourth team in the regional was 2-seed Wake Forest, former Vol pitcher Chase Burns’ new squad, who went 0-2 on the weekend.
Tennessee went 3-0 against 4-seed Northern Kentucky, 3-seed Indiana and 2-seed Southern Miss, winning 9-3, 12-6 and 12-3, respectively. It was arguably Tennessee’s most complete weekend to date, as the pitching was above average and the offense was on fire. Against Southern Miss, Tennessee hit five home runs to bring its season total to 159, breaking the previous single-season program home run record of 158 set in 2022.
Friday is obviously a big game for both teams, but especially for Evansville. The Purple Aces are throwing their ace Kenton Deverman, who is easily their best pitcher. If Evansville enters Saturday down 0-1, Tennessee can empty the clip with its pitching on Saturday, which would likely include Nate Snead and Aaron Combs, giving the Purple Aces a significant disadvantage to even the series.
BETTING: Tennessee Baseball The Betting Favorite To Win College World Series
SCOUTING REPORT: A Quick Look At Evansville
Tennessee entered the NCAA Tournament matchup coming off an SEC Tournament championship victory 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 up its lone Hoover loss 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.
Evansville entered the NCAA Tournament coming off a Missouri Valley Conference tournament win as the 3-seed and solid regular season, including a season-opening series win over Indiana and midweek win over Indiana. Outside of Indiana, Tennessee and Evansville have each faced Bellarmine, Belmont, Southern Indiana, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State. The Purple Aces beat Belmont in a series and Southern Indiana and Bellarmine in midweeks but are winless against SEC teams.
LEGACY: Tony Vitello Credits Past Vols For Sustained Success Of Tennessee Baseball
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Previewing Knoxville Super Regional
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including the RTI staff’s Super Regional prediction, click here.
For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.
More From RTI: Tennessee Baseball vs. Evansville In Knoxville Super Regional: How To Watch, Complete Preview
VIDEO: WATCH: Tennessee Baseball’s Tony Vitello Talks Evansville and the Knoxville Super Regional
Injury Note
Sophomore RHP AJ Russell is NOT on the ACTIVE roster this weekend and is “likely shut down” for the season, head coach Tony Vitello said this week.
Russell made his return in Hoover after a near two-month absence. Russell pitched 2.0 innings in the SEC Tournament across two appearances. In his second appearance in the SEC Tournament championship against LSU, Russell threw just 13 pitches in the first inning as an opener.
Afterward, Russell was seen on the broadcast getting checked out by trainer Jeff Wood in the dugout. Since the outing, Russell has felt some soreness. Russell must have suffered some sort of setback given Vitello’s update.
PREPARATION: Evansville Prepping for Tennessee With ‘Rocky Top’ Blaring From the Speakers
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 first crack at DH this weekend, starting over Dalton Bargo, Cannon Peebles, Bradke Lohry, Robin Villeneuve and others.
- Other 8 starters and the order the same as its been.
EVANSVILLE STARTING NINE:
SS Simon Scherry (R)
LF Mark Shallenberger (L)
DH Kip Fougerousse (R)
1B Chase Hug (L)
3B Brent Widder (R)
2B Cal McGinnis (L)
C Brendan Hord (R)
RF Harrison Taubert (R)
CF Ty Rumsey (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Gr-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 3.60 ERA, 19 app., 8 starts, 30.0 IP, 19 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 15 BB, 32 K, 10 XBH, .184 opp. batting avg., 1.13 WHIP)
vs.
Purple Aces Fr. LHP Kenton Deverman (9-1, 3.81 ERA, 17 app., 15 starts, 1 CG, 106.1 IP, 106 H, 47 R, 45 ER, 20 BB, 81 K, 30 XBH, .259 opp. batting avg., 1.18 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Stamos continues to start in a game one setting as an opener before giving way to RHP AJ Causey (12-3, 3.98 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 81.1 IP, 17 BB, 109 K)
- Deverman is Evansville’s ace who threw 8.0 innings last week against East Carolina and allowed three hits and one run. If Tennessee can get to Deverman early or even by the 4th or 5th inning, Evansville is likely in trouble. Deverman is clearly Evansville’s best pitcher.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Icy Whites
Evansville: Black tops & grey bottoms with purple accents.
*NOTES*
- There is NO Run-Rule in NCAA Tournament play.
- Tennessee is the HOME team. Tennessee will be the AWAY team on Saturday. Sunday will be decided on a coin flip.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Simon Scherry strikes out swinging.
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out swinging.
-Kip Fougerousse strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore lines out to deep center.
- Laser off the bat. Well-hit.
-Blake Burke mashes a solo homer off the scoreboard.
- 18th HR of the season for Burke. 100 mph, 377 feet.
-Billy Amick flies out to RF.
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Purple Aces 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Chase Hug knocks a double to right-center.
-Brent Widder flies out to CF.
-Cal McGinnis smokes a two-run homer just over the right-center wall.
- Wallscraper.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP AJ Causey (12-3, 3.98 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos*
-Brendan Hord strikes out looking after a long battle.
-Harrison Taubert strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Kavares Tears works a walk.
-Dean Curley grounds into a 5-4-3 double play.
- Really nice play by the third baseman Brent Widder to field a hard-hit grounder from Curley.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Purple Aces 2
3rd Inning:
T3
-Ty Rumsey works a leadoff walk.
-Simon Scherry out on batter’s interference.
- Interfered Stark who was trying to catch Rumsey stealing second.
Runner was initially ruled out, too, but after review, he’s safe at first. One out, man on first. As it should be.
-Mark Shallenberger HBP. Rumsey advances to second.
-Kip Fougerousse strikes out swinging.
Shallenberger picked off at first, 2-3.
- Another great pickoff by Stark for a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.
- Nice sliding play by second baseman Cal McGinnis.
-Cal Stark works a walk.
-Christian Moore crushes a two-run homer to right-center.
- 30TH HR of Christian Moore’s season, adding to his record-setting total.
- 112 mph, 406 feet.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
-Billy Amick destroys a solo homer to LF.
- 112 mph exit velo. 422 feet. Got out in the blink of an eye.
- 22nd HR of Amick’s season.
- Hit off the lightpole in the left-field porches halfway up the pole. Would have cleared the porches easily.
-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Purple Aces 2
4th Inning:
T4
-Chase Hug strikes out swinging.
-Brent Widder flies out to CF.
-Cal McGinnis rips a double to right-center.
-Brendan Hord strikes out swinging on three pitches.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Hunter Ensley smacks a leadoff double to left-center.
- First pitch of the at-bat.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B. Ensley advances to third.
-Dean Curley sends a sac fly to CF to score Ensley.
- Tremendous job by Ensley to evade the tag at home plate as the throw was on time.
Evansville CHALLENGED the call and the call STOOD.
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 2
5th Inning:
T5
-Harrison Taubert grounds out to SS.
-Ty Rumsey reaches on a fielding error by 2B.
- Ugly error from CMo as he couldn’t corral the chopper while charging. Ricocheted off his glove and into the air.
-Simon Scherry slaps a single to RF. Rumsey advances to third.
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Kip Fougerousse drills a two-run double off the top of left-center wall.
- Nearly got out of the park. Similar to Ensley’s double in the fourth inning.
-Chase Hug delivers an RBI single up the middle.
-Brent Widder grounds out to 2B.
- All of Evansville’s 3 runs in the fifth were unearned due to Moore’s error. Defensive mistake comes back to bite and the game is tied.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Cal Stark fouls out to 1B.
-Christian Moore works a walk.
-Blake Burke delivers an RBI double to left-center.
- Evansville CF Ty Rumsey made a great attempt to catch the ball at the wall, jumping up to go get it.
- He didn’t make the catch and was down for a couple of minutes in LNS. Hit the wall hard.
- Burke’s double was 104 mph and nearly got out. Moore scored all the way from first.
-Billy Amick legs out an infield single to 3B, advances on a throwing error by 3B. Burke advances to third, scores on a throwing error by 3B Brent Widder.
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 3B.
*Pitching change: RHP Shane Harris (8-6, 3.62 ERA) on to pitch for Deverman*
-Hunter Ensley drives an RBI single through the right side.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Purple Aces 5
6th Inning:
T6
-Cal McGinnis is walked.
-Brendan Hord strikes out looking on three pitches.
-Harrison Taubert HBP. McGinnis advances to second.
*Brodie Peart pinch-hitting for Ty Rumsey*
-Peart grounds out to P. Runners advance to second and third.
-Simon Scherry strikes out looking.
- Big K to strand a pair ISP.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Taubert to CF*
*Peart to RF*
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Reese Chapman flies out to CF.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Purple Aces 5
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching changeL Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-0, 3.76 ERA) on to pitch for Causey*
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out looking.
-Kip Fougerousse grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Chase Hug flies out to CF in left center.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Christian Moore strikes out looking.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
-Billy Amick rips a double down the LF line.
-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.
-Hunter Ensley hammers a three-run homer to LF. Dagger.
- 100 mph, 362 feet. Ensley’s 10th HR of the season.
-Kavares Tears out at first 1B to P.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 11, Purple Aces 5
8th Inning:
T8
*Ariel Antigua to 2B for Christian Moore*
-Brent Widder grounds out to 2B.
-Cal McGinnis works a walk.
-Brendan Hord pops up to SS in shallow CF.
-Harrison Taubert strikes out swinging on three pitches.
- SWORD
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Jakob Meyer (3-4, 6.13 ERA) on to pitch for Harris*
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.
-Cal Stark pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 11, Purple Aces 5
9th Inning:
T9
-Brodie Peart singles through the right side.
Peart steals second.
-Simon Scherry singles to CF. Peart advances to third.
-Mark Shallenberger knocks an RBI single through the right side. Scherry steals second.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Aaron Combs (2-1, 2.72 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Kip Fougerosse is walked to load the bases.
-Chase Hug strikes out swinging.
-Brent Widder strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Cal McGinnis strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 11, Purple Aces 6
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 11, Evansville Purple Aces 6
