SCORE: Tennessee 8, Evansville 10 | FINAL (Super Regional tied 1-1)
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (54-11, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle the Evansville Purple Aces (38-25, 17-10 MVC) Saturday morning in game two of the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional. Tennessee leads the Super Regional 1-0.
First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 11:00 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
Broadcast details for Sunday’s game, if necessary, are TBD, but first pitch would be at 6 p.m. ET.
Tennessee is looking to punch its ticket to the College World Series on Saturday for the third time in four years after defeating Evansville on Friday, 11-6.
The Vols’ offense hit four home runs, including a three-run dagger from Hunter Ensley in the 7th inning, and were able to find success against Evansville’s top two arms, starter Kenton Deverman and reliever Shane Harris. With Evansville no longer able to throw its best arms and Tennessee still able to throw at least two of its top four arms, the Vols are sitting pretty for Saturday’s game.
RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Takes Knoxville Super Regional Opener Against Evansville
BIG GAME HUNTER: Hunter Ensley Keeps Coming Through For Tennessee Baseball
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.
LOUD: Evansville HC Wes Carroll: Lindsey Nelson Stadium ‘Suffocating’ In Super Regional Opener
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 Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Won Super Regional Opener Over Evansville
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including an INSTANT reaction to Tennessee’s Friday win over Evansville, 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: Tony Vitello, Hunter Ensley, Kirby Connell Recap Super Regional Game One Win Over Evansville
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
Tennessee was massively favored entering the series, and after the Vols took Evansville’s best punch on Friday and were still able to win by six runs, you have to think the Big Orange are well-positioned to finish off the series Saturday.
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:
DH 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)
2B Bradke Lohry (R)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Moore starting at DH after experiencing some soreness with his leg yesterday. Bradke Lohry gets the start at 2B as the next best infield option.
EVANSVILLE STARTING NINE:
SS Simon Scherry (R)
LF Mark Shallenberger (L)
RF Kip Fougerousse (R)
1B Chase Hug (L)
3B Brent Widder (R)
2B Cal McGinnis (L)
DH Evan Waggoner (L)
CF Harrison Taubert (R)
C Brendan Hord (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Evansville CF Ty Rumsey is not in the lineup after hitting the back wall hard yesterday and exiting the game. Fougerousse goes to the outfield in right, Taubert moves to CF, and Waggoner enters the lineup as the DH.
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. RHP Drew Beam (8-2, 4.16 ERA, 16 app., 16 starts, 2 CG, 88.2 IP, 91 H, 51 R, 41 ER, 22 BB, 80 K, 28 XBH, .264 opp. batting avg., 1.27 WHIP)
vs.
Purple Aces Sr. LHP Donovan Schultz (6-2, 5.84 ERA, 16 app., 16 starts, 89.1 IP, 97 H, 61 R, 68 ER, 32 BB, 72 K, 45 XBH, .273 opp. batting avg., 1.44 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Beam continues to start in a game two setting.
- Schultz has been Evansville’s day two guy and is coming off an OK performance against VCU last weekend (7 H, 5 ER, 6.0 IP)
- Schultz was mediocre in MVC play this season and Tennessee should be able to find success against him.
- Evansville has also already spent its best bullpen arm. Purple Aces’ top remaining relievers are all in the 6 and 7 ERA range.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
- Tennessee wore the Smokey Greys when punching its ticket to Omaha last year in Hattiesburg.
Evansville: White pinstripes with purple accents.
*NOTES*
- There is NO Run-Rule in NCAA Tournament play.
- Tennessee is the AWAY team because Tennessee was the home team on Friday.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Christian Moore flies out to deep center.
-Blake Burke smokes a solo homer to left-center.
- 104 mph, 413 feet. 19th HR of Burke’s season.
- Same exact start as yesterday for Tennessee. Hard-hit flyout to deep center for CMo then Burke hits one over the fence.
-Billy Amick grounds out to 3B after a long battle.
-Dylan Dreiling rips a solo homer to right-center.
- 105 mph, 404 feet. 20th HR for Dreiling this season.
-Hunter Ensley smacks a solo homer to left-field.
- Back-to-back for Dreiling and Ensley after Burke hit one. THREE first-inning home runs. Unreal.
- 98 mph, 383 feet. 11th HR for Ensley this season.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Simon Scherry grounds out to SS.
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out swinging.
-Kip Fougerousse lines out to RF.
- Great diving catch by Tears. Played it perfectly to rob one of Evansville’s best hitters of a base-hit.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Purple Aces 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Dean Curley works a walk after an eight-pitch at-bat.
-Bradke Lohry strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Cal Stark drills a stand up double off the left-field wall. Curley advances to third.
-Christian Moore works a walk.
- Bases loaded with one out for Blake Burke.
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Jakob Meyer (3-4, 5.98 ERA) on to pitch for Schultz*
-Blake Burke knocks a sac fly to CF to score Curley. Stark advances to third. Moore stays put.
-Billy Amick flies out to CF in right-center.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Chase Hug is walked on four pitches.
-Brent Widder strikes out swinging.
-Cal McGinnis lines out to LF.
-Evan Waggoner strikes out swinging.
- SWORD
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Purple Aces 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 3B.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Harrison Taubert pops up to SS.
-Brendan Hord strikes out looking.
-Simon Scherry flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Purple Aces 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Bradke Lohry slaps a double to deep RF.
- Right-fielder totally misjudged that ball. But still really good contact from Lohry. Would have been a tough play for Fougerousse to make in right regardless.
-Cal Stark HBP.
Play was REVIEWED to see if Stark tried to get hit. Play STOOD.
-Christian Moore infield fly to 2B.
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out looking.
-Kip Fougerousse legs out an infield single to SS.
-Chase Hug smacks a double to left-center. Fougerousse advances to third.
-Brent Widder connects for a 5-6-3 RBI groundout to score Fougerousse.
- Great play by Dean Curley. Shot off Billy Amick’s glove but Curley was behind him to field it. Fired the throw to Burke in time, who made a great stretch, too. Bad mistake by Billy but Curley negates it with a great play of his own.
-Cal McGinnis launches a two-run homer off the video board.
-Evan Waggoner reaches on a fielding error by Dylan Dreiling.
- Dropped what would have been a line-out. Hard-hit ball and would have been a nice play by Dreiling, but still one he has to make.
-Harrison Taubert pops up to 2B in shallow right-center.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Purple Aces 3
5th Inning:
T5
-Billy Amick flies out to RF.
-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.
Dreiling steals second.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
-Kavares Tears ropes an RBI double down the RF line to score Dreiling.
-Dean Curley works a walk.
-Bradke Lohry flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Brendan Hord singles up the middle.
-Simon Scherry reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Hord is out at second, 6-4.
-Mark Shallenberger grounds out to 2B. Scherry advances to second.
- Nice job by Bradke Lohry to field a funky chopper.
-Kip Fougerousse sends an RBI single into left-center to score Scherry.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-0, 3.80 ERA) on to pitch for Beam*
- Beam’s last outing in Lindsey Nelson comes to a close.
-Chase Hug rips a double down the RF line after a long battle. Fougerousse advances to third.
- Nice throw by Kavares Tears to hold Fougerousse at third.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (9-2, 3.05 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Brent Widder knocks an RBI single to CF to score Fougerousse. Hug advances to third.
-Cal McGinnis sends an RBI single down the RF line, out at second 9-6.
- Tears threw a rope to Curley at second. Great play to get out of the inning.
Tennessee CHALLENGED the call of safe at second and the call was OVERTURNED.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 6
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: So. RHP Max Hansmann (2-1, 6.50 ERA) on to pitch for Meyer*
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore is walked on four pitches.
-Blake Burke works a walk.
-Billy Amick strikes out swinging.
Runners advance on a wild pitch.
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 2B.
Tennessee CHALLENGED the call. Call STOOD. Was very close. Probably too close to overturn.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Evan Waggoner knocks a single up the middle.
-Harrison Taubert flies out to deep LF.
-Brendan Hord smacks a two-run homer to LF.
- Looked like it was going to be foul off the bat. But ruled fair. Huge swing for Evansville.
-Simon Scherry grounds out to SS.
–Tennessee CHALLENGED the call of a HBP during Mark Shallenberger’s at-bat and WON the challenge.
-Mark Shallenberger HBP.
- Actually hit him that time.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Andrew Behnke (3-1, 2.92 ERA) on to pitch for Snead*
-Kip Fougerousse smokes a two-run homer to left-center.
- Initially ruled a double off the top of the wall but was clearly a homer.
-Chase Hug strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 10
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Nick Smith (2-5, 12.90 ERA) on to pitch for Hansmann*
-Hunter Ensley fouls up to 1B.
-Kavares Tears flies out to deep LF.
-Dean Curley flies out to the warning track in LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Brent Widder pops up to 2B.
-Evan Waggoner singles up the middle.
-Harrison Taubert sends a single into shallow centerfield.
*Drew Howard pinch-running for Waggoner*
-Brendan Hord strikes out looking on three pitches.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 10
8th Inning:
T8
*Reese Chapman pinch-hitting for Bradke Lohry*
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: So. RHP JJ Garcia (3-0, 4.35 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*
*Ariel Antigua to 2B for Reese Chapman*
-Simon Scherry pops up to 1B.
-Mark Shallenberger strikes out swinging.
-Kip Fougerousse flies out to LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 10
9th Inning:
T9
-Blake Burke works a walk.
-Billy Amick sends a single to right-center.
-Dylan Dreiling works an incredible walk to load the bases.
- No outs for Hunter Ensley.
-Hunter Ensley smacks an RBI single to left-center.
-Kavares Tears draws a bases-loaded walk on four pitches.
- Go-ahead run at the plate in Dean Curley.
*Pitching change: RHP Shane Harris (8-6, 3.87 ERA) on to pitch for Smith*
-Dean Curley knocks a sac fly to LF to score Dreiling. Ensley and Tears stay put.
*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Ariel Antigua*
-Cannon Peebles works a walk after a long battle.
- Bases loaded with one out for Cal Stark.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 8, Purple Aces 10
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 8, Evansville Purple Aces 10
