SCORE: Tennessee 12, Evansville 1 | FINAL

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***

Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (54-12, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle the Evansville Purple Aces (39-25, 17-10 MVC) Sunday evening in the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional Final. The Super Regional is currently tied 1-1.

First pitch is at 7:06 p.m. ET. The game was delayed due to thunderstorms in the area. More here.

This is the first time this season a game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium was delayed due to weather.

The game will begin on ESPNews and ESPN+ until Clemson-Florida finishes on ESPNU. Tennessee’s game will transfer over to ESPNU once the Clemson-Florida game ends.

All three games this weekend have been nationally televised, with games one and two having aired on ESPN2.

Tennessee is looking to punch its ticket to the College World Series in Sunday’s rubber match for the third time in four years. On the flip side, the Vols are looking to avoid losing a Super Regional series as the No. 1 overall seed for the second time in three years.

Tennessee hit four home runs and beat the Purple Aces 11-6 on Friday evening before dropping Saturday’s game, 10-8. Evansville scored all 10 of its runs in the middle innings as Tennessee’s bullpen melted down. The Vols scored three runs in the ninth as it looked they were going to come back, but a Christian Moore flyout stranded the bases loaded to end the game.

For recaps of Tennessee’s Friday win and Saturday loss, see below.

GAME 1 RECAP: Evansville Storms Back To Upset Tennessee Baseball, Force Deciding Game Three

GAME 2 RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Takes Knoxville Super Regional Opener Against Evansville

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.

PRESSURE: Pressure Mounting For Tennessee Baseball But Vols Remain Confident

RECORD: Tennessee Sets Stadium Attendance Record During Saturday’s Super Showdown

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 After Game Two Loss Against Evansville

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, including an INSTANT reaction to Tennessee’s Saturday loss to Evansville, click here.

For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.

More From RTI: How To Watch Tennessee Baseball’s Knoxville Super Regional Final Against Evansville

VIDEO: WATCH: Tony Vitello, Blake Burke, Cal Stark Recap Series-Evening Loss to Evansville in 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.

PITCHING: Tony Vitello Details Tennessee Baseball’s Pitching Plan For Game Three Of Super Regional

Tennessee was massively favored entering the series and, on paper, look poised to advance to the College World Series with a win on Sunday. However, Saturday’s disappointing loss could be deflating enough to affect Tennessee a day later. There’s no question the Vols will need to come out ready to roll, as Evansville showed how dangerous they can be in game two.

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 Dalton Bargo (L)

C Cal Stark (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Moore returns to second base after DH-ing in Saturday’s game with leg soreness. Tony Vitello said yesterday that Moore would “100%” start at second base in the winner-to-Omaha matchup.
• Dalton Bargo handling the DH duties after Chapman did Friday. Moore started at DH on Saturday with Bradke Lohry at 2B.
  • Bargo gets the nod over Chapman, Cannon Peebles and others.

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)

Lineup Notes:

• TY Rumsey returns to the lineup after hitting the back wall hard while going for a fly ball in Friday’s game.
  • Evansville made the lineup change to include Rumsey at center, move Kip Fougerousse to DH and Harrison Taubert to right and take (then) DH Evan Waggoner out of the lineup, after batting practice.

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Sr. LHP Zander Sechrist (3-1, 3.60 ERA, 17 app., 16 starts, 60.0 IP, 59 H, 27 R, 24 ER, 14 BB, 60 K, 14 XBH, .259 opp. batting avg., 1.22 WHIP)

vs.

Purple Aces Fr. LHP Kevin Reed (5-2, 7.38 ERA, 16 app., 14 starts, 57.1 IP, 73 H, 51 R, 47 ER, 26 BB, 40 K, 30 XBH, .316 opp. batting avg., 1.73 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Sechrist continues to start in a day three setting. After Sechrist, Tennessee figures to have all its bullpen arms available considering what Tony Vitello said on Saturday.
• Reed has been one of Evansville’s weekend starters all season long, but he’s been the worst.
  • Reed got shelled last week in Evansville’s lone loss in the Greenville Regional, giving up 9 hits and 7 earned runs in 3.0 innings.
  • He also got rocked two weeks ago against Southern Illinois in the MVC Tournament, allowing 6 H and 6 ER in 1.2 innings.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Dark Mode

Evansville: White & Purple pinstripes

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*NOTES*

• There is NO Run-Rule in NCAA Tournament play.
• Tennessee is the HOME team today. The Vols were the home team Friday but road team Saturday. They won the coin toss to be the home team for Sunday’s game.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Simon Scherry reaches on a fielding error by SS.

• Ball slipped out of Curley’s hand when he picked it up. Rain from earlier may have played a part. It’s wet in Knoxville.

-Mark Shallenberger strikes out looking.

-Kip Fougerousse strikes out swinging.

-Chase Hug singles to 1B. Scherry advances to second.

• Burke dove for it and stopped the ball, but couldn’t corral it to make the play. Probably should have let it go and let Christian Moore field it.

-Brent Widder drives an RBI single through the right side. Scherry scores, unearned. Hug advances to third.

• Widder’s hand touched the plate before Cal could lay down the tag.

Tennessee CHALLENGED the ruling at home plate. The call STOOD.

-Cal McGinnis flies out to CF in left-center.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Christian Moore tattoos a solo homer over the left-field porches.

• 115 mph, 426-feet. Cleared the porches on a line.
• 31st HR of Moore’s season.

-Blake Burke drives a single to RF, advanced to second on a fielding error by RF.

• Ugly, ugly error by Harrison Taubert.

-Billy Amick fouls out to RF.

-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.

-Hunter Ensley pops up to 1B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Purple Aces 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Brendan Hord flies out to shallow RF.

-Harrison Taubert strikes out swinging.

-Ty Rumsey chops a single to 1B.

• Burke correctly fielded difficult chopper but slipped on the wet turd, then couldn’t get the throw to Zander in time.

-Simon Scherry pops up to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Kavares Tears grounds out to 2B.

-Dean Curley smashes a solo homer to the top deck of the left-field porches.

• No doubter. 12th HR of Curley’s season.
• 106 mph, 418 feet.

-Dalton Bargo ropes a solo homer off the video board.

• Another no doubter as Tennessee goes back to back for the second straight day.
• Bargo’s 7th HR of the season. First pitch he has seen this weekend.
• 108 mph, 398 feet.

-Cal Stark works a walk.

Stark advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Christian Moore is walked on four pitches.

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Nick Smith (2-5, 12.93 ERA) on to pitch for Reed*

-Blake Burke pokes an RBI double down the 3B line to score Stark. Moore advances to third.

-Billy Amick sends an RBI groundout to 2B to score Moore. Burke advances to third.

-Dylan Dreiling flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Mark Shallenberger grounds out to 2B.

• Really smooth play by CMo at second.

-Kip Fougerousse strikes out swinging.

-Chase Hug grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.

-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Purple Aces 1

4th Inning: 

T4

-Brent Widder flies out to CF.

-Cal McGinnis singles to CF.

-Brendan Hord reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B. McGinnis advances to second on a muffed throw by Moore.

• Moore dropped the throw from Amick at second. Defensive mistake allows McGinnis to stay on base.
• Could have also been an inning-ending double play.

-Harrison Taubert lines out to 2B.

• Nice jumping catch by Moore.

-Ty Rumsey singles off of Sechrist.

• Hit the back of his leg.
• Bases loaded with two outs for Simon Scherry.

-Simon Scherry grounds out to 2B.

• Zander is FIRED up. Screams as he jogs off the mound. Even took the gum out of his mouth and threw it as he strands the bases loaded.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Dalton Bargo smacks a leadoff homer to the LF porches.

• 103 mph, 389 feet.
• 8th HR for Bargo this season.
• 2nd HR for Bargo today.

-Cal Stark grounds out to SS.

-Christian Moore slaps a solo homer to CF.

• 5th for Tennessee today. 2nd for Moore.
• 32nd of Moore’s season.

-Blake Burke doubles to CF.

• Center fielder was at the back wall for some odd reason and the ball dropped in the middle of center field. Not quite sure what Ty Rumsey was doing. Guess he lost the ball.

-Billy Amick destroys a two-run homer over the batter’s eye.

• 6th HR for Tennessee today. Comical at this point.
• 23rd for Amick this season.
• 109 mph, 446 feet.

-Dylan Dreiling fouls out to 3B.

-Hunter Ensley works a walk.

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Jakob Meyer (4-4, 5.68 ERA) on to pitch for Smith*

Hunter Ensley caught stealing second, 2-6. Overslid the bag.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 9, Purple Aces 1

5th Inning: 

T5

-Mark Shallenberger grounds out to P.

-Kip Fougerousse flies out to RF.

-Chase Hug strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Kavares Tears bloops a single into left field.

• Over the shortstop’s head into no man’s land.

-Dean Curley HBP.

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Cal Stark mashes a three-run homer to left-center.

• 10th HR for Stark this season.
• 106 mph, 424 feet.
• Stark is the 8th Vol to have 10+ HR this season.
• Tennessee has BROKEN a program record with 7 HR in a postseason game. Tennessee has also tied the single-game record with 7 HR (regular + postseason)

-Christian Moore grounds out to 3B.

-Blake Burke drills a double through the right side.

-Billy Amick lines out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Purple Aces 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Brent Widder flies out to LF.

-Cal McGinnis singles to SS in shallow center.

-Brendan Hord strikes out swinging.

-Harrison Taubert grounds out to 3B.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Dylan Dreiling works a walk.

-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Max Hansmann (2-1, 6.32 ERA) on to pitch for Meyer*

-Kavares Tears works a walk.

-Dean Curley flies out to RF.

-Dalton Bargo grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Purple Aces 1

7th Inning: 

T7

-Ty Rumsey grounds out to 2B.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (9-2, 3.41 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*

• Sechrist exits after a career-long 6.1-inning outing to likely send his team to Omaha. What a moment in Lindsey Nelson as he exits to a loud ovation.

Zander Sechrist exits the game to a loud ovation in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Absolutely shoved in the longest outing of his career to likely send this team to Omaha. What a moment. pic.twitter.com/GW3zcgguFr

— Jack Foster (@jackfostermedia) June 10, 2024

-Simon Scherry strikes out swinging.

-Mark Shallenberger grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Cal Stark strikes out looking, out at first C to 1B.

-Christian Moore works a walk.

-Blake Burke flies out to the warning track in left field.

-Billy Amick legs out an infield single to 3B. Moore advances to second.

-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Purple Aces 1

8th Inning: 

T8

-Kip Fougerousse strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Chase Hug HBP.

-Brent Widder reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B as Hug is out at second, 5-4.

• Should have been a double play but Burke dropped the throw at first. Was a tough stretch to make, though.

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Dylan Loy (2-0, 2.28 ERA) on to pitch for Snead*

-Cal McGinnis flies out to deep LF.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: Gr-Sr. LHP Jace Kressin (1-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Hansmann*

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.

-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.

-Dean Curley flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Purple Aces 1

9th Inning: 

T9

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-1, 4.01 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*

-Brendan Hord strikes out swinging.

*Marcus Phillips (0-0, 5.30 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*

-Harrison Taubert grounds out to 2B.

-Ty Rumsey flies out to LF.

END OF GAME

Score: Vols 12, Purple Aces 1

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 12, Evansville Purple Aces 1