SCORE: Tennessee 5, Florida 3 | FINAL

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

Second-ranked Tennessee baseball (17-0) is set to host the seventh-ranked Florida Gators (16-2) Friday in game one of a three-game series in Knoxville.

First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 6:30 p.m. ET on SECN+.

Tennessee enters its first SEC series of the season as the only undefeated team remaining in the country. The Vols improved to 17-0 Tuesday with a 4-2 midweek win over West Georgia while the Gators defeated then-unbeaten Florida State, leaving Tennessee as the lone perfect team in the sport.

For a full preview of the Florida series, including information on how to watch all three games and a prediction, click HERE.

Prior to the midweek win over West Georgia, Tennessee swept St. Bonaventure, outscoring the Bonnies 36-3. Tennessee made history twice in the series sweep, The Vols combined to throw a no-hitter in the series opener for the fourth time in program history, and it marked the ninth Tennessee no-hitter overall.

Additionally, Tennessee’s win in the series finale to improve to 16-0 put the 2025 Vols atop the record books as having the best start to a season in program history.

HISTORIC START: Tennessee Baseball Off to Best Start in Program History

Tennessee has been dominant in its 17-0 start. The Vols’ pitching staff has a 1.77 team ERA while the offense has recorded 50 home runs. Overall, Tennessee has outscored opponents 203-37 this season.

It’s not all come against weak competition, either, as Tennessee earned wins over Preseason Top 25 teams Oklahoma State and Arizona in Houston two weeks ago at the Astros Foundation College Classic.

UT also owns series sweeps over Hofstra and Samford along with midweek wins over UNC Asheville, North Alabama, Radford, Xavier and West Georgia this season.

After the series sweep of St. Bonaventure, Tennessee did not change in any of the five Top 25 polls. The Vols are still the No. 2 team according to D1 Baseball and No. 1 in the other four polls (NCBWA, Perfect Game, Baseball America, USA Today Coaches).

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Various Rankings Entering SEC Play

Tennessee’s freshman slugger Levi Clark and starting pitcher Liam Doyle earned conference honors following their respective performances against St. Bonaventure. Doyle won SEC Pitcher of the Week, and Clark won SEC Co-Freshman of the Week.

The worst part of Tennessee’s undefeated season so far is first baseman Alberto Osuna having his injunction for another season of eligibility denied by a judge last Monday.

In response, Osuna penned a letter to the NCAA requesting they make things right and grant him eligibility.

Read more about the court’s decision and its impact on Osuna HERE.

Tennessee fans have been showing extra support for Osuna as of late. The Rock on UT’s campus had Osuna’s face painted on Monday with a message saying “#FreeBerto.”

Additionally, during a meeting of the House of Representatives, East Tennessee congressman Tim Burchett used his one minute, 53 second general speech to inform people about Osuna’s case while imploring the NCAA to grant the transfer slugger immediate eligibility.

OSUNA: Tim Burchett Calls For NCAA To Grant Alberto Osuna Eligibility During Congressional Hearing

With Osuna still ineligible, Andrew Fischer and Levi Clark figure to get the vast majority of reps at first base. With Fischer primarily playing first instead of third base, his natural position, Manny Marin and Dalton Bargo will get the majority of opportunities at third.

Injury/Availability Notes

Tennessee is basically at 100%, but some players are still unavailable.

• UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
• LHP Andrew Behnke hasn’t pitched since the Hofstra series but should make his return soon.
• RHP AJ Russell is fine and did not suffer a setback after making his return from UCL surgery against North Alabama, but Tennessee is exercising caution and likely won’t ramp up his action until April.
• Infielder Alex Perry, who was in competition to start at first base before Osuna’s arrival, left the program in January to tend to a personal matter. It remains to be seen when or if Perry will return. He is in his second season at Tennessee.

Opponent Scout

Florida has been among the best teams in the nation so far this season. The Gators return a bunch of key pieces from last year’s squad that reached the CWS Semifinals and boast plenty of talented freshmen.

The Gators own series sweeps over Air Force, Dayton and Harvard along with midweek wins over Top-5 Florida State, FAU, North Florida, Stetson and Jacksonville. Florida also won two-of-three games in a series against Miami in Gainesville two weeks ago. UF’s second loss of the season came in a 13-3 midweek defeat at the hands of UCF.

Florida was picked to finish 5th in the SEC in the preseason. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s 18th team in Gainesville has three Preseason All-Conference selections in second baseman Cade Kurland, catcher Luke Heyman and shortstop Colby Shelton.

However, Kurland is still dealing with an injury and hasn’t played since March 1.

Tennessee is 7-3 against Florida in the last 10 meetings. The two sides last met in a three-game series in Gainesville in 2024. The Vols won two-of-three games, exacting revenge from the 2023 series in which Florida won in Knoxville.

The road team has won the series each of the past three years.

This is by far Tennessee’s toughest test to date. Expect a very close series that may come down to Sunday’s rubber match.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Following West Georgia Win, Preview Florida Series

For all of RTI’s preseason baseball coverage, including how Liam Doyle is currently viewed as the top prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft by one analyst, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast, discussing all the major takeaways from Tennessee’s series sweep of St. Bonaventure and updates on the status of AJ Russell and Andrew Behnke, click here.

VIDEO: Tony Vitello Recaps Midweek Win Over West Georgia, Previews Florida Series

Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

SS Dean Curley (R)

2B Gavin Kilen (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

DH Levi Clark (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

3B Manny Marin (R)

C Cannon Peebles (S)

LF Jay Abernathy (L)

Lineup Notes:

• Jay Abernathy gets the LF nod to open SEC play. Dalton Bargo will probably start at some point this weekend, whether it’s in left or at third.
• Manny Marin, who has been Tennessee’s primary third-baseman, starts the first SEC game.
• Cannon Peebles behind the plate to open the series.
• Three true freshman in the lineup to begin SEC play, a testament to the loaded class.
• Top six of the order the same as it’s been.

FLORIDA STARTING NINE: 

2B Justin Nadeau (L)

3B Bobby Boser (R)

SS Colby Shelton (L)

LF Blake Cyr (R)

1B Brendan Lawson (L)

DH Brody Donay (R)

CF Hayden Yost (L)

C Luke Heyman (R)

RF Ty Evans (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (3-0, 0.44 ERA, 4 app., 4 starts, 20.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 47 K, 2 XBH, .095 opp. batting avg., 0.54 WHIP)

vs.

Gators So. RHP Liam Peterson (4-0, 0.86 ERA, 4 app., 4 starts, 21.0 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 34 K, 2 XBH, .164 opp. batting avg., 0.86 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Doyle vs. Peterson is an elite pitching matchup. Both have been top arms in the SEC so far this season, as the numbers indicate.
• Both of Peterson’s earned runs this season came against Miami in a 6.0-inning outing.
• 77% of Doyle’s outs this season have come via strikeout. He is averaging 11.75 Ks per outing.
  • At that pace, Doyle would record over 164 strikeouts just this regular season, which would be a program record. The previous program record is Luke Hochevar’s 2005 mark of 154 Ks in 19 games.
  • Give Doyle 19 games at his current pace, he’d throw 223 strikeouts.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Friday Whites

Florida: Grey shirts and pants with blue caps

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*NOTES*

• Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC games. If Tennessee or Florida leads by 10 or more runs in M7 or later, the game is over.
• Tennessee’s No. 2 ranking and Florida’s No. 7 rankings refers to D1 Baseball’s poll.
  • Tennessee is No. 1 in all other polls (USA Today Poll, NCBWA, Baseball America and Perfect Game).

---

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Justin Nadeau strikes out swinging after a 7-pitch at-bat.

-Bobby Boser grounds out to 3B.

• Nice play by Manny. Had to back pedal a bit to field it then fired an accurate throw on time to first.

-Colby Shelton pops up to 2B in shallow right field.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Dean Curley strikes out looking.

UF LF Blake Cyr dove for – but didn’t come up with – a Gavin Kilen fly ball in foul territory on a 3-2 pitch

-Gavin Kilen works a walk after a 9-pitch at-bat.

• Won a long battle.

-Hunter Ensley pops up to SS.

-Andrew Fischer drives a single up the middle. Kilen to third.

Mound meeting after the first pitch to Levi Clark is a ball.

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Gators 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Blake Cyr strikes out looking.

-Brendan Lawson strikes out swinging.

-Brody Donay strikes out swinging.

• Doyle wins a LONG battle. 8-pitch at-bat.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

-Manny Marin smokes a double to left-center.

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 2B. Manny to third.

-Jay Abernathy smacks an RBI single to center.

-Dean Curley strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Gators 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Hayden Yost lines out to LF.

• First hard-hit ball for Florida tonight.

-Luke Heyman singles to center.

-Ty Evans pops up to 2B in shallow right field.

Heyman advances to second on a passed ball.

-Justin Nadeau works a walk after a 9-pitch at-bat.

Tennessee calls a mound meeting.

• Long discussion ensues between the home-plate ump, Frank Anderson and the Tennessee infield.

-Bobby Boser strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Gavin Kilen grounds out to 3B.

-Hunter Ensley strikes out looking.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Gators 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Colby Shelton lines out to SS.

-Blake Cyr smashes a solo homer to the upper deck of the left-field porches.

Frank Anderson calls a mound meeting.

-Brendan Lawson HBP.

-Brody Donay singles to SS. Lawson to second.

• Curley dove to stop it from going in the outfield but would’ve been a really tough play at first.

-Hayden Yost grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.

• Tremendous flip from Kilen to Curley, who fires to Fischer to complete the inning-ending double play.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman works a walk.

Florida calls a mound meeting after Manny works the count to 2-0.

-Manny Marin flies out to deep center.

-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Gators 1

5th Inning: 

T5

-Luke Heyman pops up to 1B.

• Fischer had to dive to catch it. Great recovery after initially misjudging it.

-Ty Evans strikes out looking.

-Justin Nadeau works a walk after a 10-pitch at-bat.

• MULTIPLE questionable ball calls with two strikes. 2-2 pitch and 3-2 pitch, especially.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Tanner Franklin (0-0, 1.80 ERA) on to pitch for Doyle*

-Bobby Boser pops up to SS in shallow center.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Jay Abernathy is walked on four pitches.

Florida calls a mound meeting after Dean Curley works the count to 1-0.

-Dean Curley slaps a single to left-center.

-Gavin Kilen singles to center.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Hunter Ensley.
• UF CF Ty Evans dove for it but came up empty.

-Hunter Ensley ropes a two-run single to right field. Kilen to third.

• Big-time hit from Hunter. Happened on the first pitch of the at-bat.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Luke McNellie (2-0, 2.05 ERA) on to pitch for Peterson*

-Andrew Fischer strikes out looking.

• Fischer was very displeased with the strike three call and let the ump know.

*Dalton Bargo pinch-hitting for Levi Clark*

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman intentionally walked.

• Bases loaded for Manny Marin with two outs.

Kilen scores on a wild pitch. Ensley and Chapman advance.

-Manny Marin works a walk.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Cannon Peebles.

-Cannon Peebles grounds out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Gators 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Colby Shelton knocks a leadoff single up the middle.

-Blake Cyr singles through the left side. Shelton to second.

-Brendan Lawson singles to right field.

• Great throw from Chapman keeps Shelton at third. Prevented a run.
• Bases loaded with no outs for Brody Donay.

-Brody Donay sends a two-run single up the middle.

*Pitching change: So. LHP Dylan Loy (2-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Franklin*

-Hayden Yost pops up to C on a bunt.

Runners advance on a wild pitch.

-Luke Heyman works a walk.

• Bases loaded with one out for Ty Evans.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Nate Snead (1-0, 0.68 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*

*Landon Stripling pinch-hitting for Ty Evans*

-Stripling grounds into a double play 4U.

• Force out at second is the first out. Heyman is then called for interference sliding into second, so Stripling is out because of the interference call. Tennessee gets out of the inning. Big break.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

*Nadeau to RF*

*Lawson to 2B*

*Stripling to 1B*

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to 2B.

-Dean Curley triples to right field.

• Nadeau completely misjudged it. Florida had pinch hit for star outfielder Ty Evans in T6, who was starting in right.

-Gavin Kilen sends a sac fly to LF.

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Gators 3

7th Inning: 

T7

-Justin Nadeau grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Bobby Boser strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Colby Shelton singles up the middle.

-Blake Cyr flies out to CF.

END OF THE TOP HALF

B7

-Andrew Fischer flies out to LF.

-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Gators 3

8th Inning: 

T8

*Curley to 1B*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Andrew Fischer*

-Brendan Lawson flies out to LF.

-Brody Donay strikes out swinging.

-Hayden Yost grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Manny Marin flies out to RF.

-Cannon Peebles works a walk.

-Jay Abernathy grounds into a 6-3 double play.

• Play was reviewed and stood. Ruled Shelton scooped the ball while keeping his foot on second.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Gators 3

9th Inning: 

T9

-Luke Heyman strikes out looking.

-Landon Stripling flies out to CF.

-Justin Nadeau legs out an infield single to 1B.

• Tying run at the plate.

-Bobby Boser strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

Score: Vols 5, Gators 3

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 5, Florida Gators 3