SCORE: Tennessee 11, South Carolina 7 | FINAL
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
No. 1 Tennessee baseball (23-2, 5-1 SEC) is set to battle the South Carolina Gamecocks (17-9, 1-5 SEC) Friday in game one of a three-game series.
First pitch at Founders Park is at 7:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
Game two will also be streamed on SEC Network + at 4 p.m. ET Saturday. The series finale will air on SEC Network at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.
For a full preview of the series, including information on both sides along with a prediction, click HERE.
Tennessee enters Friday’s contest coming off a 14-3 midweek win over Queens. Prior to that, the Vols won their first road series of the season, beating Alabama in two-of-three games in Tuscaloosa.
Tennessee dropped the series opener, 6-5, before exploding for 19 runs across the next two games to win 10-7 in game two and 9-2 in the series finale.
Hunter Ensley, Dalton Bargo, Tegan Kuhns Brayden Krenzel, Ariel Antigua, Dylan Loy and others all had big performances in the series.
Following the Alabama series win, Tennessee remained the No. 1 team in four of five polls. The NCBWA poll was the only poll to drop Tennessee this week, moving the Vols down two spots to No. 3.
RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Rankings After Suffering First Loss Of Season
Prior to the Alabama series, the Vols dropped a midweek game to ETSU last Tuesday night, 7-6, in 10 innings. The ETSU loss marked Tennessee’s first of the season, as the Vols had won their first 20 games, a program record.
In the ETSU loss, star second baseman Gavin Kilen suffered a hamstring injury when an ETSU player slid into him. The star second baseman was OUT for all three games in Tuscaloosa and the Queens midweek matchup. Kilen is not in the lineup Friday but could get some playing time this weekend.
Head coach Tony Vitello said Tuesday that Kilen could ‘do something’ in the South Carolina series. Kilen will likely pinch-hit before anything else then DH before starting in the field.
UPDATE: Tony Vitello: ‘Good Chance’ Gavin Kilen Could ‘Do Something’ For Tennessee Against South Carolina
Manny Marin will most likely be Tennessee’s primary second baseman with Kilen sidelined. In games two and three against Alabama, Ariel Antigua started at shortstop and Dean Curley moved to third base, which is the case tonight against the Gamecocks. Dalton Bargo is also an option to start at third.
The worst part of Tennessee’s season so far is first baseman Alberto Osuna having his injunction for another season of eligibility denied by a judge at the beginning of March.
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.
Injury/Availability Notes
- 2B Gavin Kilen is still out of the lineup with a hamstring injury. He will be slowly worked back into the fold.
- UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
- 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.
- Russell could return to action next weekend against Texas A&M, and the Ole Miss series would be likely.
- 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
South Carolina has had a rocky start to the 2025 season. The Gamecocks are 17-9 with a 1-5 start in league play. SC dropped its SEC opening series at home to Oklahoma before getting swept by Arkansas last weekend in Fayetteville.
South Carolina had an easy non-conference slate outside of a road series at Clemson, where the Tigers swept the Gamecocks. South Carolina’s other loss on the season came in a midweek loss to North Carolina Tuesday.
Therefore, the Gamecocks are on a four-game losing streak.
Head coach Paul Mainieri is in his first season in Columbia after serving as LSU’s long-time head coach. After a string of disappointing seasons for South Carolina before Mainieri took over, it’s going to be a process for the Gamecocks to return as one of the better teams in the league. SC was picked to finish 14th in the SEC this season.
South Carolina boasts one Preseason All-Conference selection in outfielder Ethan Petry, who has six homers and eight doubles so far this year.
Dylan Eskew is a significant injury to note for SC. Eskew was hit in the head by a home run ball while in the bullpen and hasn’t pitched since the Oklahoma series. Mainieri said Eskew will “be out for a while.”
South Carolina is not a top half SEC team and could be one of the worse teams in the conference this season. A series win should be the expectation for Tennessee this weekend with a series sweep certainly on the table.
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tony Vitello Said Following Tennessee Baseball’s Win Against Queens
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast, discussing all the major takeaways from Tennessee’s series win over Alabama, click here.
VIDEO: Tony Vitello Talks Midweek Win Over Queens
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:
3B Dean Curley (R)
DH Dalton Bargo (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
1B Andrew Fischer (L)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
2B Manny Marin (R)
C Cannon Peebles (S)
LF Jay Abernathy (L)
SS Ariel Antigua (R)
Lineup Notes:
- With Gavin Kilen still out of the lineup with a hamstring, Manny Marin starts at second base.
- Ariel Antigua stays at shortstop where he has started the last three games. Curley still at third.
- Cannon Peebes starting behind the plate. He has been the starting catcher in every series opener this season.
- Dalton Bargo gets the DH nod. He’s been on a tear at the plate.
- Bargo also hitting second in the lineup for the second game in a row. Abernathy hit in the 2-hole all last weekend.
- Still no Levi Clark. Now a three-game absence from the starting lineup for the freshman. He’s on a 2-20 slump with 10 strikeouts.
SOUTH CAROLINA STARTING NINE:
CF Nathan Hall (R)
RF Ethan Petry (R)
DH Jase Woita (L)
LF Kennedy Jones (R)
3B KJ Scobey (R)
1B Beau Hollins (R)
C Max Kaufer (R)
2B Jordan Carrion (R)
SS Henry Kaczmar (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (3-1, 2.03 ERA, 6 app., 6 starts, 31.0 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 11 BB, 62 K, 5 XBH, .144 opp. batting avg., 0.84 WHIP)
vs.
Gamecocks So. LHP Jake McCoy (2-2, 6.57 ERA, 6 app., 6 starts, 24.2 IP, 24 H, 22 R, 18 ER, 12 BB, 45 K, 7 XBH, .255 opp. batting avg., 1.49 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Doyle bump day for Tennessee. He’ll aim to have a better outing than he did a week ago at Alabama (6 R in 6.0 IP)
- First Friday night start for McCoy this season, but he’s been a weekend starter all year. He’s been OK this year but has given up 13 earned runs in his last three outings. Also has given up multiple walks in four of six starts.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey Greys
South Carolina: Pinstripes
*NOTES*
- There run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or South Carolina leads by 10 or more runs after the 7th inning, the game is over.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Dean Curley lines out to RF.
-Dalton Bargo crushes a solo homer to right field.
- 8th HR of the season for Bargo.
- 389 feet, 94 mph. Right fielder didn’t even move. A no doubter.
-Hunter Ensley works a walk.
-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Nathan Hall singles to left field.
-Ethan Petry launches a two-run homer to left field.
- Ball was smoked.
-Jase Woita grounds out to SS.
-Kennedy Jones strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-KJ Scobey strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Gamecocks 2
2nd Inning:
T2
-Manny Marin singles up the middle.
-Cannon Peebles reaches on a fielder’s choice to 2B. Marin safe at second on a fielding error by 2B.
- Should’ve been a 4-6-3 double play, but Jordan Carrion bobbled the ball.
-Jay Abernathy bunts the runners over, grounds out to 3B on the sac bunt.
-Ariel Antigua sends a sac fly to CF to score Marin.
-Dean Curley sends an RBI single through the right side to score Peebles.
Curley steals second.
-Dalton Bargo knocks an RBI single up the middle.
-Hunter Ensley delivers a two-run homer to left center.
- Ensley’s 3rd HR of the season.
-Andrew Fischer works a walk.
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking on three pitches.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Beau Hollins strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Max Kaufer strikes out looking.
-Jordan Carrion singles through the left side.
Carrion advances to second on a balk.
-Henry Kaczmar strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Gamecocks 2
3rd Inning:
T3
-Manny Marin fouls out to C.
-Cannon Peebles strikes out looking.
-Jay Abernathy singles up the middle.
-Ariel Antigua flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Nathan Hall strikes out swinging.
-Ethan Petry singles up the middle.
-Jase Woita grounds out to P. Petry to second.
-Kennedy Jones flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Gamecocks 2
4th Inning:
T4
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.
-Hunter Ensley fouls out to C.
- Nice catch by Kaufer. Had to fall backward to make the catch.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-KJ Scobey flies out to CF in left-center.
-Beau Hollins grounds out to SS.
-Max Kaufer strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Gamecocks 2
5th Inning:
T5
-Andrew Fischer HBP.
-Reese Chapman works a walk. Fischer to second.
*Pitching change: RHP Tyler Pitzer (3-0, 2.70 ERA) on to pitch for McCoy*
- Mid-count. Manny Marin up 2-0.
-Manny Marin lines out to LF.
-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging.
-Jay Abernathy slaps an RBI double down the LF line. Fischer scores. Chapman to third.
-Ariel Antigua sends a two-run single up the middle. Chapman and Abernathy score.
-Dean Curley knocks an RBI single to left field.
-Dalton Bargo works a walk.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Jordan Carrion singles to center field.
-Henry Kaczmar strikes out swinging.
-Nathan Hall rips a double down the LF line. Carrion to third.
Carrion scores on a wild pitch. Hall to third on the wild pitch.
-Ethan Petry strikes out looking.
-Jase Woita grounds out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Gamecocks 3
6th Inning:
T6
*Pitching change: RHP Caleb Jones (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Pitzer*
-Andrew Fischer flies out to CF.
-Reese Chapman pops up to 3B.
-Manny Marin fouls out to C.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Kennedy Jones singles through the left side.
-KJ Scobey works a walk.
Frank Anderson calls a mound meeting.
-Beau Hollins strikes out swinging.
-Max Kaufer strikes out swinging.
-Jordan Carrion cracks an RBI single to right field.
-Henry Kaczmar delivers an RBI single to left field.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Tanner Franklin (1-1, 3.38 ERA) on to pitch for Doyle*
-Nathan Hall grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Gamecocks 5
7th Inning:
T7
-Cannon Peebles pops up to 3B.
-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging after a 7-pitch at-bat.
-Ariel Antigua grounds out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Ethan Petry singles up the middle.
Petry picked off at first, 2-3.
- Strong throw from Peebles. Big play to erase the baserunner.
-Jase Woita strikes out looking on three pitches.
-Kennedy Jones lines out to SS.
- Hard-hit. Antigua got UP to catch it. Great play.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Gamecocks 5
8th Inning:
T8
-Dean Curley lines out to SS.
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-KJ Scobey lines out to RF.
- Nice sliding catch by Chapman.
-Beau Hollins strikes out swinging.
*Ryan Bakes pinch-hitting for Max Kaufer*
-Bakes strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 10, Gamecocks 5
9th Inning:
T9
*Bakes to C*
-Andrew Fischer grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Reese Chapman triples to center.
- SC center fielder misplayed the ball. Ricocheted off the wall allowing Chapman to reach third.
-Manny Marin delivers a sac fly to LF.
-Cannon Peebles flies out to CF.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
-Jordan Carrion doubles down the RF line.
-Henry Kaczmar ropes a two-run homer to left center.
-Nathan Hall fouls out to C.
-Ethan Petry singles up the middle.
*Pitching change: So. LHP Dylan Loy (4-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Franklin*
*Evan Stone pinch-hitting for Jase Woita*
-Stone flies out to LF.
Petry advances to second.
-Kennedy Jones works a walk.
-KJ Scobey lines out to 3B.
- Super hard-hit ball. Dean lunged to his left and nabbed it to end the game.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 11, Gamecocks 7
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 11, South Carolina Gamecocks 7
