SCORE: Tennessee 13, Bellarmine 3 | FINAL (8 inn. Run-Rule)

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

No. 4 Tennessee baseball (31-5, 11-4 SEC) is set to battle the Bellarmine Knights (9-26, 5-10 ASUN) Tuesday in a midweek contest in Knoxville.

First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

Tennessee enters the contest coming off a series win at (then) No. 6 Ole Miss. The Vols used a career-best outing from Liam Doyle to win game one before taking the series rubber match, 10-8, on Sunday. Reese Chapman hit a go-ahead two-run bomb in the ninth, allowing the Big Orange to claim a pivotal victory in the high-scoring affair.

The Vols lost game two due to a subpar Marcus Phillips start and poor situational hitting.

Read recaps of all three games below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Liam Doyle Dominates In Return To Ole Miss As Tennessee Baseball Takes Series Opener

GAME TWO RECAP: Situational Hitting Struggles As Tennessee Baseball Drops Game Two At Ole Miss

GAME THREE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Uses Ninth Inning Heroics To Take Series Rubber Match At Ole Miss

With the series win, Tennessee moved up one spot in this week’s D1 Baseball Top 25 rankings. See where Tennessee landed in all five major polls below.

RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Rankings After Series Win Over Ole Miss

The Ole Miss series win was a massive one for Tennessee, as it prevented back-to-back series losses for the Vols. Tennessee dropped its first series of the season and first since early March of 2024 two weeks ago against Texas A&M.

After no-hitting the Aggies in game one, Tennessee pitchers were rocked in games two and three, giving up 11 total home runs as Texas A&M swept a doubleheader to win the series.

But the A&M series is an outlier on Tennessee’s otherwise dominant season so far. The Vols own road series wins over Top 15 teams Alabama and Ole Miss as well as series sweeps over Florida and South Carolina.

NOTEBOOK: Tennessee Baseball Notebook: Where The Vols Stand At The Halfway Point In SEC Play

Tennessee is the healthiest they’ve been in a while this weekend. Star junior infielder Gavin Kilen returned to the starting lineup last weekend, starting all three games at Ole Miss as the designated hitter. He is not in the lineup Tuesday, likely for rest purposes.

Starting in the field will come later for Kilen, potentially this weekend against Kentucky.

Additionally, RHP AJ Russell has started the last two midweek games and is back in the fold for the Vols moving forward. His role as a weekend arm is still to be determined.

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

• UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
• Infielder Alex Perry, who was in competition to start at first base in fall ball, 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

Bellarmine has had a tough go of it this season. The Knights began the season 0-9 and are 9-17 since.

Bellarmine has won just one series this season (North Alabama) and has given up 10 or more runs in 22 contests. Expect Tennessee to be able to up some runs Tuesday evening.

Head coach Ben Reel is in his first season at Bellarmine and boasts just one Preseason All-Conference selection in first baseman Casey Sorg.

The Vols should handle the Knights with ease Tuesday but don’t be surprised if Bellarmine scores some runs. They are much better at the plate than on the mound.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Secured Weekend Series At Ole Miss

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.

WATCH: WATCH: Tony Vitello Recaps Series Win Over Ole Miss in Oxford

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

2B Dean Curley (R)

DH Blake Grimmer (L)

1B Andrew Fischer (L)

CF Hunter Ensley (R)

3B Dalton Bargo (L)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

SS Manny Marin (R)

C Stone Lawless (R)

LF Jay Abernathy (L)

Lineup Notes:

• Stone Lawless behind the plate for the midweeker after Peebles started all three games in Oxford.
• Kilen back out of the lineup after starting all three games in Oxford at DH. Likely for rest purposes.
• Blake Grimmer getting another nod at DH in the midweek. And hitting second again.
• Jay Abernathy starting in left after operating at second base Sunday.
• Dean Curley working at second base, his third start there this season.
  • Curley back in leadoff after hitting cleanup Sunday. Ensley moves back down the order to No. 4, as Fischer stays in the three-hole.
• Manny Marin getting his first short stop start of the season, over Ariel Antigua.

BELLARMINE STARTING NINE: 

SS Landon Akers (R)

RF Joey Milto (R)

CF Casey Sorg (R)

LF Eli Watson (L)

2B Luke Scales (R)

C Charlie Rife (R)

DH Jacob Rowold (L)

1B Seth Sweet-Chick (R)

3B Zac Jones (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols So. RHP Thomas Crabtree (1-0, 2.53 ERA, 8 app., 1 start, 10.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, 3 XBH, .135 opp. batting avg., 0.66 WHIP)

vs.

Knights So. LHP Carson Brower (1-1, 12.91 ERA, 9 app., 2 starts, 15.1 IP, 29 H, 22 R, 22 ER, 8 BB, 9 K, 12 XBH, .297 opp. batting avg., 2.41 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Crabtree’s second start of the season. He’s been solid as a bullpen guy on Tuesdays.
  • Lone other start came against Xavier (2 H, 1 R in 2.0 IP)
  • Best appearance this season came in 3.1 innings vs. West Georgia (1 H, 0 R)
• Brower has been a shaky bullpen arm this season for Bellarmine. Hasn’t gone more than 3.1 innings this season.

Uniforms

Tennessee: New creams

Bellarmine: Black shirts and pants with maroon accents

---

*NOTES*

• There IS a run-rule tonight. If Tennessee leads by 10 or more runs in M7 or later, the game is over.

---

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Landon Akers smokes a solo homer to left field.

-Joey Milto strikes out swinging.

-Casey Sorg out at first 1B to P.

-Eli Watson grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Dean Curley doubles down the LF line.

• Bounced off the third baseman’s glove. Could have been ruled an error.

-Blake Grimmer grounds out to SS. Curley to third.

-Andrew Fischer flies out to LF.

-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Knights 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Luke Scales works a walk.

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Andrew Behnke (1-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Crabtree*

Scales steals second.

-Charlie Rife works a walk.

-Jacob Rowold grounds out to P on a sac bunt. Rife and Scales advance to second and third.

-Seth Sweet-Chick strikes out swinging.

-Zac Jones strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Dalton Bargo singles to left field.

-Reese Chapman smacks an RBI triple to left-center.

• Probably should have been ruled a double and advance to third on fielding error by center fielder. He bobbled the ball a couple times at the wall allowing Chapman to safely reach third.

-Manny Marin sends a sac fly to CF.

-Stone Lawless is walked.

Lawless advances to second on a passed ball.

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to SS. Lawless to third.

-Dean Curley slaps an RBI single to center. Lawless scores.

-Blake Grimmer is walked on four pitches. Curley to second.

-Andrew Fischer ropes a three-run homer off the video board.

• 358 feet, 103 mph.
• Fischer’s 15th HR of the season.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Sam Matherly (0-2, 13.11 ERA) on to pitch for Brower*

-Hunter Ensley drives a double down the left-field line.

-Dalton Bargo is walked on four pitches.

*Levi Clark pinch-running for Hunter Ensley*

-Reese Chapman is walked.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Manny Marin.

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Arren Hash (0-0, 19.85 ERA) on to pitch for Matherly*

-Manny Marin pops up to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Knights 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Breedlove (2-0, 0.73 ERA) on to pitch for Behnke*

*Abernathy to CF*

*Clark to LF*

-Landon Akers grounds out to 3B.

-Joey Milto singles to center.

-Casey Sorg grounds out to SS. Milto to second.

• Really nice play by Manny Marin at short.

Milto steals third, scores on a throwing error by C.

-Eli Watson singles to 3B.

• Bargo made a great play to prevent a double down the line. Snared the ball off the hop in shallow left field.

Watson steals second.

-Luke Scales strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Stone Lawless cracks a single to left field.

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

-Dean Curley singles up the middle.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Knights 2

4th Inning: 

T4

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Michael Sharman (1-0, 4.32 ERA) on to pitch for Breedlove*

-Charlie Rife strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Jacob Rowold works a walk.

Rowold picked off at first, 1-3.

-Seth Sweet-Chick strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

*Pitching change: RHP Zach Horwith (0-2, 7.99 ERA) on to pitch for Hash*

-Andrew Fischer grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Levi Clark works a walk.

-Dalton Bargo reaches on a 4-6 fielder’s choice. Clark out at second.

Bargo steals second.

-Reese Chapman knocks an RBI double off the top of the right-center wall.

*Chris Newstrom pinch-running for Chapman*

Tennessee challenged the ruling that it was a double and not a home run. The ruling STOOD.

Newstrom steals third.

-Manny Marin sends an RBI single to center field.

-Stone Lawless flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 8, Knights 2

5th Inning: 

T5

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Ryan Combs (0-0, 4.66 ERA) on to pitch for Sharman*

*Newstrom to RF*

-Zac Jones strikes out swinging.

-Landon Akers singles up the middle.

Akers steals second.

-Joey Milto flies out to CF. Akers to third.

-Casey Sorg strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Cole McMichael (0-0, 18.00 ERA) on to pitch for Horwith*

*Scales to 3B*

*Sweet-Chick to 2B*

*Christian Kiper to 1B for Zac Jones*

-Jay Abernathy flies out to LF at the warning track.

-Dean Curley reaches on a throwing error by 2B.

-Blake Grimmer is walked on four pitches.

Grimmer steals second. Curley steals third.

-Andrew Fischer strikes out swinging.

-Levi Clark HBP.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Dalton Bargo.

-Dalton Bargo flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 8, Knights 2

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: So. LHP Luke Payne (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Combs*

-Eli Watson grounds out to SS.

-Luke Scales reaches on a throwing error by SS.

Tennessee challenged the ruling. Looked like Fischer still made the tag even though Marin’s throw took him off the bag. But, the call STOOD.

-Charlie Rife strikes out swinging.

-Jacob Rowold strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Brady Morse (0-0, 19.29 ERA) on to pitch for McMichael*

*Connor Pawlowski to C for Rife*

-Chris Newstrom reaches on a fielding error by RF.

• Just dropped the ball.

-Manny Marin bloops a single to left field. Newstrom to second.

-Stone Lawless flies out to CF in left-center.

-Jay Abernathy singles to left.

• Bases loaded with one out for Dean Curley.

-Dean Curley pops up to SS.

-Blake Grimmer grounds out to 1B unassisted.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 8, Knights 2

7th Inning: 

T7

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Bryson Thacker (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Payne*

-Seth Sweet-Chick is walked.

Sweet-Chick advances to second on a passed ball.

-Christian Kiper sends an RBI single up the middle.

-Landon Akers grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.

-Joey Milto strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Andrew Fischer is walked.

*Colby Backus pinch-running for Fischer*

Backus steals second.

-Levi Clark is walked on four pitches.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Cooper Hellman (2-4, 5.61 ERA) on to pitch for Morse*

-Dalton Bargo launches a three-run homer to left-center.

• 421 feet, 106 mph.
• Bargo’s 11th HR of the season.

-Chris Newstrom hammers a solo homer to left-center.

• 386 feet, 107 mph.
• Newstrom’s 4th HR of the season.

-Manny Marin fouls out to SS.

-Stone Lawless flies out to LF.

-Jay Abernathy flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 12, Knights 3

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: So. RHP Tanner Wiggins (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Thacker*

*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dean Curley*

*Backus to CF*

*Clark to 1B*

*Hunter High to RF for Dalton Bargo*

*Newstrom to LF*

*Marin to 3B*

*Abernathy to 2B*

-Casey Sorg strikes out swinging.

-Eli Watson grounds out to 2B.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Austin Hunley (2-0, 2.89 ERA) on to pitch for Wiggins*

-Luke Scales is walked.

-Connor Pawlowski HBP.

-Jacob Rowold strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Blake Donnan (1-2, 8.79 ERA) on to pitch for Hellman*

-Ariel Antigua is walked.

-Blake Grimmer reaches on a fielder’s choice to P. Antigua out at second, 1-6.

-Colby Backus singles through the left side. Grimmer to second.

-Levi Clark reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Backus out at second, 6-4. Grimmer to third.

-Hunter High smacks an RBI single to P.

END OF GAME

Score: Vols 13, Knights 3

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 13, Bellarmine Knights 3 (FINAL – 8 inn. Run-Rule)