SCORE: Tennessee 6, Alabama 7 | FINAL
*SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT- BY AT-BAT FEED*
Fifth-ranked Tennessee baseball (18-2, 1-1 SEC) is set to battle fourteenth-ranked Alabama (16-3, 1-1 SEC) in Tuscaloosa at Sewell-Thomas Stadium Sunday in game three of a three-game series. Sunday’s contest will serve as a series rubber match as Tennessee won the series opener before losing game two to the Tide on Saturday night.
First pitch is at 2 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. It will be the second televised game of Tennessee’s season, as Saturday night’s game against the Tide served as the first. You can also listen to the game here.
The Vols enter the matchup coming off of their first loss since game two of the season, as the Tide won Saturday’s contest 6-3. Drew Beam bounced back after a rocky start to turn in a strong eight-inning performance, but the Vols’ offense couldn’t do enough to overcome the early deficit. Read all about Tennessee’s loss on Saturday night here.
For the at-bat by at-bat thread of Saturday night’s loss, click here.
Sunday will be the first series rubber match of Tennessee’s season, as the Vols swept UAlbany, Bowling Green and Illinois in their three previous series. The Vols did win a makeshift ‘rubber match’ on day three of opening weekend in Arlington by beating Baylor to go 2-1 in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown.
A series win would mark the fourth consecutive and most impressive of the season for Tennessee, as Alabama is the toughest opponent the Vols have faced.
Alabama’s Saturday win snapped a two-game losing streak, and they’ll be looking to carry their momentum into Sunday to get a series win of their own.
More From RTI: Final SEC Bracketology Projections Before the Selection Show
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)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
DH Robin Villeneuve (R)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
SS Dean Curley (R)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Ensley gets his second start in center of the weekend, Tears moves back to right field.
- Stark gets his first catcher start of the weekend, slides into the nine-hole.
- Villeneuve stays at DH for the third straight game.
- Bargo not in the lineup after he came up lame running to first base on Saturday night on a fly ball. Looked like a hamstring.
ALABAMA STARTING NINE:
3B Gage Miller
CF TJ McCants
LF Ian Petrutz
RF Evan Sleight
DH William Hamiter
C Mac Guscette
1B Will Hodo
SS Justin Lebron
2B Bryce Eblin
Pitching Matchup:
Vols So. RHP AJ Russell (0-0, 2.45 ERA, 2 app., 2 starts, 7.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, .231 opp. batting avg., 1.09 WHIP)
vs.
Crimson Tide Jr. RHP Hagan Banks (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 app, 1 start, 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, .091 opp. batting avg., 0.82 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Russell makes his return to the starting rotation since the UAlbany series, as he’s been dealing with soreness.
- This is Russell’s first SEC start of his career and first time ever starting on a Sunday.
- This is Banks’ second start but as the stats show, he hasn’t seen much action this year. Alabama doesn’t have a reliable Sunday guy, so they’re still experimenting to see if they can find one.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Smokey greys
Vols are undefeated in Smokey greys this season.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
-Blake Burke lines out to LF.
-Billy Amick slaps a single to center field.
-Kavares Tears flies out to CF. To the warning track.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Gage Miller singles through the right side.
Miller advances to second on a balk.
-TJ McCants strikes out swinging.
-Ian Petrutz drives an RBI single to left center to score Miller.
-Evan Sleight lines out to LF.
-William Hamiter pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Crimson Tide 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Dylan Dreiling strikes out swinging.
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley singles to LF. Impressive as the pitch was up high in the zone and Ensley got it.
-Dean Curley fouls out to 1B.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Mac Guscette flies out to CF.
-Will Hodo grounds out to 3B.
-Justin Lebron strikes out swinging. Pitch hit him, but Lebron swung for strike three. Nice 1-2-3 inning from Russell.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Crimson Tide 1
3rd Inning:
T3
-Cal Stark works a walk after a great at-bat.
-Christian Moore singles to RF over the second baseman’s head. Stark advances to second.
Alabama calls a mound meeting.
*Pitching change: LHP Kade Snell (0-0, 11.57 ERA) on to pitch for Banks*
-Blake Burke is walked on four pitches to load the bases with no outs.
-Billy Amick out on an infield fly to 1B.
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling rips a bases-clearing double to left center. Dreiling advanced to third on the throw home.
-Robin Villeneuve ropes an RBI double down the LF line.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to SS.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
*Pitching change: G-Sr. LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 2.35 ERA) on to pitch for Russell*
-Bryce Eblin flies out to RF. To the warning track.
-Gage Miller works a walk.
Tennessee challenges call at first that Miller is safe on a pickoff attempt. Call STANDS as Burke didn’t get the tag down in time.
-TJ McCants singles through the right side. Miller advances to second.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (4-0, 1.80 ERA) on to pitch for Stamos*
-Ian Petrutz knocks an RBI single through the right side to score Miller. McCants advances to third.
-Evan Sleight sends a sac fly to CF to score McCants.
Petrutz advances to second on a passed ball.
-William Hamiter is hit by a pitch.
-Mac Guscette reaches on a fielder’s choice as Hamiter is out at 2B, unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 3
4th Inning:
T4
*Pitching change: RHP Braylon Myers (1-0, 0.87 ERA) on to pitch for Snell*
-Dean Curley lines out to CF.
-Cal Stark strikes out swinging.
-Christian Moore singles to right center.
-Blake Burke flies out to LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Will Hodo smokes a leadoff solo homer to RF.
-Justin Lebron lines out to LF.
-Bryce Eblin singles through the right side. Went right under Burke’s glove.
-Gage Miller flies out to LF.
-TJ McCants pops up to SS in shallow LF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 4
5th Inning:
T5
-Billy Amick grounds out to SS.
-Kavares Tears flies out to CF.
-Dylan Dreiling fouls out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Ian Petrutz fouls out to 3B. Great catch by Amick as he reached into the Alabama dugout to catch it.
-Evan Sleight singles into center field.
-William Hamiter flies out to LF.
-Mac Guscette flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 4
6th Inning:
T6
-Robin Villeneuve fouls out to 1B.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley is walked on four pitches.
-Cal Stark flies out to LF.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Will Hodo singles up the middle. Hit the second base bag and went into the outfield, allowing Hodo to reach first.
-Justin Lebron strikes out swinging.
-Bryce Eblin flies out to CF.
-Gage Miller flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 4
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: RHP Tyler Fay (1-0, 3.63 ERA) on to pitch for Myers*
-Christian Moore strikes out looking.
-Blake Burke singles through the right side.
-Billy Amick smokes a double deep into left field. Burke advances to third.
*Pitching change: LHP Matthew Heiberger (1-0, 7.88 ERA) on to pitch for Fay*
-Kavares Tears chops an RBI groundout to 2B to score Burke.
-Dylan Dreiling grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-TJ McCants singles to center field.
-Ian Petrutz grounds out to P. McCants advances to second.
-Evan Sleight grounds out to SS. McCants advances to third.
-William Hamiter flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Crimson Tide 4
8th Inning:
T8
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.
-Dean Curley flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Mac Guscette is hit by a pitch.
-Will Hodo strikes out looking on three pitches.
-Justin Lebron singles to left center. Guscette advances to second.
*Kameron Guangorena pinch-running for Guscette*
-Bryce Eblin flies out to LF. Flat out incredible, game-saving catch by Dreiling. Guangorena advances to third on an ugly throwing error by Curley.
-Gage Miller smokes a three-run home run to left field to take the lead.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (1-0, 3.86 ERA) on to pitch for Snead*
-TJ McCants is walked on four pitches.
-Ian Petrutz is hit by a pitch. Runners on first and second.
-Evan Sleight out at first 1B to P. Nice play by Burke to flip it.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Crimson Tide 7
9th Inning:
T9
*Cannon Peebles pinch-hitting for Cal Stark*
-Peebles is aboard with a leadoff single to LF.
-Christian Moore flies out to CF.
-Blake Burke reaches on a throwing error by the 3B. Peebles advances to second.
*Colby Backus pinch-running for Burke*
-Billy Amick singles to RF to load the bases.
*Pitching change: RHP Aidan Moza (2-0, 8.56 ERA) on to pitch for Heiberger*
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging.
-Dylan Dreiling works a bases-loaded walk. Peebles scores. Bases loaded for Robin Villeneuve.
-Robin Villeneuve strikes out swinging to end the game.
END OF GAME
Score: Vols 6, Crimson Tide 7
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Alabama Crimson Tide 7
