KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Closing out its 15-game homestand and playing its final game before the start of SEC play, the second-ranked Tennessee Volunteers host Lipscomb for an in-state midweek battle at Lindsey Nelson Stadium at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday afternoon.
Tennessee (14-3) looks to keep its momentum rolling from a weekend sweep of Morehead State. The Vols will come off a pair of off-days after playing a doubleheader on Saturday. Griffin Merritt was the star of the two-game day, crushing three homers, one in the first game and two in the second. The weekend got off to a bang when the Big Orange dropped the Eagles, 23-4, Friday night. Zane Denton etched his name into the UT history books, completing the fifth cycle in program history in the series opener.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the games are available in very limited quantities at AllVols.com.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Projected Starters: LHP Zander Sechrist (0-0, 0.93 ERA) vs. LHP Noah Thompson (2-0, 2.31 ERA)
BROADCAST INFO
Tuesday’s game will stream on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Zack Nelson (PxP) on the call. The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at espn.com/watch.
Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball, John Wilkerson, call the action on the Vol Network (AM 990) or via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tennessee leads, 12-2
in Knoxville: 9-1
in Nashville: 2-1
at Neutral Sites: 1-0
Last Meeting: Tennessee won, 5-1 (April 5, 2022)
NOTABLE
Volunteer State Battle
Tennessee hosts Lipscomb on Tuesday night in the first of seven games this season against in-state foes. UT is 29-13 against teams from the Volunteer State under head coach Tony Vitello, including a 6-1 record in 2022
Griff is Getting Hot
Impact transfer Griffin Merritt is starting to swing a hot bat for the Vols. The outfielder now ranks second on the team with six home runs after going yard three times in last weekend’s series vs. Morehead State. In the series sweep of the Eagles, the Cincinnati transfer and 2022 AAC Player of the Year batted .455 with three homers and seven RBIs, including a multi-homer game with four RBIs in the series finale. Merritt enters the week on a nine-game hitting streak and a 15-game on-base streak
OPPONENT SCOUT
Lipscomb Bisons
- 2023 Record: 5-11 (0-0 ASUN)
- 2022 Record: 36-22 (20-10 ASUN)
- 2022 Postseason: –
- 2023 ASUN Preseason Poll: 4th
- ASUN Preseason Honors
- Michael Dunkelberger (SP), Matthew Bohnert (RP), Caleb Ketchup (SS)
- Head Coach: Jeff Forehand (17th season)
- Stat Leaders:
- Average: Mason Lundgrin (.333)
- OBP: Mason Lundgrin (.423)
- SLG: Alex Vergara (.654)
- Hits: Mason Lundgrin (20)
- Runs: Caleb Ketchup (14)
- RBIs: Trace Willhoite (15)
- Doubles: Alex Vergara (5)
- Triples: Mason Lundgrin, Austin Kelly (1)
- Home Runs: Five tied (4)
- ERA: Joey Mitchell (0.77)
- WHIP: Joey Mitchell (0.43)
- BAA: Joey Mitchell (0.56)
- Innings Pitched: Braydon Tucker (21)
- Strikeouts: Logan Van Treeck (22)
- Wins: Noah Thompson (2)
- Saves: Three tied (1)
ON DECK
Tennessee heads on the road for SEC Opening Weekend to take on Missouri in Columbia Friday night. First pitch for Game 1 of the series is slated for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
-UT Athletics
