Baseball Weekend Preview: Vols visit #20 Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Tennessee Volunteers (19-15, 4-11 SEC) look to begin the second half of Southeastern Conference play this weekend, visiting the No. 20-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (26-12, 8-7 SEC) for a three-game set in College Station, Texas (Friday, April 21 – Sunday, April 23).

The weekend series marks the third-ever SEC series between the schools and Tennessee’s first trip to College Station, with the Aggies holding a 6-1 advantage in their all-time contests against Tennessee.

The Volunteers enter the weekend looking to building off a 5-2 win over UNC Asheville. UT’s pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts en route to the win, while Texas A&M dropped their Tuesday night matchup against UT Arlington, 3-2.

This season, Tennessee is playing 15 of their 55 regular season games against five 2016 NCAA postseason participants, including 2016 SEC Tournament Champion and this week’s opponent, Texas A&M.

Weekend Rotation

Fri. April 21 at 3 p.m. ET – RHP Hunter Martin (4-3, 3.47 ERA) vs. RHP Brigham Hill (5-3, 3.29 ERA)
Sat. April 22 at 3 p.m. ET – RHP Garrett Stallings (2-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Corbin Martin (4-2, 3.83 ERA)
Sun. April 23 at 2 p.m. ET – LHP Zach Warren (2-4, 5.92 ERA) vs. RHP Stephen Kolek (2-2, 4.11 ERA)

Tennessee vs. Texas A&M All-Time

All-time vs. Texas A&M: TAMU leads, 6-1
In Knoxville: TAMU leads, 5-1
In College Station: First Meeting
Last Meeting: TAMU won, 8-7 (5/3/2015)

In the last conference series between UT and TAMU, the Aggies captured a three-game sweep against the Vols from May 1-3, 2015 on Rocky Top. Two of those three games were decided by one run.

Analyzing the Aggies

The Maroon and White look to improve upon a 26-12, 8-7 SEC record, which includes series wins over No. 6-ranked LSU, No. 11-ranked Auburn and a sweep over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In his 12th season at the helm of Texas A&M Baseball, Head Coach Rob Childress enters the weekend with a 484-250-2 overall record.
This week (April 17), Texas A&M is ranked in three national media polls: D1Baseball.com (20), Baseball America (23) and the NCBWA (25).
Braden Shewmake leads the Aggies with a .350 average over 38 games, including a team-best 42 RBI. His four home runs are tied for most on the club and he leads TAMU with 13 doubles on the year.
TAMU’s bullpen has shut down opponents during the month of April, combining for a 5-0 record with four saves over the Aggies’ last 10 games.
The Aggies own a .431 on-base percentage, batting .356 (16-for-45) and seven walks with bases loaded.
Aggie catchers are hitting a combined .362 (51-for-141) on the season with 23 runs, 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 30 RBI.

Quick Hits: 2017 Volunteers

Walk This Way: Pete Derkay has a team-leading 27 walks on the season, which ranks T-5th in the SEC through 34 games.
Rodger(s) That: Senior Jordan Rodgers has reached base safely in every game started this year (33), while his .375 batting average currently ranks third-best in the SEC. Rodgers also leads the Volunteers with 13 multi-hit games and 21 RBI this season.
More on Moberg…: D1Baseball.com Midseason All-American Jeff Moberg owns 12 multi-hit games on the season. His six home runs rank tops on the Vols’ squad in 2017.
The Vols have combined for 86 extra-base hits this year, including 22 home runs (surpassing 2016’s complete season total).
The Vols’ 2017 roster boasts 17 newcomers including 14 true freshmen, two JUCO transfers and one graduate transfer.

Tennessee on [Rocky] Top

UT on NCAA charts (as of April 19):

Pete Derkay: .479 OBP (38th)
Jordan Rodgers: 1.55 hits per game (33rd)
Hunter Martin: nine games started (T-31st), 6.22 SO/BB Ratio (34th) and 1.42 walks allowed per nine innings (T-48th)

As a team, Tennessee ranks among the SEC’s Top 10 in the following categories (as of April 19):

Batting Average: 7th (.283)
On-Base Percentage: 6th (.376)
Slugging Percentage: 10th (.402)
Hits: T-10th (332)
Team Triples: 3rd (10)
Walks: 7th (153)
Stolen Bases: 8th (36)
Batters Stuck Out Looking: 10th (94)
Runners Picked Off: 8th (5)
Fewest Walks Allowed: 5th (114)
Fewest Doubles Allowed: T-5th (51)
Fewest Home Runs Allowed: 4th (20)
Fielding Percentage: 10th (.971)
Double Plays Turned: T-5th (30)

Vols rank among the SEC’s Top 10 in the following categories (as of April 19):

Jordan Rodgers: .375 average (3rd), .559 SLG (10th), .438 OBP (10th), 51 hits (10th)
Pete Derkay: .479 OBP (3rd), 27 walks (T-5th) and 1.000 fielding percentage (T-1st)
Benito Santiago: three triples (T-2nd), two runners picked off (T-7th) and eight runners caught stealing (T-5th)
Andre Lipcius: 288 putouts (5th) and 27 double plays fielded (2nd)
Jeff Moberg: 8 hit by pitch (T-8th), 22 double plays fielded (T-9th)
Dom Thornton: 1.000 fielding percentage (T-1st)
Hunter Martin: 57.0 innings pitched (T-5th), 21 batters struck out looking (T-6th) and fewest walks allowed (9 – T-8th)
Garrett Stallings: fewest walks allowed (7 – T-2nd)
Zach Warren: fewest doubles allowed (4 – T-3rd)
Zach Linginfelter: two runners picked off (T-7th), fewest hits allowed (34 – 9th) and fewest doubles allowed (4 – T-3rd)
Jon Lipinski: 15 games finished (T-3rd)

Wednesday Recap

Tennessee’s pitching staff threw a combined 13 strikeouts and allowed just three hits against UNC Asheville, leading the Vols to a 5-2 victory.
Redshirt junior reliever Eric Freeman (1-0) earned the win for the Vols in relief, striking out four batters over 2.2 innings.
Designated hitter Luc Lipcius and second baseman Jeff Moberg led the way offensively for UT, each going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.
Wednesday’s lineup featured twin brothers Andre Lipcius (1B) and Luc Lipcius (DH) both starting for the first time this season since Feb. 17 at Memphis.
Luc Lipcius drew his first career start as designated hitter for Tennessee, going 2-for-3 with one RBI. He also became the third true freshman to start in the clean-up spot of the order this year (also, Pete Derkay and brother Andre Lipcius).

Smoky Mountain Challenge (April 26)

Tennessee and ETSU will compete in the Smoky Mountain Challenge on Wednesday, April 26 at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tenn.
First pitch for the game will be at 6:00 pm and gates will open at 5:00 pm.
Multiple ticket options are available for fans planning to attend the April 26 game at Smokies Stadium. Field level seating prices will be $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors and $5 for current UT and ETSU students.
The Smokies will also offer “All You Can Eat” options ranging from $19 for adults, $17 for children, and $15 for students.
For more ticket information, fans are encouraged to call (865) 286-2300, visit smokiesbaseball.com, or visit the Smokies Box Office Monday – Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET.

On Deck for the Vols

The Volunteers return to Tennessee and take on ETSU in the Smoky Mountain Challenge, a single-game matchup slated for 6 p.m. ET at Smokies Stadium – home of the Tennessee Smokies.
For ticket and gameday information, head to smokiesbaseball.com.

-UT Athletics