HOUSTON, Texas – No. 6 Tennessee hits the road for the first time this season this weekend as the Vols head down to Houston to play in the prestigious Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
The Big Orange are part of a loaded field that also includes No. 1 Texas, No. 3 LSU, No. 20 UCLA, Baylor and Oklahoma.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for this weekend’s Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic can be purchased HERE.
BROADCAST INFO
All three of the Vols’ games will be televised regionally by AT&T SportsNet SW and streamed nationally on Astros.com, the Astros Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts, as well as the MLB app.
Fans can also listen to the Vol Network radio call as the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson calls the action. The radio broadcast will be available on local stations AM 900 or FM 99.1 depending on the Lady Vols SEC Tournament basketball schedule. All three games will also feature a live audio broadcast on UTSports.com and the UT Gameday App.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday vs. Texas (8 p.m. ET)
RHP Chase Burns (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Pete Hansen (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Saturday vs. Baylor (4 p.m. ET)
RHP Chase Dollander (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Jackson (1-1, 2.25 ERA)
Sunday vs. Oklahoma (Noon ET)
RHP Drew Beam (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Chazz Martinez (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
SERIES HISTORY
Vols vs. Texas
Overall: Tennessee leads, 2-1
in Knoxville: 0-0
in Austin: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: UT leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: L, 8-4 in CWS (June 22, 2021)
Vols vs. Baylor
Overall: Baylor leads, 1-0
in Knoxville: 0-0
in Waco: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: Baylor leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: L, 3-2 in Houston (Feb. 12, 2005)
Vols vs. Oklahoma
Overall: Oklahoma leads, 2-0
in Knoxville: 0-0
in Norman: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: Oklahoma leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: L, 2-0 in Houston (March 2, 2008)
NOTABLE
Video Game Numbers
Tennessee flat out dominated its two opponents last week, outscoring UNC Asheville and Iona by a score of 84-4 over four games. The Vols scored at least 12 runs in every game and batted .438 as a team for the week while blasting 18 home runs. UT homered at least four times in every game last week as 10 different players went deep for the Big Orange.
Following last week’s offensive explosion and a midweek win over ETSU, the Vols enter this week leading all of Division I in runs per game (15.1), total runs (121), doubles (30), home runs (25), slugging percentage (.792), walks (76) and on-base percentage (.513).
Don’t Forget About the Pitching Staff
As impressive as the bats have been in the early going, Tennessee’s pitching staff has been just as dominant, leading the nation in WHIP (0.74) while ranking second nationally in ERA (0.90), fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.89), eighth in walks allowed (2.44) and fifth in shutouts (three) entering this weekend. The Vols posted a 0.79 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .132 batting average and racking up 53 strikeouts last week and racked up 13 more punchouts in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over ETSU.
Vols at Minute Maid Park
Tennessee is no stranger to playing at Minute Maid Park in Houston. This will mark the Vols’ fourth time playing at the venue after taking part in the Shriners Children’s College Classic in 2005, 2008 and 2012.
In their previous three showings at the Shriners Children’s College Classic (formerly known as the Minute Maid College Classic and Houston College Classic), the Vols have posted a 3-6 overall record, going 1-2 in each of their three appearances.
Lipscomb is Red Hot
Trey Lipscomb has been on an absolute tear to start the season. The senior third baseman leads the SEC and ranks third nationally with 22 RBIs so far this season. Lipscomb became just the fourth player in program history to hit for the cycle, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, a triple and a homer in last Friday’s series-opening win over Iona. He also had a career-high nine RBIs in the game, one shy of the single-game program record. Lipscomb followed that performance by finishing a double short of the cycle in Saturday’s game, going 3-for-4 with a triple, homer and three RBIs. The Maryland native capped his impressive week with another multi-hit and multi-RBI performance, going 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs.
For the week, Lipscomb hit .786 and led the team with three doubles, two triples, three homers, 16 RBIs, 27 total bases and a 1.929 slugging percentage on the way to earning SEC Co-Player of the Week and NCBWA Dick Howser National Co-Hitter of the Week honors. Lipscomb continued his torrid start with a two-run homer in Tuesday’s win over ETSU, which ended up being the game-winning hit. Heading into this weekend, Lipscomb leads the SEC with 22 RBIs and is tied for the conference lead with five homers.
OPPONENT SCOUT
No. 1 Texas Longhorns
- Record: 9-0 (0-0 Big 12)
- 2021 Postseason: College World Series
- 2022 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 1st
- Head Coach: David Pierce (6th season)
- Preseason All-Americans (7):
- INF Mitchell Daly, LHP Pete Hansen, INF Trey Faltine, INF Ivan Melendez, RHP Aaron Nixon, RHP Tristan Stevens, RHP Tanner Witt
- Stat Leaders:
- Batting Avg: Eric Kennedy (.414)
- Runs: Eric Kennedy (12)
- Hits: Douglas Hodo III (14)
- Home Runs: Ivan Melendez (2)
- RBI: Ivan Melendez (12)
- Stolen Bases: Douglas Hodo III (3)
- Wins: Andre Duplantier II/Tristan Stevens/Tanner Witt (2)
- Saves: Aaron Nixon (2)
- ERA (min. 1 IP/G): Eight players tied (0.00)
- Innings Pitched: Tristan Stevens (12.0)
- Strikeouts: Pete Hansen (16)
Baylor Bears
- Record: 4-4 (0-0 Big 12)
- 2021 Postseason: N/A
- 2022 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 5th
- Head Coach: Steve Rodriguez (7th season)
- Preseason All-Americans (1):
- OF Jared McKenzie
- Stat Leaders:
- Batting Avg: Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo (.286)
- Runs: Jack Pineda (9)
- Hits: Jack Pineda (10)
- Home Runs: Kyle Nevin/Tre Richardson (1)
- RBI: Kyle Nevin (6)
- Stolen Bases: Three players tied (2)
- Wins: Kobe Andrade (2)
- Saves: Matt Voelker (1)
- ERA (min. 1 IP/G): Cam Caley/Cole Stasio (0.00)
- Innings Pitched: Jake Jackson/Tyler Thomas (12.0)
- Strikeouts: Tyler Thomas (14)
Oklahoma Sooners
- Record: 5-2 (0-0 Big 12)
- 2021 Postseason: N/A
- 2022 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 6th
- Head Coach: Skip Johnson (5th season)
- Preseason All-Americans (2):
- C Jimmy Crooks, INF Peyton Graham
- Stat Leaders:
- Batting Avg: Diego Muniz (.385)
- Runs: Noah Webb (9)
- Hits: Peyton Graham/Blake Robertson (5)
- Home Runs: Peyton Graham (2)
- RBI: Tanner Tredaway (5)
- Stolen Bases: Kendall Pettis (6)
- Wins: Five players tied (1)
- Saves: Trevin Michael (2)
- ERA (min. 1 IP/G): Three players tied (0.00)
- Innings Pitched: Chazz Martinez (11.2)
- Strikeouts: Chazz Martinez (19)
ON DECK
The Vols return to Knoxville for five home games next week, starting with a pair of midweek contests against James Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch for both games is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Tickets all five of next week’s home games are available at AllVols.com.
-UT Athletics
