Baseball Preview: Red-Hot Vols Back Home to Host Mizzou

Baseball Preview: Red-Hot Vols Back Home to Host Mizzou

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Top-ranked Tennessee is back in action at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as the Vols host divisional foe Missouri this weekend.

The Big Orange will look to continue their record-setting start to SEC play as they look to become just the second team in the history to start league play 10-0 since expansion in 1992.

UT Baseball / Credit: UT Athletics

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

For the most updated gameday information related to Tennessee baseball, please visit our Gameday Central page by clicking HERE. The baseball Gameday Central page contains info in regard to tickets, parking, stadium policies and more.

TICKET INFORMATION

Season and single-game tickets for all remaining home contests are SOLD OUT. Limited standing room only tickets will go on sale for all games 90 minutes prior to first pitch at the Lindsey Nelson Stadium ticket office.

Single-game tickets for all games can also be purchased through Vivid Seats, the exclusive resale marketplace for Tennessee Athletics, by clicking HERE.

In order to keep Lindsey Nelson Stadium as full as possible, we are encouraging season ticket holders who are unable to use their tickets for a game(s) to either transfer your tickets to someone else (Instructions HERE).

BROADCAST INFO

Friday and Sunday’s games will be streamed live digitally on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app while Saturday’s contest will be broadcast live on the SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Todd Walker on the call.

The online broadcasts 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 and Vince Ferrara call the game on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) as well as UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday, April 8 (6:30 p.m.)
RHP Chase Burns (6-0, 1.15 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Miles (2-2, 5.70 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday, April 9 (7 p.m.)
RHP Chase Dollander (5-0, 2.58 ERA) vs. LHP Tony Neubeck (2-1, 4.70 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday, April 10 (12:30 p.m.)
RHP Drew Beam (6-0, 0.88 ERA) vs. RHP Austin Marozas (1-0, 4.05 ERA)

SERIES HISTORY

Overall: Mizzou leads, 14-10
In Knoxville: Mizzou leads, 8-4
In Columbia: Series tied, 6-6
Neutral Sites: N/A
Last Meeting: W, 10-2 (5/9/21 in Columbia)

The Vols recorded their first-ever series sweep over Mizzou last season in Columbia. UT will be aiming for its first series win against the Tigers in Knoxville since the first meeting between the two teams in 2013.

NOTABLE

Good As Gold
Tennessee’s entire weekend pitching rotation (Chase BurnsChase DollanderDrew Beam) was named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List by USA Baseball on Tuesday. The Vols were tied with Texas and Vanderbilt for the most players on the list with three each. The trio of Beam, Dollander and Burns have combined to go 17-0 with a 1.52 ERA this season.
 
Vols Off to Historic Start
With last weekend’s sweep, Tennessee became the first team in 28 years to start SEC play 9-0, joining the 1994 Florida Gators who started 10-0. The Vols’ 28-1 record is the best through the first 29 games of a season in program history.
 
Vols Cleaning Crew  
Tennessee recorded its sixth series sweep this season after taking all three games on the road at then No. 3/9 Vanderbilt this past weekend. It was the first time that the Vols had swept the Commodores since 2009.
 
UT’s six series sweeps are its most in a single season since 2004 when it also had six. Since Vitello took over as head coach, the Vols have swept 18 weekend series (not including tournaments).
 
Series Sweeps by Year Under Vitello
2022: 6 | 2021: 5 | 2020: 2 | 2019: 3 | 2018: 2
 
Midseason Accolades
The Vols were well-represented in D1Baseball.com’s Midseason Report, which was released on Thursday afternoon. Four members of the team were recognized by the publication.
 
Tony VitelloTop Coach
RHP Chase BurnsTop Pitcher & Top Freshman | Midseason All-America Team (SP)
RHP Drew Bream: Midseason All-America Team (SP)
OF Drew GilbertMidseason All-America Team (OF)

OPPONENT SCOUT

Missouri Tigers

  • Record: 18-8 (3-6 SEC)
  • 2021 Postseason: N/A
  • 2022 SEC Preseason Poll: 7th in East
  • Head Coach: Steve Bieser (6th year)
  • Preseason Conference Honors: N/A
  • Stat Leaders:
    • Batting Avg: Nander De Sedas (.373)
    • Runs: Josh Day (31)
    • Hits: Josh Day (35)
    • Home Runs: J. Day/L. Mann (6)
    • RBI: Torin Montgomery (22)
    • Stolen Bases: Ross Lovich (9)
    • Wins: Landry/Troesser (3)
    • Saves: Austin Cheeley (4)
    • ERA (min. 10 IP): Austin Troesser (1.93)
    • WHIP (min. 10 IP): Austin Troesser (0.99)
    • Innings Pitched: Spencer Miles (30.0)
    • Strikeouts: Nathan Landry (38)

GAME PROMOTIONS

Gameday promotions for all Tennessee athletics home events can be found on the UT Fan Experience page by clicking HERE.

Fans are encouraged to download the My All App for their phones and devices this season. The app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and will allow fans to participate in in-game trivia, the custom filter selfie cam and more throughout the year.

NEW TO LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM

With a palpable excitement surrounding the program, Lindsey Nelson Stadium has added some new and improved seating areas and fan amenities to increase capacity and provide a better fan experience this season.

One of the first things fans will see upon arriving is an additional deck of porches behind the left-field wall as well as new chair-back bleacher seating down the left-field line.

All porches for the 2022 season are sold out, however, the left-field bleachers will be sold as general admission seating. Additional food and beverage options will be located next to the new bleachers throughout the year. For SEC games, a VolShop location and food trucks will be located in that area, as well.

UT has removed the playground down the right-field line and re-branded the area as “The Deck”, which will feature a standing room only area for UT’s students while also providing additional concessions options to help negate congestion throughout the main concourse. In order to enhance the gameday experience, a Petro’s Chili & Chips, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Gameday Sausage kiosk and a new beer kiosk have been added to the deck area.

Vol fans can look for Coca-Cola, popcorn and beer at kiosks on the Plaza located down the first-base line. The VolShop will have hats and merchandise available on the Plaza, as well. The Fan Experience Hub, your one-stop shop for game programs, posters, schedule cards, contest info and more, will also be located in the Plaza area.

Tennessee’s MVP season-ticket holders will also be greeted with a brand new, completely renovated MVP Room this season.

Friday SEC Block Parties
Friday SEC Block Parties will take place for ticketed fans on Pat Head Summitt Street for every Friday SEC contest (weather permitting). The area will only be accessible for fans with tickets to Friday’s game.

Friday’s SEC Block Parties will feature music, giveaways, face painting, food/beverage options, VolShop sales locations and Vol Network sponsor activations. Additionally, VFL Sterl the Pearl will join various SEC weekend games to add to the electricity in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Food, drink, and anything else acquired at the block party can be brought inside the stadium. Gates 10A and 11 will be open for fans to use to enter the stadium. Fans may come and go from stadium to the block party as they please.

ON DECK

Tennessee will play Tennessee Tech in a neutral-site game at Smokies Stadium in nearby Kodak, Tennessee next Tuesday 6:30 p.m. before hosting Alabama at Lindsey Nelson Stadium next weekend.

-UT Athletics

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