Amick Homers in Return as #4 Vols Take Opener vs. #25 LSU
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Amick Homers in Return as #4 Vols Take Opener vs. #25 LSU

Posted on April 13, 2024

Game Recap: Baseball | April 12, 2024

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A strong relief outing from AJ Causey and a pair big home runs by Billy Amick and Dylan Dreiling led No. 4/4 Tennessee to a 6-3 series-opening victory over No. 25/NR LSU on Friday night in front of a record crowd of 5,901 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

In his return to the lineup after missing the last eight games with an appendix issue, Amick wasted no time putting the Vols ahead with a two-run homer into the left-field porches on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the first inning.

Graduate lefty Chris Stamos earned his first start for the Big Orange and got the Vols off to a good start on the mound with 2.2 innings of two-hit ball, striking out three and allowing just one run before handing the ball off to Causey in the top of the third.

The Jacksonville State transfer stranded the bases loaded in that third inning by getting Mac Bingham to strikeout to preserve UT’s one-run lead. Causey was dialed in from there, tossing 4.2 shutout innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 6-2 on the year.

Kirby Connell took over for Causey in the eighth, inheriting the bases-loaded and just one out, but got a strikeout and a fly out in consecutive at-bats to get the Vols out of the jam unscathed.

Despite running into a little bit of trouble in the ninth, Connell was able to finish the game off and earn his second save of the year.

A three-run fifth inning proved to be big for the Vols (28-6. 8-5 SEC), as they were able to take advantage of two LSU errors before Dreiling hit his 13th home run of the season to put an exclamation point on the inning and extend Tennessee’s lead to 6-1 heading into the sixth.

Christian Moore and Blake Burke both had two hits apiece and combined to score three runs at the top of the order. With his pair of singles, Burke extended his hitting streak to 24 straight games, which is now tied for the third longest in program history and three shy of tying Condredge Holloway’s program-record 27-game hit streak.

Tigers’ starter Gage Jump allowed five earned runs on five hits and four walks in four innings to suffer his first loss of the year. Tommy White led the LSU (22-13, 3-10 SEC) offense with three hits and a pair of RBIs.

STAT OF THE GAME: With his relief outing on Friday night, Connell surpassed former teammate and Vol reliever Redmond Walsh for the most appearances in UT history with 105.

UP NEXT: The Vols and Tigers square off in game two of the series on Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

#4 Tennessee Falls 9-1 Friday Night in Starkville
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#4 Tennessee Falls 9-1 Friday Night in Starkville

Posted on April 13, 2024

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The fourth-ranked Lady Vols fell 9-1 Friday night at Nusz Park to No. 16 Mississippi State in five innings.
 
MSU (29-10, 9-7 SEC) strung back-to-back three-run innings together in the second and third en route to the series-opening win.
 
State scored once in the first and one run in the fourth before adding a final run in the fifth.
 
Tennessee (30-7, 10-3 SEC) opened the game with a run in the first. Graduate Kiki Milloy returned to the lineup after missing all three games last weekend and drew a leadoff walk to open the first frame.
 
After two groundouts advanced Milloy to third, senior Rylie West knocked a single through the left side of the infield to plate Milloy.
 
Aspen Wesley held Tennessee’s bats in check throughout the night, scattering two hits over seven innings of work. The right-hander tossed a complete game with four walks and four strikeouts. Wesley is 11-3 on the year.
 
The Lady Vols started Karlyn Pickens in the circle. She tossed two innings, allowing five runs – four earned – on five hits, a walk and three strikeouts. Pickens suffered the loss – her fourth of the season.
 
Charli Orsini replaced Pickens in the third – allowing two runs – one earned – on two hits. Orsini was lifted to start the fourth inning for Ryleigh White.
 
White finished the game, giving up two runs – one earned – on two hits. The senior walked a pair of batters.
 
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Mississippi State are back for game two of the series on Saturday with a first pitch time of 3:30 p.m. ET. Saturday is All for Alex Day with teams around the SEC wearing teal in remembrance of Alex Wilcox.

Knox County Schools will be Implementing a Realignment Plan which Could Send some Staff to Other Schools

Knox County Schools will be Implementing a Realignment Plan which Could Send some Staff to Other Schools

Posted on April 12, 2024

Knox County Schools is implementing a realignment plan that could affect full-time teacher and staff positions across the school district.

Officials say no one will be out of work and that the budget process has affected those teacher and staff jobs, causing changes.

They say Knox County is growing and the population is shifting so the realignment is to match our resources to student enrollment. KCS’s talent team is working with any of the employees affected by the realignment and say they may be serving a different school community but there will be a spot in KCS.

The district is still early in the realignment process and retirements and resignations could alleviate a lot of the realignment’s goals.

Letter from KCS to employees regarding realignment (courtesy of WVLT)

Knoxville Police are Investigating a Fatal Crash on I-75 in Knox County
TDOT Smartway camera

Knoxville Police are Investigating a Fatal Crash on I-75 in Knox County

Posted on April 11, 2024

Knoxville Police Department crash reconstruction personnel are investigating a fatal crash that happened early Thursday morning in north Knoxville.

At around 5:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2024, KPD officers responded to the ramp from I-640 West to I-75 North in regards to a multi-vehicle crash.

Based on the preliminary investigation at the scene, it is believed that a sedan was traveling from I-640 on to I-75 North when it collided with the rear end of a tractor-trailer. The semi-truck was parked on the right shoulder of I-75 North out of the traffic lanes.

The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity is being withheld, pending notification of next of kin.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing at this time.

Morristown Officials say a Road that’s been closed due to a fire that destroyed a historic building has re-opened

Morristown Officials say a Road that’s been closed due to a fire that destroyed a historic building has re-opened

Posted on April 11, 2024

The City of Morristown says traffic in front of the Parks-Belk Building has reopened to the public.

The intersection of S. Cumberland Street and Main Street has been closed since the building was intentionally set on fire in January.

A Firefighter was injured in that fire and a man arrested and charged with arson, reckless endangerment, burglary and vandalism. He had reportedly planned to burn more buildings, with investigators finding fire-starting equipment stashed in buildings downtown.

Knoxville Police say Four People have been Indicted in Connection to a Murder at a Home on Gilbert Lane
Photo courtesy of KPD

Knoxville Police say Four People have been Indicted in Connection to a Murder at a Home on Gilbert Lane

Posted on April 11, 2024

The Knoxville Police Department and Chief Paul Noel announced during a news briefing on Wednesday afternoon that four individuals have been indicted in connection to the April 5th murder of 22-year-old Danishka Sibaja-Mejia and wounding of a 23-year-old man and woman at a home on Gilbert Lane.

Following a Grand Jury presentment on Wednesday morning, the following individuals were indicted:

Latawyne Osborne, 39 of Knoxville

Marquis Ellis, 20 of Knoxville

Edward Wilson, 31 of Knoxville

Angela Greenberg, 59 of Knoxville

Osborne, Ellis and Wilson were indicted for numerous charges, including felony murder, first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, attempted first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping.

Greenberg, who is Osborne’s mother, was indicted for tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact.

All four of those individuals are in custody.

Several hours prior to the events on Gilbert Lane, Danishka reported to KPD Special Crimes Unit detectives that she was the victim of a sexual assault, naming Osborne as the suspect in that assault.  

After Osborne was released from the hospital on Friday morning, where he had arrived to be treated for a gunshot wound, he was questioned by Homicide Unit detectives regarding both the alleged sexual assault and Danishka’s death.

He was charged on April 5th for the rape, which allegedly occurred sometime between April 1-2. Osborne has been in custody since April 5th.

Continued investigation over the past 72 hours and beyond led Homicide Unit detectives to identify the other involved individuals who were indicted today, alongside of Osborne.

Edward Wilson has been in custody since Monday afternoon, when he was taken into custody by Organized Crime Unit detectives for a warrant out of Blount County for failure to appear.

Marquis Ellis has been in custody since yesterday afternoon, when he was taken into custody by Community Engagement Response Team officers for violation of probation.

Angela Greenberg was taken into custody earlier this afternoon by KPD officers.

The investigation into the murder remains ongoing.

TWRA Set to Ban Alcohol on Wildlife Management Areas

TWRA Set to Ban Alcohol on Wildlife Management Areas

Posted on April 10, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency announcing alcohol will be banned on Wildlife Management Areas beginning next week.

TWRA officials say alcohol possession and consumption will be prohibited statewide on WMAs starting on April 15 except for designated areas, which are TWRA campgrounds and public waters bordering or within a WMA.

Officials say the rule change applies to all user groups, including off-highway vehicle (OHV) drivers and passengers who ride on WMA units.

TWRA Wildlife Officers will be issuing citations for alcohol possession and use that is not in compliance with the regulations. Officials say Tennessee DUI laws also apply on local roads and managed trails when operating OHVs.

TWRA officials say the rule change comes after high rates of intoxicated driving on WMAs and frequent accidents where alcohol was a contributing factor.

UTPD: Teen Facing Felony Charge after Triggering UT Alert Overnight

UTPD: Teen Facing Felony Charge after Triggering UT Alert Overnight

Posted on April 10, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A 19-year-old is facing multiple charges after filing a false police report that triggered a UT Alert overnight Tuesday.

University of Tennessee Police Department officials say Peyton Hubbs was arrested on a felony charge of filing a false report and two misdemeanor charges of simple possession and illegal gambling around 11:15 Tuesday night following his report of a robbery in the UT parking lot at 1720 Lake Avenue.

Officials say an investigation, to include reviewing area surveillance video at the time of the alleged incident, found that the robbery did not happen.

Hubbs later admitted that he lied and was charged in the investigation.

He has been booked into the Knox County Detention Center. 

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