BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 9/10 Tennessee belted three homers but came up short in game two of its series with No. 1/1 LSU, falling 6-4 on Friday night at Alex Box Stadium.
The Big Orange struck first, courtesy of a home run by Maui Ahuna to lead off the game. The solo blast ricocheted off the batter’s eye in straightaway center field and was the fifth long ball of the year for the junior shortstop.
UT’s lead was short-lived, however, as the Tigers responded with three runs in the bottom of the first to jump in front.
Chase Burns got the start on the mound and finished the night with seven strikeouts but was tagged for five runs on seven hits in just 3.1 innings of work.
The Vols got another impressive long relief outing from its bullpen to stay within striking distance as Andrew Lindsey scattered five hits and allowed just one run in 4.2 innings. The junior right hander finished with three strikeouts in what was the longest outing of his UT tenure thus far.
Dylan Dreiling and Hunter Ensley combined for four of Tennessee’s eight hits in the contest, as each went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ensley also homered in the second inning to cut the deficit to one, his second round tripper of the year.
Zane Denton provided the only other runs for UT with a two-run homer to right-center field that briefly put the Vols ahead, 4-3, in the top of the fourth inning. The senior is now tied for the team lead in RBIs with 28 and ranks third on the squad with six long balls.
After falling behind, LSU once again answered back immediately with two runs in the home half of the fourth as Brady Neal and Gavin Dugas hit back-to-back solo homers to put the Tigers back in front.
A sacrifice fly from Tommy White in the sixth provided an extra insurance run for LSU (24-3, 6-2 SEC) and wrapped up the scoring for both teams on the night. Tre’ Morgan led the Tigers with three hits, including a pair of doubles, while Dugas and Brayden Jobert also had multi-hit outings.
Ty Floyd improved to 5-0 on the year despite not having his best outing, allowing four runs on six hits in five innings. Chase Shores and Griffin Herring tossed the final four innings, combining for six strikeouts and just two hits allowed.
For the second night in a row, UT brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but Herring struck out pinch hitter Griffin Merritt to end the game and secure his first save of the year.
UP NEXT: Tennessee (20-8, 3-5 SEC) will look to salvage a game in Saturday’s series finale, which is slated to begin at 2 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game live on SEC Network+ through the ESPN app or listen live on the Vol Network (FM 99.1 / AM 990).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football will scrimmage for the first time this spring on Saturday in Neyland Stadium as the Volunteers culminate the second week of spring ball.
The scrimmage is closed to the public.
Many new faces who enrolled in January will compete on the grass of Shields-Watkins Field for the first time. That group includes a highly-touted linebacking corps that continues to build athleticism and physicality under linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary.
BYU transfer Keenan Pili, a former captain for the Cougars, will play his final collegiate season with the Vols after registering 62 tackles and five tackles for loss a year ago. Meanwhile, true freshman Arion Carter, the former No. 2 prospect in the state of Tennessee, has garnered praise in his first spring.
Senior linebacker Aaron Beasley is the leader of the group, and sophomores Elijah Herring and Kalib Perry are looking to take the next step this fall in their second seasons with the program. True freshmen Jalen Smith and Jeremiah Telander have also brought talent and athleticism to a unit that is now one of the deepest on the team.
“The standards that we talk about—it’s easier to be a leader when the whole team has a standard and a culture,” Jean-Mary said. “I feel like we are getting to that point where leaders are emerging, but it’s not because they’re older, but rather a standard they’re living by and that the younger guys have to follow.
“In our room, I like the direction we are going with Aaron Beasley and Keenan Pili. You cannot leave Kwauze (Pak) Garland out of it. He has some leadership qualities. I tell those guys all the time that when you’re out on the field, there’s a leadership quality of just being a linebacker that these guys have to grow into for this thing to work.”
Saturday will mark the two-week countdown leading up to the Orange & White Game in Neyland Stadium, which starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on April 15.
Admission is $5 for non-premium seats, and all proceeds will count as a contribution to the My All Campaign. All seats can be secured now at AllVols.com or by calling the UT Athletic Ticket Office at (865) 656-1200. All open sections of the bowl of Neyland Stadium will be general admission seating.
Linebackers Coach Brian-Jean Mary
On what he’s seen out of Keenan Pili … “He’s not back to 100 (percent). Those high ankle sprains, they can go on for a long time. Those are injuries that take obviously a lot of time to heal from. He’s a tough kid, movement skills are great. Very, very committed to learning what to do and doing it our way. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Really good athlete, runs really well, straight lines. He’s trying to take more of a leadership role, which I know is harder for guys when they come in from the transfer portal and they are trying to get with the culture of the team that they are in. He’s been really, really good. Look forward to him cutting it loose on Saturday. So far, he’s been everything we’ve expected.”
On what he thinks of Arion Carter after his first few months and the growth he’s made… “With the high school players that come in, we all understand that they should be finishing their senior year. There is a big leap that they have to make with just even off the field. Learning where to be, mindset going to bed, first time away from home. In December, January, they are trying to work through that through our offseason program. On the field, he’s been dynamic. I think him and Elijah Herring are probably tied for interceptions in our group. Not always in the right spot but has that innate ability to make plays and that’s why he was a high-level recruit. That’s why we feel like he’s trending to be a contributor for us next year.”
On if he’s open to the possibility of Arion Carter playing in the fall… “You know how it is, especially with guys who come in mid-year, it’s not being a true freshman it’s are you one of the best 22 guys on defense or 40 guys on defense that are going to travel? If you can help us win, take the year added. If you’re mature enough and you can execute at a high level and help us go win the SEC you are going to be able to play. The freshman part doesn’t mean anything to us. There are guys that are juniors, if they can’t play at a certain standard, we should be to the point they shouldn’t be on the field.”
On growth he’s seen from Aaron Beasley… “Aaron (Beasley), we all saw how he finished the season. I always believed he had potential to be an outstanding football player. He’s taken more of a leadership role. He’s one of the elder statesman in the room. We have a younger room this year, and he’s taken that leadership role. The big thing with him is that he’s taken his game to the next level. What we need him to be more of a playmaker, kind of the way he finished the year, we need him to be able to take the next step and he’s accepted that challenge. Like I said, is one of the elder statesman, not just in linebacker room but on defense. We like the trajectory he’s going in right now too as far as a playmaker and a leader.”
On the leap the linebacker room needs to make from last season going into this season… “There’s always things that you can get better at. Run game wise, I felt like we did a better job of plugging play guys. We were able to be a little bit more efficient versus the run because we tackled better, one, and secondly we were able to play off of the d-line and the secondary where we were able to build up a good run wall. We need that to continue and go to another level, but we have to make more plays in the passing game, didn’t feel like we did a good enough job as blitzers, affecting the pass, and we didn’t do a good enough job of underneath coverage when we were in zone coverage with the secondary. That’s a really big point of emphasis for us to take it to the next level in the linebacker room.”
On if this linebacker room in year there is more like what he envisioned in terms of depth… “I would think so. We have some more able bodies this year, especially coming into the spring. If you were talking about an ideal room, linebacker wise, you would love to have seven guys in that room touch the field. Whether it be through special teams, or on defense. Seven to eight if you’re where you need to be because you got some young guys that are going to be on special teams and maybe backups. Then, we always play four guys in our room defensively. You should have that group that’s going to be special teams, that’s going to be ready to play, and you should always feel like you have four to five guys that can step in and help you win at a high level. If you can get to that level, you’ll feel like you have a room that’s ready to go compete in this league and I think we’re getting there. Not there yet, but I think we’re getting there.”
On how different Elijah Herring is now compared to when he came in… “He’s making a big jump. Elijah was a kid in high school that played closer to the line of scrimmage. He was more of an outside linebacker. He had to come in and learn to play at linebacker as far as a stack linebacker, learn the nuances. Always a high energy, high effort guy, going to run through a wall for you. He had to learn how to play the intricacies of being an actual inside linebacker. You’ve seen the growth there as far as reading and reacting. He still has a chance to be a high-level blitzer for us. He was very good at that in high school and that’s carried over. He’s gotten so much better. He’s one of the guys that have gotten so much better with the underneath coverage and has gotten so much better as far as reading keys and plugging holes as far as in the running game. We’re very, very thrilled with the leap that he’s made from this past year to this year.”
On what he has seen from Kalib Perry … “We were in position where we had to take more athletic kids and maybe not the true stack linebacker. Kalib was a kid that played six or seven positions in high school. He had to come in and learn how to play inside linebacker. Elijah Herring played closer to the line of scrimmage, so he understood the physicality part of it a little better. Kalib played secondary, played on the offense, so the physicality part was something he had to grow into. He’s a tall, athletic kid. He’s still learning how to play linebacker but is getting better. The room in itself is getting better. Obviously, we want to set a standard. He’s not there yet, and I’m not sure anybody is. You can see the growth in him where you feel like he’s going to take a leap this year.”
On freshmen Arion Carter, Jalen Smith and Jeremiah Telander… “They’ve been great. Arion is an in-state kid. He came in with a lot of hype. I think he’s living up to it. Jalen and Jeremiah were two kids that committed to us early. You can see the flashes of really good play from them. Those are two guys that actually played stack linebacker and played it at a very high level. Now, it’s just getting used to the speed of the game, the physicality of the game and the tempo of the way we practice. Once those kids get settled in, can play, get their feet in the ground and go find the football, you can see the high-level playmaking skills and the ability to play linebacker.”
On how leadership shows up… “Leadership shows up when you’re not in the room. When the superior or coach is not in the room or around, that’s when your guys that you’re counting on for your leadership. Are they holding their teammates to a certain standard? It’s one thing to do it when we are all around out on the field. When we’re in the film room, who’s the leader? When we are not in Smokey’s or out on the field, that’s where the leadership shows up. We always say that leadership isn’t always just speaking, it’s actions too. You always want your best players to be your leaders. Sometimes, that’s not always the case. In football, there is a certain respect factor and factor that’s going to make you follow people. With Keenan (Pili), he comes in, was a high-level player from BYU. He’s coming here, he’s shown traits of him being a high-level player in this league. He’s gaining their respect in not just the linebacker room, but this team. You can see that starting to form. The leadership takes place when the coaches aren’t around. When Coach Heupel isn’t around, leadership is a culture thing. If everybody is still rowing the boat in the same direction, those leaders are going to emerge, and they’re going to be leaders 24/7, not just out on the field.”
On what players have taken on a leadership role… “I would say Aaron Beasley. Aaron is a soft-spoken young man. Sometimes, it’s not comfortable being a leader, but it is what’s necessary. It’s like you have five or six brothers. That one brother graduates from high school and leaves the house. The next oldest brother is the next guy that the younger brothers are going to look toward. That’s kind of the situation we have. The standards that we talk about; it’s easier to be a leader when the whole team has a standard and a culture. I feel like we are getting to that point where leaders are emerging, but it’s not because they’re older, but rather a standard they’re living by and that the younger guys have to follow. We are getting to that point. In our room, I like the direction we are going with Aaron Beasley and Keenan Pili. You cannot leave Kwauze (Pak) Garland out of it. He has some leadership qualities. I tell those guys all the time that when you’re out on the field, there’s a leadership quality of just being a linebacker that these guys have to grow into. If the second or third group are up, they’re the ones that are out there. The linebacker unit that’s out there, they have to take the leadership and ownership for this thing to work. There has to be some qualities in that for everybody in the room.”
On what it has been like to have his brother, Caleb Herring, here this spring… “It feels just like high school. We are back to the regular now, so it is great. It has been a great two months. It has been fantastic. I am enjoying every moment of it and he is as well. The team is too. We talk about it every day like your brother is here man. It is a blessing. It is really a once in a lifetime thing and I am glad that it happened.”
On if he feels like the defense is where they should be so far in spring practice… “I feel like we have done a bunch of great things. As of right now everybody seems like they are in tune with the playbook. We know what each and every one of us is doing. I feel like we can just grow more and more. We try to be perfect, but you can’t get there so that drives you insane and it drives all of us insane because we want to be perfect. I think that we just keep up what we have and do some great things on defense.”
On who he looks up to in the linebacker room as a leader… “I would most definitely say Aaron Beasley because he is the oldest guy, a senior. He makes plays, a smart guy, very locked in with everything that he does. I mean everybody looks up to Beasley as a leader for the linebacker group.”
On how his time on special teams translates to playing defense… “The speed of the game and the physicality, even on special teams is such an important part of the game. I think it’s looked over. Coach (Mike) Ekeler does such a great job of really emphasizing and teaching us techniques that can transition over. That’s one thing he always talks about with the team. He has the snag drill and other drills that you can use in game-like scenarios. It helps with your field of view and being able to play the ball and your man.”
On if he senses the opportunity he could have on defense this season… “Coming in, I know it’s hard, but I don’t ever overlook the fact that I’m still trying to get the starting role and trying to be on the field more, however that may be. It was special teams, for instance, last year. There’s definitely more opportunity this year. As Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) says, ‘Always try to go for that starting role, regardless of who’s in here.’ He doesn’t care. Whoever is the hardest worker, knows what they’re doing and is assignment-sound is going to be the one on the field. It’s always about continuing to work hard, keep pushing and there are more opportunities, so you have to grasp it whenever it comes your way.”
On his mindset during the week knowing there are limited opportunities on special teams… “Coach (Josh) Heupel and Coach (Mike) Ekeler always talk about that it’s an attitude play. You only have a handful of those plays every game. Especially with punt return being one of the longest plays in football, you have to go out there, defeat your man and try to open it up for the returner. We have some of the best returners in the country. It’s just going out there and knowing that you’re giving 110 percent that play. You’re one lackadaisical play could be the difference in a touchdown or a big gain for the offense to gain momentum later on in the game. I would say it’s just attitude play.”
On what it has been like assimilating to a new team… “It’s been really smooth, actually. I talk to my wife about it all the time. It’s been an easy transition for us. I tell her a lot of the time that the team culture is really good and it’s strong. Coming in, you never know how it is. When you transfer schools, you don’t know how it’s going to be. Tennessee has been really loving. The players have been really great to me and it’s been great to get to know them.”
On what role he sees himself playing on the team this season… “Whatever they need me to do. A lot of people talk about my age. I’m the old man on the team (24) and it’s kind of a funny joke, but if I can bring any type of leadership or experience in any way, that’s what I hope to do. Other than that, I hope my play just speaks for itself. I can give energy and effort each day for the boys around me.”
On the dynamic of managing his time with being married, playing football and going to school… “It can be tough at times, but I always feel blessed. I feel like I found a good one because she’s as bought in as me. It can get hard sometimes because you’re away so much and they really want to see you and spend time with you. But, she is as bought in as me.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Momentum continues to build for the future 2023 Tennessee NFL Draft class that went through Pro Day in front of all 32 NFL teams on Thursday afternoon inside the Anderson Training Center.
With NFL Network and NFL Films on hand along with dozens of NFL personnel, the Volunteers showcased their skills with the focus centered mostly on position-specific drills. A significant portion of Tennessee players stuck with their NFL Combine numbers.
Offensive tackle Darnell Wright, quarterback Hendon Hooker, wide receivers Cedric Tillman and Jalin Hyatt and edge rusher Byron Young continue to garner praise among NFL scouts. Hooker didn’t participate in on-field drills as he continues to recover from injury, but he did meet with NFL teams on Thursday.
Opening Statement “This is the first time that I’ve had an opportunity to speak publicly this week. Just recognizing from our program, myself, our prayers and thoughts are with the entire community in Nashville. Certainly, with the teachers, administrators, students, everybody that was there at Covenant School. It’s hard to put it into words. As a parent, two of my own, how that happens and the tragedy—our hearts are hurt, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire community.”
On pride he feels watching players go through draft process… “When they finish their last game and they embark on this process, there is a lot of nervous energy, and a lot of decisions that have to be made. For them, there are so many situations that they get thrust into for the first time. It can be at the Combine, it can be at interviews at the combine, it can be at the Pro Day here which ends the physical part of the process for them. I’m really proud of this group of guys, how they handled the entire process, just the feedback that I’ve gotten today, the feedback that I’ve gotten after the Combine and after some of the postseason bowl games. I thought physically our guys did a great job of preparing themselves. Testing numbers between the Combine and today have been fantastic. I think that speaks to who these guys are, some of the development that we have inside of our program, Coach (Kurt) Schmidt, our strength and conditioning leader. I’m proud of what they did. In the individual drills I thought they handled themselves in a really good way. Our guys catching the football, our defensive guys in their movement patterns, breaking on the football and offensive line guys did a great job too. I’m really proud of what they showed today.”
On what Hendon Hooker did at the line of scrimmage and how quickly he processed information… “I’m not sure anybody in college football has more on their plate than Hendon (Hooker) does. Then, you throw in the tempo that we play at, you have got to be a quick decision maker, you have got to recognize defensive structure extremely quickly. He controls some of our run game. He controls the RPO game, making a decision on every snap. He’s got loaded box checks. He’s got alerts. He’s got kills. He controlled the entire game on every single play. I think that puts him in a great position to be able to transition at the next level and handle all that’s coming at him and be able to handle it at a very high level.”
On what stood out the most about Hendon Hooker’s leadership… “I’ve never been around anybody that’s been a stronger or more impactful leader than Hendon Hooker is. Our program is not where it’s at today unless Hendon is a part of our locker room. He’s smart, he cares, he loves his teammates. You feel his energy every single day when he walks into the building and out on the practice field. He’s a fierce competitor, somebody that our guys fed off of. That’s when things were going great and when things maybe weren’t going great. He’s been dynamic for us and he’ll be the same guy. That’s true to his character, true to who he is. That’s the same guy that some NFL franchise is going to get.”
On how impactful it can be on recruiting to be able to get guys to the NFL are drafted well and are prepared… “We’ve got really good players that are here currently. They are getting developed at an elite level in our offseason program. Structurally, what we do schematically on offense, defense and special teams it’s putting those guys in a position to showcase their physical attributes but also stress them and grow them in their understanding of concepts. That will all transition to the next level. This group of guys, we’re going to have a lot of high draft picks that come out of it. Hope the way that we’re recruiting, the guys that we’re bringing in, the development that we have here we will continue to have that.”
On pride he takes in growing players more than just physically “I think it’s important. If you’re going to play at a high level, physical talent is one thing, but you got to be developed fundamentally and you got to understand the game—what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and how that’s impacted by what you’re seeing on the other side of the football. Growing these guys and their football IQ is something that we spend a ton of time on in our offseason and spring ball and during the course of training camp and the leadup to kickoff. The reason we’ve grown as a program, our players have great trust in who’s in the building, the culture that we’ve built, and they understand that we’re helping them grow to become their best and achieve their goals and dreams.”
On what response should be to the offensive system translating to the next level… “I’ve been getting a lot of questions about scheme, guys that want to incorporate a lot of what we’re doing. I think it will transition just fine. You look at the NFL, college football, how it’s impacted the way that that game is being played now. A lot of what is happening on this level is transitioning upward, not necessarily just downward.”
On if Byron Young’s 40 time at the combine was surprising… “We did know he was physically gifted. We’ve seen that whether it was going to be 4.43 or 4.45. Really excited about what he’s done, how he’s ran, how he’s jumped. If you look at his individual drills today, he’s continuing to put himself where he’s maximizing his value.”
On what the Pro Day process has been like for him… “It’s been great just to be able to sit down and watch ball, showcase some of my things on the cerebral side of the game and just learn from them. They answer all of my questions, and I’m just having a great time.”
On if he gets excited displaying his football knowledge on the whiteboard… “Honestly, I feel like that’s the bottom line of being a big-time quarterback, being a quarterback in general or a big-time ballplayer. Being able to showcase what you know on the board should come naturally because that’s what you do. This is what we do on a daily basis. I’ve said many times this whole draft-prep season that I spent a lot of time in front of the mirror drawing. Any time I walk past a mirror and there’s an Expo marker, I’m going to draw on the mirror. That’s just something I enjoy doing because I love the game of football.”
On what he has heard from NFL teams about Tennessee’s offense that translates to the NFL… “The biggest thing is talking about protections, talking about what I do at the line of scrimmage and how much control I have. When I explain what my process is and the different things I do at the line of scrimmage to take control of the offense and making sure that we’re getting what we need to get out of the play, that has been cool. Now we get to see the backstory on why we’re doing things and how it’s being done, to get the success that we’re getting.”
On what he’s hearing from NFL scouts and teams… “Just the type of guy and how versatile I am. They like the fact I can play three-down, and four-down front. That’s a good sign, so I can fit in more than one defense. That’s basically all I’m hearing, where they expect me to play and how they play me.”
On if he envisioned being in this position… “I just went back home, went to my old jobs and my old junior college. I appreciated everyone that’s helped me along the way. I went back there (Georgia Military Academy) and spent time with the coaches and kids telling them my story. I told them even though it might feel like you’re not going anywhere, that’s just how it’s going to be. Even if no one is watching, put your head down and keep grinding. Going back to Dollar General and talking to them, and going back to all my old jobs, it really means a lot. I’m so grateful. I’m never going to forget where I came from. I’m a humble guy and it’s amazing.”
On preparing for the NFL Combine… “I put in a lot of effort. We worked out three times a day, Monday through Saturday, Saturday was twice a day. I put in a lot of time and effort. I changed my diet and the way I sleep–waking up early. I was really dedicated and committed to something I want. So when that happened, I wasn’t surprised, I was thankful I kept on going and didn’t give up.”
On the feedback he’s heard from NFL teams and scouts.. “A lot of the feedback I’ve heard has been good. I’ve got my top-30 visits coming up so I’m going to be everywhere. I’ve definitely been hearing good feedback. I’m excited about the process and what’s next. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
On how comfortable he’s been interviewing with NFL teams… “I’ve talked to maybe 15 to 20 teams. All of their coaches and GM’s are in there and they’re asking everything about you—what type of player you are, what you do this or that, but I felt like I did pretty good. I can talk about football 24/7 based off of Coach Heupel and Coach Pope based on what they taught me in this offense. It’s easy, this interview process, especially being around guys like (Hendon) Hooker.”
On if he was asked about the Alabama game… “Most of the meetings I’ve been too, we’ve definitely brought up the Bama film. They love talking about it, but I think the reason they bring it up is because of what we did. How we game plan, what we did, what type of plays we ran on them and what we hit them with. They were very impressed. My film speaks for itself but at the same time, there were some “my-bad” plays and that’s just how it is. They want to see how you react when things don’t go your way. The interview process has been smooth so far.”
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 9/10 Tennessee dropped a hard-fought battle to top-ranked LSU, 5-2, in front of a record crowd of 13,068 in Thursday night’s series opener at Alex Box Stadium.
A battle of two of the nation’s top pitchers in UT’s Chase Dollander and LSU’s Paul Skenes lived up to the billing as the two aces both pitched well to give their respective teams a chance to win the ballgame.
Dollander battled throughout and escaped a few early jams to keep the game scoreless into the fifth inning, when the Vols opened the scoring with a clutch two-out RBI single by Christian Scott to plate Jared Dickey and put the Big Orange on top, 1-0.
The Tigers answered right back with a two-run homer from Gavin Dugas in the bottom of the fifth, the only runs that Dollander surrendered on the night. The sophomore right hander allowed four hits and struck out three in 4.2 innings of work before making way for Seth Halvorsen, who was dynamite in relief.
The hard-throwing right hander was the tough-luck loser after giving up three unearned runs in the eighth inning. After a two-out error extended the inning, LSU’s Jordan Thompson made UT pay for the defensive miscue with a bases-clearing three-run double to put the Tigers ahead 5-2 not long after Christian Moore knotted the game up at two with an RBI single in the top of the inning.
Halvorsen scattered three hits, struck out one and did not issue a walk in 3.1 impressive innings out of the bullpen for the Vols.
Tennessee suffered its first loss this season when outhitting its opponent after finishing with an 8-7 edge in the contest. Dickey led the way with a pair of singles and a run scored while Maui Ahuna, Blake Burke, Hunter Ensley and Dylan Dreiling also had one hit apiece.
UT’s hitters did a good job of making Skenes work hard for his outs, but ultimately were only able to get one run off the talented right hander as he scattered five hits and struck out 12 while allowing just one walk in seven innings of work.
LSU reliever Garrett Edwards ended up picking up the win to improve to 4-0 on the year after tossing the final 1.2 innings. The Vols were able to record a pair of hits off Edwards and brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the ninth after a throwing error by Thompson and a single by Dreiling put runners on the corners. Edwards was able to buckle down, however, striking out pinch hitter Kavares Tears before getting Scott to fly out to deep center field to end the game.
UP NEXT: Tennessee (20-7, 3-4 SEC) will look to even the series tomorrow night when the two sides square off at 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network. Sophomore Chase Burns will get the start for the Vols while LSU (23-3, 5-2 SEC) will turn to junior right hander Ty Floyd on the bump.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Third-ranked Tennessee softball is on the road Friday through Sunday as it prepares to take on No. 21 Texas A&M at Davis Diamond.
Tennessee (27-2, 8-1 SEC) won the series against Alabama – taking its third consecutive SEC series to open conference play. Ashley Rogers led the Lady Vols to their pair of wins, tossing 12.2 innings over two games with 11 strikeouts and just four runs allowed on six hits.
In its last time out, Tennessee took down in-state foe ETSU 10-2 for its fifth win over a team from the Volunteer state this season.
BROADCAST INFO Friday and Sunday’s games will be available to stream on SEC Network+ with Chelsea Reber (play-by-play) and Tori Vidales (analyst) on the call. Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on SEC Network and features Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Jenny Dalton-Hill (analyst) describing the action.
Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Softball, Brian Rice, call the action on the Vol Network (AM 990) or via a free audio stream on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics Gameday App.
NOTABLE BOO BOMBS On Tuesday night, McKenna Gibson crushed a pair of home runs and drove in a career-high seven RBIs as the Lady Vols took down ETSU. The sophomore hit a three-run home run in the third inning and followed up with a grand slam in the fourth.
PITCHING PROWESS The Lady Vol pitching staff is among the best in the nation, recording an SEC-best 17 shutouts to go along with the second-best ERA in the nation at 0.99.
BIG NUMBERS Tennessee is outscoring its opponents this season 220-25 and is doing most of the damage in the third inning – outscoring other teams 60-3.
NATION LEADER IN DOUBLES With 14 doubles this season, senior Mackenzie Donihoo is tied for the NCAA lead with Bradley’s Grace French, Wichita State’s Lauren Lucas and George Mason’s Haley Taormina.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Head Coach (Record at Texas A&M): Trisha Ford (21-11)
2023 Record: 21-11 (4-5 SEC)
Series Record: Tennessee leads 20-5
Last Meeting: W, 5-1, on 4/18/22 in Knoxville
Key Stat: Texas A&M has gotten the bats going early and often scoring 107-of-175 (61%) runs within the first three innings. The Aggies are 19-1 when scoring first and 17-1 leading after the fourth inning. The Aggies are ranked top 50 nationally in numerous categories, including No. 17 in double plays (14), No. 18 in shutouts (10), No. 18 in doubles (49), No. 26 in on-base percentage (.401), No. 29 in slugging percentage (.504).
UP NEXT Tennessee plays host to Baylor and Mercer Thursday and Friday, April 6-7 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium for the Tennessee Invitational.
-UT Athletics
Destiny Rodriguez – Lady Vols / Credit: UT Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – NFL scouts, coaches and executives will be on hand for Tennessee Pro Day on Thursday as members of the 2022 Volunteer team showcase their skills inside the Anderson Training Center.
Current Vols will hold their sixth practice of the spring on Thursday morning before the scene shifts to Pro Day in the early afternoon.
Tennessee is poised to produce its best NFL Draft production in years, in large part because of the group who returns to Knoxville for Pro Day. The Vols sent seven players to the NFL Combine earlier this month. NFL Network will have a crew on location.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Athletics’ “Big Orange Caravan” rolls across the state of Tennessee once again this April and May with Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White, head football coach Josh Heupel, men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes and women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper.
A collaborative fan appreciation tour hosted by Tennessee Athletics and the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs, “Big Orange Caravan” will make stops in Memphis (April 18), Nashville (April 19), Knoxville (April 20), Chattanooga (May 1) and the Tri-Cities (May 3).
Tickets for each tour stop cost $20 and include light food options. A total of $5 of every ticket sold will benefit the local UT Alumni chapter. Tickets are available now at AllVols.com.
Doors to each event open at 5 p.m. local time followed by a meet and greet with the headliners from 5:30 p.m.-6:15 p.m. A cash bar, as well as light food and appetizers, will be available. Each program begins at 6:15 p.m.
Hosted by “The Voice of the Vols” Bob Kesling, the program will feature fun stories, insight and a Q & A with White and the coaches. The UT Spirit Squads will also be in attendance.
The tour kicks off the week after the Orange & White Game, which is set for 2:30 p.m. on April 15 in Neyland Stadium. Admission is $5 for non-premium seats, and all proceeds will count as a contribution to the My All Campaign. All seats can be secured now at AllVols.com or by calling the UT Athletic Ticket Office at (865) 656-1200.
The Nashville tour event will take place on the club level of Nissan Stadium, site of the Volunteers’ 2023 football season-opener vs. Virginia. Tickets for that Sept. 2 game are on sale now through the Nashville Sports Council at Ticketmaster.com.
Monday, May 1 – Chattanooga Time: 5 p.m. doors, 5:30-6:15 p.m. meet and greet, 6:15 p.m. program Venue: Chattanooga Convention Center Address: 1 Carter St., Chattanooga, TN 37402 Tickets: $20 Purchase Now Link
Thousands of protesters flood Tennessee’s Capital as lawmakers gathered for their scheduled floor sessions following Monday’s deadly school shooting in Nashville that left seven people dead, including the suspected shooter.
Things became more chaotic after some democratic representatives including Gloria Johnson of Knoxville took over the podium with a megaphone during a recess.
Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton and Representative Jason Zachary say some action will be taken against those representatives in the coming days.
Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville tells us she knew she was breaking a rule when she approached the microphone but she was only trying to speak for the people so their voices would be heard and how she did it once the microphone was turned off. Johnson says they never meant to disrupt the meeting and it wasn’t planned. She says she doesn’t know where the megaphone used came from but their microphone had been turned off so they used that to speak for the people. Johnson says she doesn’t regret breaking the rules so the people’s voices would be heard.
The investigation continues after an active shooter suspect at a body shop is taken into custody in Roane County.
Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton, says four people, including the alleged shooter, were shot at Midtown Auto Body on Roane State Highway.
Two women, one man were reportedly shot by the suspect, identified as Brian Wilson, who was shot by a law enforcement officer and arrested. One of those women died in the shooting.
Police say Wilson walked into the shop and shot one of the female victims and began looking for the other. They believe there was an altercation between Wilson and the male victim before the male victim was shot.
Wilson had been in custody yesterday morning prior to this shooting as a suspect in a house fire but he bailed out of jail.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into the officer-involved shooting.
The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a motorcycle on Western Avenue.
It happened Wednesday night near University Avenue. Police believe the motorcycle was driving west on Western Avenue when it was rear-ended by a vehicle, believed to be a silver or a light-colored sedan, that drove away from the scene.
The motorcyclists was taken to the hospital where he has died from his injuries.
Anyone with information is asked to call East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.
