Stats/Story: Irish defeat #1 Vols 7-3 in Game 3; Historic Season Comes to an End in Super Regionals

Stats/Story: Irish defeat #1 Vols 7-3 in Game 3; Historic Season Comes to an End in Super Regionals

Posted on June 12, 2022

Box Score (PDF)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – An historic season came to a bitter end as top-ranked Tennessee was eliminated from the 2022 NCAA Baseball Championship following a 7-3 loss to No. 6/17 Notre Dame in the Knoxville super regional on Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Fighting Irish (40-15) scored three runs apiece in the seventh and eighth innings to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 7-3 lead while holding the Volunteers scoreless over the final four innings to win the game and advance to the program’s third College World Series.

Leadoff man Seth Stephenson led UT at the plate as he was the only Vol to record multiple hits on the day, going 2-for-4 with a pair of big RBI base knocks in the second and fifth innings. Graduate senior Luc Lipcius drove in Tennessee’s only other run of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the first give the Vols an early 1-0 lead.

Chase Burns got the starting nod and was masterful on the mound through the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. The true freshman allowed just one run on two hits entering the seventh and was one out away from escaping before giving up back-to-back homers to David LaManna and Jack Brannigan.

Notre Dame took advantage of an error to tack on three unearned runs in the eighth to increase its lead to four and essentially ice the game away.

Freshman left-hander Jack Findlay was the star for the Irish, tossing five shutout innings in relief to pick up the win. Findlay surrendered just one hit and allowed two walks while striking out four batters.

Tennessee (57-9) had not lost a game all year when leading after six innings (49-0) prior to Sunday’s contest. The Big Orange also struggled with runners on base, fishing the game 2-for-14 in such situations.
 

NOTABLE

LIPCIUS FINISHES CAREER AS HR KING: Luc Lipcius’ solo blast in the first inning was the 40th and final long ball of his UT career, putting him atop of Tennessee record book for career home runs, one ahead of teammate Evan Russell (39).  

The veteran first baseball hit a career-best 19 dingers this season, which is the seventh most in UT single-season history.

A SEASON TO REMEMBER: Despite falling short of Omaha, Tennessee had one of the best seasons in college baseball history, setting program records in victories (57) and home runs (158) while also winning the SEC regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 1995.

-UT Athletics

UT Baseball Team / Credit: UT Athletics
Carrie Underwood’s New Album Denim & Rhinestones is Available Now

Carrie Underwood’s New Album Denim & Rhinestones is Available Now

Posted on June 12, 2022

Carrie Underwood‘s 9th studio album, Denim & Rhinestones is out now.

Carrie talks about making Denim & Rhinestones, “When we set out to make this entire project, I walked in the writing room with my co-producer David Garcia, and he’s like, ‘Well, what are we doing? What do you want to do?’ And I said, I just want to have fun. I feel like over the past couple of years, everybody’s been a little cooped up and just need some fun in their lives. You know, thinking about taking all of these songs on the road, I just wanted to think about as we were writing and as I was choosing songs, which ones would be great live. I love this album so much. It makes me happy. I hope they learn a little bit more about my musical influences and things that I like, because I feel like a lot of those just worked their way into this album. But, most of all, I just want them to feel happy, I want them to dance, I want them to sing and just have a good time with it.”

Denim & Rhinestones includes 12 tracks – 11 of which Carrie had a hand in co-writing – and she co-produced the album with David Garcia, who worked on Underwood’s Cry Pretty and My Savior albums.

Denim & Rhinestones track list;
1. “Denim & Rhinestones” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Kear, Hillary Lindsey)
2. “Velvet Heartbreak” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
3. “Ghost Story” (David Garcia, Josh Kear, Hillary Lindsey)
4. “Hate My Heart” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Michael Hardy, Hillary Lindsey)
5. “Burn” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey)
6. “Crazy Angels” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Lydia Vaughan)
7. “Faster” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
8. “Pink Champagne” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey)
9. “Wanted Woman” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Miller)
10. “Poor Everybody Else” (Carrie Underwood, Chris DeStefano, Josh Miller)
11. “She Don’t Know” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
12. “Garden” (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Miller)

The one song that Carrie didn’t have a hand in writing is her current single at country radio “Ghost Story.”

Carrie shares, “’Ghost Story’ was written for me by David Garcia, Hilary Lindsey and Josh Kear, and I feel like they just nailed it when they got together to write. I’ve worked with all those incredibly talented writers a couple of which, I’ve worked with since pretty much the very beginning. I feel like they just know me so well. The song is hauntingly beautiful, has a really wide range and amazing melody and just tells this really cool, cinematic story of how this guy is never going to be able to let go of the girl he let go of because she’s just always going to be haunting him. He’s going to see her everywhere. He’s gonna want her back but she’s moved on – sorry man. (laughs) I loved this song, I loved recording it. It’s challenging vocally, but I like that. I feel like it’s just a really awesome song and I’m glad they got together to think of me while they were writing one day.”

Carrie Underwood’s Denim & Rhinestones is available now.

Photo Courtesy of Carrie Underwood

Bill Anderson’s As Far As I Can See: The Best Of is Available Now

Bill Anderson’s As Far As I Can See: The Best Of is Available Now

Posted on June 12, 2022

Bill Anderson‘s new collection, As Far As I Can See: The Best Of is out now…

The 16-track collection’s title comes from the opening line of one of the first songs that Bill wrote, “City Lights,” which was a hit for Ray Price in 1958.

Most of Bill’s recordings throughout his 7 decade long career has been with the MCA/Nashville record label (which is a part of Universal Music Group). This collection is in conjunction with the digital release of 7 of Anderson’s albums from the 1960s.

Bill says, “Needless to say I am thrilled over my new association with UMG. Not only do they have 23 years’ worth of my back catalog ready to introduce to the digital world, but I am reuniting with Dolly Parton on this project.”

As Far As I Can See: The Best Of two different recording of Bill and Dolly…Bill shares, “Dolly sang some demos for me (and with me) back in the early sixties when she was new in town. One was a duet called, ‘If It’s All The Same To You,’ which had gone missing for years. UMG has recovered it and included it along with my and Dolly’s new duet in this package. That’s called connecting the dots across more than fifty years. How cool is that?”

As Far As I Can See: The Best Of track list;

  1. “City Lights”
  2. “Walk Out Backwards”
  3. “Three A.M.”
  4. “Still” (Single Version)
  5. “The Tip Of My Fingers”
  6. “I Love You Drops”
  7. “I Get The Fever”
  8. “Po’ Folks”
  9. “Wild Week-End”
  10. “Happy State Of Mind”
  11. “My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)”
  12. “Sometimes” (with Mary Lou Turner)
  13. “If You Can Live With It (I Can Live Without It)”
  14. “The Corner Of My Life”
  15. “If It’s All The Same To You” (Demo with Dolly Parton)
  16. “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” (with Dolly Parton)

As Far As I Can See: The Best Of from Bill Anderson is available now.

Photo Courtesy of Bill Anderson

Callista Clark is Getting Real with Her Debut Album Set for Release this October

Callista Clark is Getting Real with Her Debut Album Set for Release this October

Posted on June 12, 2022

In 2021, Callista Clark released her EP Real To Me.

The 5-track EP included her single “It’s Cause I Am.”

As Callista’s current single at country radio, “Gave It Back Broken,” climbs the chart – she just announced that her debut album, Real To Me: The Way I Feel, will be arriving this Fall.

Callista shared, “I couldn’t be more excited to share that my FIRST ALBUM EVER is coming out October 14! I have been waiting so long and trying my best to get all the new songs as perfect as I can. The ‘Real to Me’ era is not over yet! Can’t wait for y’all to hear it.”

Clark did give fans a preview of one of the tracks they’ll find on the upcoming release with the song “Sad.”

Talking about the track, Callista says “‘Sad’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written. It’s super lighthearted and perfect for summer. I wanted the lyrics of this song to be fun and sarcastic – the exact opposite of how I was feeling while going through a heartbreak. Manifesting not being sad.”

“Sad,” “It’s ‘Cause I Am,” and “Gave It Back Broken” are 3 of the 10 songs that fans will find on Callista’s album Real To Me: The Way I Feel when it arrives on October 14th.

  1. “It’s ‘Cause I Am” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Laura Veltz
  2. “Gave It Back Broken” | Callista Clark, Emily Shackelton
  3. “Change My Mind” | Callista Clark, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton
  4. “Worst Guy Ever” | Callista Clark, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Weisband
  5. “Brave Girl” | Callista Clark, Ben Johnson, Emily Landis
  6. “Wish You Wouldn’t” | Callista Clark, Emily Falvey, Lalo Guzman
  7. “Heartbreak Song” | Callista Clark, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, Emily Shackelton
  8. “Don’t Need It Anymore” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Melissa Peirce
  9. “Sad” | Callista Clark, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins
  10. “Real To Me” | Callista Clark, Casey Robert Brown, Laura Veltz

When it comes to the recently released music video for her single, Callista says, “One thing I really wanted to portray in the ‘Gave it Back Broken’ video is the feeling of being heartbroken while still having to put on a pretty face, be professional and do your job. I wanted to match the vulnerability and strength of the song. It’s a good reminder that just because you are feeling broken doesn’t mean you aren’t powerful.”

“Gave It Back Broken” is one of the 10-tracks from Callista Clark’s debut album Real To Me: The Way I Feel – which arrives October 14th.

Photo Courtesy of Callista Clark

LANCO Launches Their Low Class Lovers Tour this Week

LANCO Launches Their Low Class Lovers Tour this Week

Posted on June 12, 2022

LANCO’s current single at country radio is “Low Class Lovers.”

Starting this Thursday, fans can see the 5-man band perform the song live and in-person as the Low Class Lovers tour starts in Ohio.

With 20 dates scheduled as of now, LANCO will be on the road through the end of October. Of course after their recent concert adventure in Hopewell, VA – where the town lost power due to an accident – the guys are prepared for anything that happens on this tour.

Talking about “Low Class Lovers,” LANCO lead singer Brandon Lancaster says, “This song is about feeling out of place. A feeling that I’ve had more times than I can count, and a feeling that even as a band we encounter. But with that comes the realization that the thing that makes you feel out of place, is what makes you special.”

Check out the music video for “Low Class Lovers” here…

Photo Courtesy of LANCO

Niko Moon’s Coastin’ EP is Available Now and Takes Fans on a Little Audible Vacation

Niko Moon’s Coastin’ EP is Available Now and Takes Fans on a Little Audible Vacation

Posted on June 12, 2022

Niko Moon‘s new EP, Coastin’ is out now!

Niko had a very specific idea when it came to putting together his new 5-track EP, “So excited about the Coastin’ EP. With this EP, I really wanted to take everybody on a little audible vacation. Because you know, sometimes you can’t get to the beach, you can’t get to your favorite spot out in the country. But you can close your eyes, hopefully put on this EP and go on vacation in your mind. Hopefully that’s what you get out of it.”

Coastin’ track list;

  1. “EASY TONIGHT”
  2. “COASTIN'”
  3. “ALL THAT WE NEED”
  4. “BACK NINE”
  5. “ONE DRINK AWAY”

Niko co-produced the EP with Joshua Murty, who along with Niko’s wife, Anna, co-wrote 4 of the 5 tracks on Coastin’. Niko’s single, “Easy Tonight,” was written by Niko, Patrick Davis, Wyatt Durrette, Kevin Mac, Joshua Murty, and Anna Moon.

Talking about his single, Niko says, “I love ‘Easy Tonight’ so much. I hope y’all dig it. ‘Easy Tonight’ is all about laying back and taking life easy. You know, life is short we got to make sure we enjoy right.”

Niko Moon’s Coastin’ EP – which features his single “Easy Tonight” is available now.

Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato

Kenzie Covers CMA Music Fest 2022 – Day 2 Recap

Kenzie Covers CMA Music Fest 2022 – Day 2 Recap

Posted on June 12, 2022

The Country Daily contributor Kenzie is taking on CMA Music Fest 2022.

As she bounces around events Kenzie will be sharing her music fest experience.

Check out Kenzie’s day 2 recap…

“Another amazing day in Music City!! Today, I had the chance to hang backstage at the Chevy Vibes stage with our very own Elaina D. Smith as she hosted the afternoon’s performances. This stage is right by the Country Music Hall of Fame, and showcases a cool mix of familiar faces & artists that are a bit newer on the scene. We had a PACKED afternoon, with performances from Restless Road, Mark Wills, Josh Gracin, and Nate Smith. Although it was a hot & sticky Nashville afternoon, the crowd was in it for the long haul, and the plaza stayed packed throughout the performances.”

“After a break for dinner, I headed back to Nissan Stadium for the evening’s shows (and somehow found free street parking?! Unheard of in Nashville!) – the Friday night lineup was MASSIVE & packed with special moments. Kelsea Ballerini‘s ‘Hole In The Bottle’ brought a ton of energy to the stadium (and her outfit was perfection). Kelsea also shared with the crowd her new single ‘HEARTFIRST'”

“Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson sounded phenomenal on their number-one ‘Never Say Never'”

“Thomas Rhett brought on the best kind of nostalgia with a medley of some of his early hits, along with his recent hit ‘Slow Down Summer.'”

“Gabby Barrett sounded phenomenal (as always) as she entertained the Nissan Stadium crowd with her current single at country radio, ‘Pick Me Up.'”

“Kane Brown‘s high-octane headlining set was a ton of fun. His new single ‘Like I Love Country Music’ is just as fun live as you’d imagine it would be!”

“But the highlight of the night for me was Carly Pearce – the Kentuckian brought pure magic to Nissan Stadium as she honored the legacy of Naomi Judd. Fans in the stadium all sat with bated breath as she introduced the next part of her set, wondering what was in store for the performance – the stadium erupted with excitement as Wynonna joined her on stage for ‘Why Not Me.’ That is a moment of live music I will NEVER forget.”

“We’re back at it again for Day 3!”

Everything School: Tennessee Wins USA Today Network SEC All-Sports Title

Everything School: Tennessee Wins USA Today Network SEC All-Sports Title

Posted on June 11, 2022

Vols also claim SEC Men’s All-Sports crown; Lady Vols finish second in women’s standings

Affirming an exceptional 2021-22 athletic year for the Big Orange, Tennessee has claimed its first SEC Overall All-Sports Championship, presented by USA Today Network.

The “overall” all-sports championship signifies Tennessee’s dominance this year across both men’s and women’s sports among SEC schools.

USA Today Network also crowns annual SEC All-Sports Champions for both men’s and women’s sports separately. The Vols captured their first SEC Men’s All-Sports title since 2007-08, while the Lady Vols finished second in the SEC Women’s All-Sports standings.

In the overall standings—factoring in both men’s and women’s team success—Tennessee and Florida each finished with 154 points, but Tennessee’s overall percentage of .770 edged out UF’s .740. Arkansas finished in third overall with 124 points and a percentage of .62626.

“This is such an exciting time to be a Tennessee Vol,” men’s basketball rising senior Josiah-Jordan James said. “We’ve got a bunch of different sport teams, but as student-athletes, we really are like one big, united team. We all want to see one another succeed. And this year,  we’ve had a ton of success to celebrate. Tennessee provides us with everything we need to be great—there’s no better place in the world to learn, train, compete and develop as a college athlete.”

Spanning all sports, Tennessee won five SEC team championships in 2021-22, it’s first full academic year under the leadership of Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White. Soccer, men’s basketball and baseball each won their respective SEC Tournaments. Baseball also won the SEC regular-season title, and women’s swimming & diving team won its SEC Championship meet, which it hosted.

“When I first came to Tennessee, I was told it was a program on the rise,” Tennessee senior pole vaulter and 2021-22 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Co-President Hannah Jefcoat said. “I would say the rise has happened—but we aren’t finished yet. We have worked hard to build a family-like environment with our student-athletes, and that is evident by the results we are posting as Lady Vols and Vols. GBO!”

This is the second year the SEC All-Sports awards have been presented by the USA Today Network.

Points are awarded based on the number of competing teams in a sport. A program’s points total is divided by the total number of teams competing in the sports the school sponsors, and that quotient ranks the teams in the final USA Today Network SEC All-Sports standings.

The league office tabulated the SEC All-Sports totals internally until the 1994-95 academic year. The New York Times Regional Newspaper Group presented the awards from the 1994-95 through 2010-11 seasons, and the awards were later given by The Halifax Media Group and GateHouse Media until the USA Today Network began presenting the award prior to 2020-21.
 

2021-22 USA Today Network SEC Overall All-Sports Standings

1. Tennessee
2. Florida
3. Arkansas
4. LSU
5. Alabama
6. Georgia
7. Texas A&M
8. Kentucky
9. Auburn
10. Ole Miss
11. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt
13. Mississippi State
14. Missouri

Men: 1. Tennessee 2. Florida 3. Texas A&M 4. Arkansas 5. Georgia 6. Kentucky 7. Auburn 8. Alabama 9. LSU 10. Mississippi 11. South Carolina 12. Mississippi State 13. Vanderbilt 14. Missouri.

Women: 1. Florida 2. Tennessee 3. Mississippi 4. LSU 5. Arkansas 6. Alabama 7. Kentucky 8. Auburn 9. Georgia 10. South Carolina 11. Texas A&M 12. Vanderbilt 13. Mississippi State 14. Missouri.

-UT Athletics

All-Sports Champions / Credit: UT Athletics

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