LEXINGTON, Ky. – Friday night’s baseball game between No. 1/1 Tennessee and Kentucky at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington was suspended due to heavy rain and lightning in the area.
The contest will be resumed on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. The originally scheduled series finale will begin approximately 40 minutes following the conclusion of Friday’s suspended game, which was stopped with one out in the top of the eighth inning and UT trailing, 4-2.
First pitch on Friday night was delayed an hour and 43 minutes due to lightning in the area, but the teams were able to get through seven-plus innings before the inclement weather set in once again.
Due to SEC rules, Saturday’s second game will be a seven-inning game.
All of the action from both games on Saturday can be seen on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app. Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s official radio call on the Vol Network and its affiliates as John Wilkerson calls the action.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Friday night’s baseball game between No. 1/1 Tennessee and Kentucky at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington was suspended due to heavy rain and lightning in the area.
The contest will be resumed on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. The originally scheduled series finale will begin approximately 40 minutes following the conclusion of Friday’s suspended game, which was stopped with one out in the top of the eighth inning and UT trailing, 4-2.
First pitch on Friday night was delayed an hour and 43 minutes due to lightning in the area, but the teams were able to get through seven-plus innings before the inclement weather set in once again.
Due to SEC rules, Saturday’s second game will be a seven-inning game.
All of the action from both games on Saturday can be seen on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app. Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s official radio call on the Vol Network and its affiliates as John Wilkerson calls the action.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The WNBA tips off its 26th season Friday, and as the new campaign begins there will be five former Lady Vols on rosters around the league.
Tennessee ranks second among SEC schools in the number of alums on WNBA teams, with South Carolina ranking just ahead with six. LSU, Mississippi State and Texas A&M boast two each, while Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Ole Miss have one player each in the league. Arkansas, Georgia and Vanderbilt have no players currently holding roster spots.
All-time, 50 Lady Vols have gone on to play in the WNBA. A total of 44 of those Tennessee products were taken in league drafts, including 19 first-rounders and three No. 1 overall selections.
Burrell, a 2020-21 All-SEC Second Team performer who suffered an early-season injury in 2021-22 but bounced back to average 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22 contests as a senior, is the most recent to join the WNBA ranks. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward did so as the No. 9 pick of the Sparks in 2022.
Los Angeles opens the campaign on the road vs. defending WNBA champion Chicago on Friday at Wintrust Arena. NBA TV will televise the contest at 8 p.m. ET.
The Sky, of course, feature LVFLs in 6-4 forward Parker and assistant coach Tonya Edwards. After overcoming an injury to join the team in progress in 2021, Parker helped get Chicago on a roll that didn’t end until she and her teammates had hoisted the championship trophy. The 15th-year veteran and two-time league MVP put up 13.3 ppg., 8.4 rpg., 4.0 apg. and 1.2 bpg. in her first season in the “Windy City” while starting all 23 games she played.
DeShields begins her fifth season in the league but first with the Mercury, last year’s league runner-up. The 6-1 guard, who was a WNBA All-Star in 2019, started 22 of 32 contests a year ago for Chicago and contributed 11.3 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 2.3 apg. and 1.2 spg. toward the championship cause.
DeShields and Phoenix tip off the 2022 season on Friday at 10 p.m. ET, as they play host to the Las Vegas Aces at the Footprint Center in a contest also carried by NBA TV. Another LVFL, Nikki (Caldwell) Fargas, serves as the president of the Aces.
Harrison, meanwhile, embarks on her sixth season in the league and fourth year in Dallas. The 6-3 forward enjoyed one of the most productive years of her professional career in 2021, putting up 10.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg.,1.1 apg. and 1.1 spg. while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 78.3 percent from the charity stripe.
The Wings and Harrison will tip off the year on Saturday, as they play host to the Atlanta Dream at the College Park Center. CBS Sports Network will televise at 8 p.m. ET.
UT’s fifth player is Russell, who enters year five with Seattle and is a two-time league champ (2018, 2020) with the Storm. Last season, Russell started 28 of 30 games and contributed 7.3 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 1.6 bpg. while posting career-best percentages from the field (61.7) and the free-throw line (76.6) while playing 24.7 minutes per outing.
The Storm will make its 2022 debut on Friday at 10 p.m. ET, as Russell and company welcome the Minnesota Lynx to Climate Pledge Arena for a match-up currently not slated to be broadcast.
ANDRAYA CARTER ANNOUNCED AS ANALYST: Former Tennessee standout Andraya Carter (2012-16) continues to bolster her budding broadcasting career. ESPN announced that Carter will be one of its studio analysts, along with former Tennessee assistant Carolyn Peck (1993-95), during the network’s 2022 WNBA television coverage.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The WNBA tips off its 26th season Friday, and as the new campaign begins there will be five former Lady Vols on rosters around the league.
Tennessee ranks second among SEC schools in the number of alums on WNBA teams, with South Carolina ranking just ahead with six. LSU, Mississippi State and Texas A&M boast two each, while Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Ole Miss have one player each in the league. Arkansas, Georgia and Vanderbilt have no players currently holding roster spots.
All-time, 50 Lady Vols have gone on to play in the WNBA. A total of 44 of those Tennessee products were taken in league drafts, including 19 first-rounders and three No. 1 overall selections.
Burrell, a 2020-21 All-SEC Second Team performer who suffered an early-season injury in 2021-22 but bounced back to average 12.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22 contests as a senior, is the most recent to join the WNBA ranks. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward did so as the No. 9 pick of the Sparks in 2022.
Los Angeles opens the campaign on the road vs. defending WNBA champion Chicago on Friday at Wintrust Arena. NBA TV will televise the contest at 8 p.m. ET.
The Sky, of course, feature LVFLs in 6-4 forward Parker and assistant coach Tonya Edwards. After overcoming an injury to join the team in progress in 2021, Parker helped get Chicago on a roll that didn’t end until she and her teammates had hoisted the championship trophy. The 15th-year veteran and two-time league MVP put up 13.3 ppg., 8.4 rpg., 4.0 apg. and 1.2 bpg. in her first season in the “Windy City” while starting all 23 games she played.
DeShields begins her fifth season in the league but first with the Mercury, last year’s league runner-up. The 6-1 guard, who was a WNBA All-Star in 2019, started 22 of 32 contests a year ago for Chicago and contributed 11.3 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 2.3 apg. and 1.2 spg. toward the championship cause.
DeShields and Phoenix tip off the 2022 season on Friday at 10 p.m. ET, as they play host to the Las Vegas Aces at the Footprint Center in a contest also carried by NBA TV. Another LVFL, Nikki (Caldwell) Fargas, serves as the president of the Aces.
Harrison, meanwhile, embarks on her sixth season in the league and fourth year in Dallas. The 6-3 forward enjoyed one of the most productive years of her professional career in 2021, putting up 10.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg.,1.1 apg. and 1.1 spg. while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 78.3 percent from the charity stripe.
The Wings and Harrison will tip off the year on Saturday, as they play host to the Atlanta Dream at the College Park Center. CBS Sports Network will televise at 8 p.m. ET.
UT’s fifth player is Russell, who enters year five with Seattle and is a two-time league champ (2018, 2020) with the Storm. Last season, Russell started 28 of 30 games and contributed 7.3 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 1.6 bpg. while posting career-best percentages from the field (61.7) and the free-throw line (76.6) while playing 24.7 minutes per outing.
The Storm will make its 2022 debut on Friday at 10 p.m. ET, as Russell and company welcome the Minnesota Lynx to Climate Pledge Arena for a match-up currently not slated to be broadcast.
ANDRAYA CARTER ANNOUNCED AS ANALYST: Former Tennessee standout Andraya Carter (2012-16) continues to bolster her budding broadcasting career. ESPN announced that Carter will be one of its studio analysts, along with former Tennessee assistant Carolyn Peck (1993-95), during the network’s 2022 WNBA television coverage.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 1/1 Tennessee struggled mightily at the plate on a gloomy Thursday night in Lexington, dropping the series opener at Kentucky, 3-2, in extra innings.
The Volunteers (41-5, 19-3 SEC) drew 12 walks but struck out 15 times and were able to muster just five hits while leaving a season-high 15 runners on base in a frustrating night at Kentucky Proud Park.
Jorel Ortega was one of the few bright spots offensively for the Big Orange, leading the team with three hits while also driving in a run. Seth Stephenson and Luc Lipcius were the only other Vols to record a hit in the game.
Chase Burns got the start and ended up with a no-decision after allowing two runs on six hits in four innings of work. The freshman right hander walked just one and had four strikeouts on the night.
Tennessee’s bullpen was rock solid after Burns’ exit, tossing 8.2 shutout innings before surrendering the game-ending run in the bottom of the 13th. Camden Sewell and Redmond Walsh did most of the heavy lifting, combing for 5.1 shutout innings to keep the game tied at two. Sewell did not allow a batter to reach base in 2.1 innings before Walsh went three scoreless frames and set a career high with six strikeouts.
Ben Joyce got a long fly out to strand a pair of runners in the 10th inning before being relieved by Mark McLaughlin in the 11th, who entered with a runner on second and no outs, but was able to get the Vols out of the jam with three straight outs to send the game to the 12th inning. The junior from Johns Creek, Georgia, was stuck with the loss after allowing one run on just two hits in 2.2 innings of work.
Kentucky closer Tyler Guilfoil was incredible for the Wildcats (25-20, 8-14 SEC), singlehandedly keeping them in the game with six shutout innings of relief. The junior right hander allowed just one hit and struck out four batters en route to earning his first win of the year.
A two-out triple down the right-field line by John Thrasher set the table for the game-winning hit, a single to shallow left field by Alonzo Rubalcaba one batter later to walk it off for the Cats in the bottom of the 13th inning.
The Vols jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of a pair of walks by UK starter Ryan Hagenow to open the scoring in the top of the second. Ortega made the Wildcats pay for the free passes with a two-out RBI single to score Kyle Booker from second base and give the Big Orange an early 1-0 lead.
UT doubled its lead with another run in the third after being aided by some more Kentucky miscues. Following a catcher’s interference and an infield single by Lipcius, Booker walked to load the bases for Cortland Lawson, who also walked to drive in a run and make it 2-0. Unfortunately, the Vols were unable to do anymore damage, leaving the bases loaded for the third straight inning following back-to-back strikeouts by Stephenson and Ortega. Tennessee did not record another hit until an Ortega single to lead off the 11th inning.
A pair of Kentucky solo home runs in the fourth inning tied the game at two as Oraj Anu and Hunter Jump both went deep to give the Wildcats new life before eight consecutive innings of scoreless baseball by both teams.
Thrasher and Rubalcaba were the only UK players with multiple hits, finishing the game with two and three, respectively.
UP NEXT: The Vols will look to even the series tomorrow evening. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
NOTABLE
BULLPEN AT ITS BEST: On a rare night where the bats just couldn’t get it going, Tennessee’s pitching staff – specifically its bullpen – was lights out and kept the Vols in the game. The Vols’ relievers combined to allow just one run on six hits and three walks over 8.2 innings pitched.
RARE LOSS IN EXTRAS: With the loss, the Big Orange suffered just their second defeat in extra innings over the past two season. UT was 2-0 in extras this season heading into tonight’s game and went 6-1 in extra-inning games in 2021.
Thursday night’s 13-inning marathon (4:49 duration) was Tennessee’s longest game in terms of innings since a 5-3 win at Texas A&M in 14 innings on April 23, 2017.
See how each of the 5 Vols selected in the 2022 NFL Draft fit with their new teams. Plus, you’ll find draft announcements, draft analyst breakdowns, team scout perspectives, first interviews with the media and more.
Taylor was already in a great spot with playing time opportunity in New Orleans. Now he gets to learn from one of the best, “The Honey Badger” Tyrann Mathieu, who signed with the Saints this week. Taylor is the second highest Saints draft pick among all the DBs. Only Marshon Lattimore (1st Rd in 2017) was a higher selection. Taylor’s versatility to play outside corner, slot CB or safety will be huge. The fact that he’s a 2nd Round pick helps him as well in what they’ve invested in him. I think he’d be in a great position to play each week regardless, including on special teams. The three starting spots outside are probably secure with Lattimore and last season’s 3rd Round pick, Paulson Adebo. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is the likely slot CB. Taylor’s quickest path to playing time I believe is there and backup left cornerback where he’ll compete with his former Vols teammate Bryce Thompson. With PJ Williams, Bradley Roby and Daniel Sorensen bringing veteran depth at safety, that may be tougher to break through. Then again, vets will get cut in the off-season all around the league, so this group could reshape by Week 1. Projection for early 2022 season: Backup on roster of 53
VIDEO: Taylor’s draft announcement and instant analysis
VIDEO: Taylor’s first meeting with the Saints media
#VFL Alontae Taylor feels he's a good fit for the Saints because he fits in with their culture. And he has former teammates in New Orleans to back that up.
Velus, arguably, landed where he’s needed and will be relied-upon the most. Despite adding wide receivers Equanimeous St. Brown (GB) and Byron Pringle (KC) to go with top returning receiver Darnell Mooney, the Bears had to upgrade overall. Plus, Slot WR was a big void. His competition there is 2021 6th round pick Dazz Newsome, Nsimba Webster and Kevin Shaa. I would expect Jones to be a big factor in the return game. However, on this Chicago team, he’s going to be so relied-upon on offense, they may go with one of the speedy backups to return kicks. It’s an interesting thing to track considering how much we talked about his return skills being so big. I personally think it would be foolish to not use him there. I just wanted to point out that some NFL coaches are reluctant to use starters regularly in the return game. It could be a based on the situation deal as well, like the Chiefs did with Hill, Saints with Kamara and others. Projection for early 2022 season: Starting Slot WR & Part-Time KR/PR
From ESPN.com… Here’s what Todd McShay wrote about the Bears’ 3rd-round pick:
“I love Jones’ upside. He’s a tad under 6-foot and is still refining his route running, but look at his speed and contact balance. He is a threat any time the ball is in his hands, with instincts and elusiveness in the open field and the breakaway speed to take the top off the defense. Jones’ 4.31 in the 40 ranked fourth among all participants at the combine and second among receivers, and he’s built like a running back.
Chicago can get the ball in his hands on quick slants and let him pick up extra yards. They can target him on deep shots. They can get him involved on sweeps. And they can use him in the return game, where he averaged 24.4 yards per kickoff return and 15.1 per punt return during his college career.
The Bears signed Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown this offseason, but they lost Allen Robinson II. This WR group is probably worse than it was last year, and it only had 176 catches from receivers then (No. 27). How is quarterback Justin Fields going to take the next step if the Bears can’t land him some reliable weapons in the passing game? Without a first-rounder, Chicago had to get creative, and the upside here is immense.“
VIDEO: Jones Jr. emotional when getting the draft phone call from the Bears
VIDEO: Bears area scout Sam Summerville breaks down Jones Jr.
VIDEO: Jones Jr.’s first meeting with the Bears media
Matthew Butler
Vince’s View on Butler’s fit with the Raiders:
Butler to the Raiders was one of my top team fits for him. He has, and will, show a great appreciation for the history and tradition of the franchise. His aggressive, get-up field style he showed at Tennessee last season will fit perfectly. He was effective at UT without elite edge pass rushers. Now, if he gets into the rotation, he’ll have two of the best pas rushers in the league drawing attention in Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones. There is some competition there at DT, at the moment, in the Raiders’ 4-3 front. Neil Farrell Jr. (LSU) was drafted in the 4th round. Former Bills DT Vernon Buter, VFL Kendal Vickers, former Titans DR Kyle Peko and Andrew Billings provide the roster competition for Big Matt. He’s tough, durable, extremely intelligent, highly motivated and a great leader. It’ll be quite nice to have a no-nonsense guy that doesn’t go out and party playing for you and avoiding the temptations of the home city. They’ll love him in Vegas. Projection for early 2022 season: Backup on roster of 53
From ESPN.com… Here’s what Todd McShay wrote about the Raiders’ 5th-round pick:
“The host city’s team didn’t pick until the end of Round 3 (due to the Davante Adams trade, which I’m sure it will be OK with), but the fifth-round selection jumped out to me when looking back at the Raiders’ class. Butler fits with Vegas as a 3-technique (or perhaps 1-technique at 6-foot-4 and 297 pounds). He is sudden and shows quick feet against the run, but he will get home as an occasional pass-rusher on the interior, too. Butler isn’t overly explosive, but he did have five sacks last season and can be disruptive.
I had Butler at No. 144 on my board, so it was pretty solid value. And with Johnathan Hankins and Vernon Butler each entering the final year of their contracts, the Raiders could have a spot open on the interior of the line. For now, the Tennessee product could contribute in a situational role before developing into a full-time starter. Same goes for LSU’s Neil Farrell Jr., one of Las Vegas’ fourth-round picks.“
VIDEO: Butler’s draft announcement and instant analysis
VIDEO: Butler’s first meeting with the Raiders media
Here’s Josh and Swain’s interview with Matthew Butler this week after being drafted:
Cade Mays
Vince’s View on Mays’ fit with the Panthers:
Mays’ versatility to play guard, center or tackle will help his case to either make the 53-player roster or at least be n the practice squad. With the limitations NFL teams have of just being able to carry maybe two backup OLs on a game-day roster, this would give Mays an edge, if he’s ready. Carolina has three past 6th Round draft picks on the roster, including guard Deonte Brown. The starting 5 is fairly solid with 1st Rd draft pick Ikem Ekwonu and returning starting Taylor Moton as the tackles with Pat Elflein, Bradley Bozeman and Austin Corbett in the interior. Cade’s biggest competition in the interior of the offensive line will come from Brown, former Bengals guard Michael Jordan (no, not that MJ,) Dennis Daley, Sam Tecklenburg and Mike Horton. A motivated, mature Cade Mays can have a long career. Cade taking responsibility to set the NFL example for his younger brother Cooper (Vols starting center) would help his drive to be great. Cade staying healthy, with all the injuries the dealt with at Tennessee, will also go a long way in shaping what type of career he ends up having. Projection for early 2022 season: Backup on roster of 53
VIDEO: Mays’ draft announcement and instant analysis
VIDEO: One-on-one interview with Mays by Panthers.com
VIDEO: Mays’ first meeting with the Panthers media
Theo Jackson
Vince’s View on Jackson’s fit with the Titans:
Jackson goes home to Nashville, which was so cool to see. I was told by a scout that he had a chance to be drafted and he had really grown to like Jackson more and more through the process. There are plenty of bodies right now in the secondary, but Jackson has a chance to play a role for this team because of his leadership, intelligence, and versatility. Jackson is the 8th Titans DB draft pick on the current roster. 6 of them have come in the last three drafts. Jackson’s best avenues to playing time are either SS competing with Jamal Carter to backup Amani Hooker or Slot CB competing with veteran Buster Skrine to backup Elijah Molden. Titans play-by-play voice Mike Keith told SportsTalk on 99.1 The Sports Animal that he thinks Jackson can have a role on this defense. I agree totally. Theo, like all the non-linemen UT guys, brings special teams ability to his resume. Projection for early 2022 season: Backup on roster of 53
I've said this on the air. Theo is one of the nicest, most respectful, easy-to-root-for athletes I've covered at UT since 2010.
He told me that since he was 6, his dad would ask him "Who's the best player on the field?" to get his confidence up.
LEXINGTON, KY – November 06, 2021 – Defensive back Alontae Taylor #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers at Kroger Field in Lexington, KY. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 12/14 Tennessee softball wraps up conference play and the 2022 regular season this weekend with a three-game set against the No. 16/15 Auburn Tigers. The series runs Friday through Sunday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium with a top-four seed at next week’s conference tournament on the line for both ball clubs.
Friday and Saturday’s games will be televised on SEC Network, with first pitches set for 6 p.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. Sunday’s regular season finale is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start and will be broadcasted online via SEC Network+.
Lady Vols Softball / Credit: UT Athletics
Limited tickets are available at AllVols.com and can also be purchased at the Sherri Parker Lee ticket office when gates open to the public one hour prior to first pitch. Parking is free for all games in lots S14 and C25 adjacent to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium and Regal Soccer Stadium, and fans should note that Tennessee Athletics’ clear bag policy will be in effect.
Fans are encouraged to visit the Tennessee softball gameday information page before making their way to Sherri Parker Lee to familiarize themselves with gameday policies and procedures.
SATURDAY SENIOR SENDOFF: The Tennessee softball program will honor nine players on Saturday for Senior Day, with a pregame ceremony scheduled for approximately 11:05 a.m. on the field at Sherri Parker Lee. Fifth-year players Amanda Ayala, Samantha Bender, Ivy Davis, Erin Edmoundson and Kelcy Leach will be celebrated along with four-year seniors Kaitlin Parsons and Ashley Rogers, who both have the option to return for a fifth year in 2023. Junior infielder Anna Fox will also be recognized after completing her political science degree in three years, as she plans to pursue her graduate degree at a different institution.
SEEDING SCENARIOS: Entering the weekend with a 12-8 record in SEC play, the Lady Vols need one win over Auburn to guarantee a top-4 seed and double-bye to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament next Thursday in Gainesville, Florida. A Lady Vol sweep over the Tigers combined with two losses for Alabama vs. Missouri would catapult the Big Orange to a second-place finish in the conference standings for the second time in the last three full seasons (not including the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign).
Additionally, the latest D1Softball Field of 64 has Tennessee projected as the No. 13 seed and hosting the Knoxville Regional for the 17-straight year. The first weekend of NCAA Tournament action will take place May 20-22 at 16 regional sites across the country.
LOVIN’ THE LONG BALL: With six home runs last weekend in the series at Ole Miss, the Lady Vols have hit 82 homers this year for the second-highest total in a single season in program history. It’s the most for UT since blasting a school record 100 in 2015.
Tennessee’s 1.64 home runs per game this year rank third in the SEC and 11th in the country. The Lady Vols have hit two or more homers in 22 games, touting a 20-2 record in those contests.
DOUBLE DIGIT DINGERS: Tennessee has five players with 10 or more homers this season: Kiki Milloy (14), Zaida Puni (12), Ivy Davis (11), McKenna Gibson (10) and Ashley Morgan (10). The Lady Vols are one of three teams in the SEC that can make that claim.
WE LOVE FREE BASES: The Lady Vols lead the SEC with a program-record 83 HBP this season, led by career record holder Ashley Morgan who ranks third in the league with 17 HBP. Ivy Davis (16), Kiki Milloy (13) and McKenna Gibson (11) each sit inside the conference’s top 10 in HBP this season, and UT is the only program in the country with four players sporting 10-plus HBP in 2022.
Despite not having a single player in the conference’s top 10 in walks, Tennessee ranks third in the league with 181 free passes awarded this spring. Due in part to its significant number of hit by pitch and walks this season, the Lady Vols rank third in the SEC with a .404 team on-base percentage.
TOP-NOTCH OFFENSE: Tennessee boasts the SEC’s second-best scoring offense with 125 runs scored in conference games. The Lady Vols also rank second in the league in doubles (36), slugging percentage (.535), on-base percentage (.403), and stolen bases (19) in SEC action.
DAVIS TRENDING UP: Super senior shortstop Ivy Davis has stepped up her game at the plate over the last three weeks, hitting a team-high .448 (13-for-29) in 12 games since April 13 at Western Carolina. She leads the Lady Vols with five home runs, 14 RBIs and six HBP over that span with a team-high 1.000 slugging and .579 on-base percentage.
NOTING THE TIGERS: Auburn (39-11, 11-10 SEC) has won back-to-back conference series heading into the regular season finale, most recently knocking off No. 15 Georgia in a three-game set at home last weekend. The Tigers are part of a four-way tie for sixth place in the SEC standings, sharing an 11-10 league record with Kentucky, LSU and Georgia.
Head Coach: Mickey Dean (Record at AU: 162-84 in five seasons)
Series Record: Tennessee leads 41-27
Last Meeting: No. 16 Tennessee completed a sweep at Auburn with a 2-1 victory on May 2, 2021. Ivy Davis drove in both runs for the Lady Vols with a two-run double in the top of the fourth, while Ashley Rogers tossed six scoreless innings of one-hit relief to earn the win.
Key Player/Stat: Freshman infielder Bri Ellis earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Tuesday, hitting 5-for-10 with two doubles and a triple for a .900 slugging percentage to help the Tigers to a series win over the Bulldogs. Ellis leads the team and ranks second in the SEC with 18 homers this year, which ties the Auburn freshman record.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will travel to Gainesville next week for the 2022 SEC Softball Tournament, hosted by the University of Florida May 10-14 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 1/1 Tennessee starts the home stretch of its regular-season schedule with the first of three straight Thursday through Saturday series this week. The Vols travel north to Lexington for a border battle against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park.
UT enters Thursday’s series opener having won 12 consecutive series, including nine straight against SEC opponents if you count last year’s Super Regional against LSU.
Vols RHP Camden Sewell / Credit: UT Athletics
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for this week’s series against the Wildcats can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.
BROADCAST INFO
Thursday’s game will be broadcast on the SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Todd Walker on the call. Friday and Saturday’s contests will be streamed on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Dick Gabriel (PxP) and Doug Flynn (analyst) calling the action.
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.
New Vol Network Radio Affiliates The Vol Network had added multiple radio affiliates to broadcast remaining Tennessee baseball SEC games this season. The complete list of new affiliates is below. Please check your local listings prior to each weekend. Game coverage varies by station.
Chattanooga: WFLI (FM 97.7, FM 100.3, AM 1070) Cleveland: The Buzz (FM 101.3) Cookeville: WKXD (FM 104.7) Lawrenceburg: WWLX (FM 106.1, FM 93.1, AM 590) Muscle Shoals, AL: WSBM (FM 97.9, AM 1340) Nashville: The Zone (FM 104.5) – Saturday Only Oneida: WBNT (FM 105.5) Pulaski: WKSR (FM 107.7, FM 100.9, AM 1420)
SERIES SCHEDULE/PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1 – Thursday, May 5 (7 p.m.) RHP Chase Burns (7-1, 2.09 ERA) vs. TBA
Game 2 – Friday, May 6 (6:30 p.m.) RHP Blade Tidwell (1-0, 1.93 ERA) vs. TBA
Game 3 – Saturday, May 7 (2 p.m.) RHP Drew Beam (8-0, 2.14 ERA) vs. RHP Sean Harney (5-3, 2.82 ERA)
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tennessee leads, 177-152 In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 101-71 In Lexington: Kentucky leads, 79-73 Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-2 Last Meeting: W, 11-2 (5/1/21 in Knoxville)
The Vols have won each of the last three series against the Wildcats, posting a 7-2 record in those games. In UT’s last trip to Lexington in 2019, it swept Kentucky and outscored the Wildcats 28-5 for the series.
NOTABLE
Record Breakers With five home runs in Tuesday’s 14-1 midweek victory over Alabama A&M, Tennessee set a new single-season program record for homers with 108, surpassing the previous mark of 107 set back in 1998. The Vols have had 15 different players go yard this season, including five with double-digit bombs. Their 108 home runs lead the nation and are 25 more than the next closest SEC team (Florida & Mississippi State – 83).
Series Win Streak Up to 12 UT enters this week’s series in Lexington having won 12 consecutive series, including nine over SEC opponents, dating back to last season. Of their 10 weekend series wins this season, eight have been sweeps.
First to 40 With a win over Auburn in last Sunday’s rubber game, Tennessee became the first team in the country to reach the 40-win mark this season, doing so in just 44 games. The Vols are just the second SEC team to record 40 wins in 44 games since the league expanded in 1992. South Carolina in 2000 was the only other team to accomplish the feat in that span.
The Volunteer Fireman Redshirt junior flamethrower Ben Joyce put on a show in his four scoreless innings of relief last Sunday against Auburn.
According to Tennessee’s YakkerTech data tracking system, the Knoxville native threw 28 pitches that were clocked at 103 mph or faster. Of those 28 pitches, 15 were 104 mph or faster and three were 105 mph or faster. His fastest pitch of the day was clocked at 105.5 mph, which is the fastest pitch in the history of college baseball and would be the second-fastest recorded pitch in Major League Baseball, just 0.3 mph behind Aroldis Chapman, who threw 105.8 mph pitch as a Cincinnati Red against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 24, 2010.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Kentucky Wildcats
Record: 24-20 (7-14 SEC)
2021 Postseason: N/A
2022 SEC Preseason Poll: 6th in East
Head Coach: Nick Mingione (6th season)
Preseason Conference Honors:
SS Ryan Ritter (2nd Team)
Stat Leaders:
Batting Avg: Daniel Harris IV (.324)
Runs: Chase Estep (47)
Hits: Chase Estep (53)
Home Runs: Estep/Plastiak (12)
RBI: Jacob Plastiak (40)
Stolen Bases: Chase Estep (13)
Wins: Sean Harney (5)
Saves: Tyler Guilfoil (4)
ERA (min. 20 IP): Darren Williams (0.93)
WHIP (min. 20 IP): Tyler Guilfoil (0.96)
Innings Pitched: Sean Harney (44.2)
Strikeouts: Tyler Guilfoil (56)
ON DECK
The Vols host Bellarmine on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the first of their final five regular-season home games this season.
Walker Hayes is flying high in country music now – but there was a time when that wasn’t the case. Walker needed a little help, and that help came in the form of Craig Allen Cooper.
Craig helped Walker in such a way that it changed the country music singer’s life, and created an unbreakable bond between the two men.
Walker first shared the story on his 2017 album boom in his song simply titled, “Craig.”
Now here in 2022, Walker and Craig have their tale told in their new book Glad You’re Here…
Walker and Craig talk about when they first met, and the inspiration behind their book…
This week they continued to share their story and tell people about Glad You’re Here on the Today Show
Walker also performed the song “Craig” on Today.
The book’s title shares the same name as Walker’s Fall tour…
Glad You’re Here – the book – is available now – check out more info at WalkerandCraig.com
When it comes to his tour – fans will be looking for Walker Hayes to sing his hit “AA” – which, this week is at number-9 (and climbing) on the Billboard country airplay chart.
