Live Updates, Score, Game Notes: No. 1 Tennessee vs. Bellarmine
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– The No. 1 Tennessee BaseVols are set to take on Bellarmine on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET in Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a midweek battle.
Tennessee enters on a two-game winning streak having won the last two games of the Alabama series to secure their eighth series win of the season. Tennessee holds a 33-3, 14-1 SEC record heading into Tuesday, leading the SEC East by five games.
Hitting coach Josh Elander will remain as acting head coach for the Vols, a position he's held since head coach Tony Vitello's ejection on Saturday. The NCAA announced Vitello is suspended until Tennessee's series finale against Florida on Sunday.
Pitching coach Frank Anderson will be back calling pitches for Tennessee against Bellarmine after serving his automatic one-game suspension assistant coaches must serve after getting ejected the game prior.
The Vols starting lineup against the Bellarmine Knights is below.
Pitching matchup: Vols So. LHP Zander Sechrist (2-0, 2.08 ERA) vs. Knights Jr. RHP Drew Buhr (0-2, 6.00 ERA)
Lineup notes:
-Plenty of guys getting nights off for Tennessee, including Drew Gilbert, Christian Moore, Jared Dickey and Cortland Lawson. And of course Evan Russell, which is the normal for a midweek game. Good to see other guys get reps in.
-Sechrist starting on the mound in a midweek game for the first time in three weeks, as Blade Tidwell may need to start this weekend if Vols' Saturday starter Chase Dollander cannot give it a go due to his swollen and sore elbow.
Additional Notes:
-"Bellarmine" is pronounced "Bell-ar-min"
- It is Jordan Beck a.k.a. Mike Honcho's 21st Birthday
- Bellarmine's leadoff hitter–Matt Higgins–is having a terrific senior year. Higgins has started all 35 games and has .356 batting average with 48 hits, 40 runs scored, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, .719 slugging percentage, .467 on-base percentage, 13 stolen bases on 14 attempts and 24 walks.
The section below will be continuously updated with live updates and the score of Tennessee's midweek matchup with Bellarmine.
Live Updates
1st Inning:
T1
-Mike Higgins flies out to center field. Booker getting the start in center.
-Colin Bertsch grounds out to SS (Steenstra).
-Jacob Mulcahy grounds out to 2B.
Six-pitch, 1-2-3 inning to get things started for Sechrist.
B1
-Seth Stephenson flies out to LF.
-Jorel Ortega reaches first on an error from Bellarmine SS Clayton Mehlbauer.
**The LNS Crowd sings Happy Birthday to Jordan Beck as he approaches the plate for the first time in the game.**
-Jordan Beck is walked.
-Luc Lipcius flies out to deep left center. Ortega advances to third. Beck advances to second.
-Trey Lipscomb grounds out 1B to pitcher at first. Vols leave a pair stranded to end the inning.
Score: Vols 0, Knights 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Davis Crane grounds out to 2B.
-Clayton Mehlbauer strikes out swinging.
-Gabe Bratetic grounds out to end the inning.
Another quick inning from Sechrist. 13 strikes on 16 TP. Back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to start the game.
B2
**RHP Noah Pender to pitch for Drew Buhr**
-Kyle Booker grounds out to 2B.
-Logan Steenstra strikes out swinging.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 0, Knights 0
3rd Inning:
T3
Zander Sechrist staying on the mound.
-Peyton Back lines out to CF.
-Robert Sproul grounds out to SS.
-A.J. Arnold strikes out swinging.
B3
**LHP Gavin Braunecker to pitch for Noah Pender**
-Charlie Taylor flies out to RF.
-Seth Stephenson grounds out to 2B.
-Jorel Ortega flies out to deep left center.
Score: Vols 0, Knights 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Matt Higgins lines out to RF. Great catch from Jordan Beck.
-Colin Bertsch fouls out to 1B.
-Jacob Mulcahy pops up to SS.
B4
**Matt Craven to pitch for the Knights**
-Mike Honcho grounds out to 2B. Pitcher assisted.
-Luc Lipcius is walked.
-Trey Lipscomb HBP. Was down on the turf for a good minute. Jogged to first and seems to be okay, but it'll leave a mark.
-Kyle Booker reaches first on a fielder's choice. Lipscomb gets to second on an error as 2B muffs the toss from SS. Lipcius to third. Bases loaded for Tennessee with one out.
-Logan Steenstra RBI ground out. Lipcius scores and Vols strike first.
-Blake Burke is walked. Bases loaded for Tennessee.
**Arren Hash to pitch for Bellarmine**
-Charlie Taylor strikes out looking on a 2-2 count. Tough for Taylor to take a pitch down the middle like that. May have been a tad low, but gotta swing at that on a two-strike count.
NOTE: Tennessee has had six baserunners this evening without a hit. Neither team has a hit for that matter, but the Vols still lead 1-0.
Score: Vols 1, Knights 0
5th Inning:
T5
Sechrist staying on the mound.
-Davis Crane grounds out to 2B. The red-hot Jorel Ortega seeing a lot of ground balls hit his way.
**Hollis Fanning to pitch for Zander Sechrist despite Sechrist having a perfect game up to this point.**
Zander Sechrist Final Line: 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 31 Strikes on 40 TP, Retired all 13 batters he saw.
-Fanning walks his first batter Clayton Mehlbauer.
-Fanning picks off Mehlbauer at first.
-Gabe Bratetic grounds out to end the top of the frame.
B5
-Seth Stephenson strikes out looking.
-Jorel Ortega singles to LF. First hit of the game for either team.
-Jordan Beck lines a single to deep left. Ortega advances to second. The first two hits of the game are back-to-back for the Vols.
-Luc Lipcius is walked. Bases loaded with Lipscomb up.
-Trey Lipscomb strikes out swinging. Two outs for Tennessee.
-Bases clearing double for Kyle Booker. Vols lead 4-0.
-Logan Steenstra hits an RBI double for the Vols' fourth hit of the inning and the game. One on with two outs for Tennessee. Vols' bats getting hot.
**Nick Parrish to pitch for Arren Hash*
-Burke strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 5, Knights 0
6th Inning:
T6
**J.D. McCracken to pitch for Hollis Fanning, first CAREER appearance for the freshman lefty from Murfreesboro**
-Peyton Back doubles to right center for Bellarmine's first hit of the contest. Out at third looking to get a triple (CF to 2B to 3B). Great throw from Ortega.
-Robert Sproul is walked.
-A.J. Arnold singles to LF.
-Matt Higgins homers over the center field wall for a three-run shot.
-Colin Bertsch doubles to left center.
**McCracken's day is done. Ethan Smith to pitch for McCracken** Smith's first appearance since Tennessee's first game against JMU.
-Jacob Mulcahy strikes out swinging.
-Davis Crane singles to left field for Bellarmine's fifth hit of the inning and the game.
-Clayton Mehlbauer is walked. Bases loaded.
**Mark McLaughlin to pitch for Ethan Smith** Tough inning for Tennessee thus far on the mound between Smith and McCracken.
-McLaughlin strikes out Gabe Bratetic.
B6
-Charlie Taylor pops up.
**Drew Gilbert to pinch hit for Seth Stephenson**
-Gilbert strikes out looking.
-Jorel Ortega blasts a triple to CF. Ortega continues to light it up at the plate.
-Jordan Beck knocks an RBI double to left field.
-Beck caught stealing at third to end the inning.
Score: Vols 6, Knights 3
7th Inning:
T7
**Gilbert to center. Booker to left.**
McLaughlin remains on the mound.
-Peyton Back flies out to Jordan Beck. Ha!
-Robert Sproul strikes out swinging.
-A.J. Arnold is walked.
-Matt Higgins flies out to deep left center.
B7
-Luc Lipcius triples to right field. His first triple of the season.
-Trey Lipscomb intentional walk.
**Christian Moore pinch hitting for Kyle Booker**
-Lipcius comes home on a wild pitch. Lipscomb advances to second. Vols extend their lead.
-Moore RBI singles through the left side as Lipscomb scores.
**Casey Sorg to pitch for Nick Parrish for Bellarmine**
-Logan Steenstra flies out to center field.
-Blake Burke strikes out swinging.
-Charlie Taylor strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 8, Knights 3
8th Inning:
T8
**Kirby Connell to pitch for Mark McLaughlin**
-Colin Bertsch lines out to center.
-Jacob Mulcahy singles to left field.
-Davis Crane grounds into a double play to end the top of the frame.
B8
-Drew Gilbert lines to the first baseman who drops the catch but tosses to P to get the out at first.
-Jorel Ortega homers over the left field wall and Tennessee leads 9-3.
-Jordan Beck strikes out swinging.
**Hunter Ensley to pinch-hit for Luc Lipcius**
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging to end the inning.
Score: Vols 9, Knights 3
9th Inning:
T9
**Drew Patterson to pitch for Kirby Connell**
-Clayton Mehlbauer singles up the middle.
-Gabe Bratetic grounds into a double play to expedite the final frame. Nice tag from Ortega who is now at first base.
**Gavin Brasosky to pitch for Patterson** His first appearance the Iona series.
-Peyton Back singles up the middle.
-Robert Sproul strikes out to end the game.
FINAL: Tennessee 9, Bellarmine 3
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