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LIVE Updates - Tennessee Volunteers Baseball vs Rice Owls

Tennessee takes on the Rice Owls on Saturday in the Astros Foundation College Classic
Caleb Sisk|
Tennessee infielder/outfielder Jay Abernathy (8) stands in the outfield at the Tennessee baseball season opener against Hofstra, in Lindsey Nelson Stadium at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, February. 14, 2025.
Tennessee infielder/outfielder Jay Abernathy (8) stands in the outfield at the Tennessee baseball season opener against Hofstra, in Lindsey Nelson Stadium at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., Friday, February. 14, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee takes on the Rice Owls on Saturday in the Astros Foundation College Classic

Tennessee takes on the Rice Owls for the first time since 2012. They both have already played one game in Daikin Park with the Vols getting a 5-2 win over Oklahoma State and the Owls taking a run-rule loss to fellow SEc team Mississippi State.

Tennessee on SI has you covered with all of the LIVE UPDATES below. You can also find any Pre-Game info needed below the updates.

LIVE UPDATES

First Inning: (1-3 Vols score on two errors and a fly out by Marin, Rice scores on a wild pitch)
Top: Tennessee is hitting first. Dean Curley walks to start the game. Gavin Kilen is now up to bat. He walks to advance Curley. Hunter Ensley is up to bat. Ensley strikes out. Fischer is up to bat with one out and two on. Curley scores on a throwing error and Kilen advances all the way to third after both base runners attempted to steal one base and got away with more. Fischer walks. Levi Clark walks to load the bases for Reese Chapman. Rice makes a pitching change 30 pitches into the first inning as lefty pitcher McCracken is in to pitch. Tennessee hasn't been forced to make a play with their bat yet. Chapman reaches on an error by the shortstop to score Kilen. Bases are backloaded for the Vols and Marin comes to the plate. Marin flies out to score Fischer. Lawless is up to bat. Lawless flies out to end a great Tennessee-hitting strand.

Bottom: Marcus Phillips takes the mound. Motley is up to bat first for the Owls. Phillips strikes him out. Eppley walks to give the Owls a base runner. Carlson singles to advance Eppley to second base. West singles to load the bases. Everyone advances including Eppley who scores on a wild pitch. Brown fouls out. Ranks strikes out swinging.

Second Inning: (1-7 Clark hits a three-run home run to highlight the inning)
Top: Abernathy up to bat. Abernathy grounds out. Curley strikes out. Kilen doubles to left field. Ensley brings Kilen in with a single to right field. Fischer is up to bat. Fischer walks. Clark hits a three-run home run to blow the game wide open. Chapman singles to right center. Marin grounds out to end the inning.

Bottom: Zito comes to the plate. Zito strikes out swinging. Robson strikes out to give the Vols their second out of the inning. Bocachica comes to the plate for the Owls. He flies out to end the inning.

Third Inning: (1-7)
Top: Lawless is up to bat. Lawless fouls out. Abernathy grounds out. Curley is back up to bat. Curley hits a line out to second.

Bottom: Phillips is back on the mound. Phillips gets two quick outs and jumps on Carlson early in the count. Tennessee picks up the final out to end the third inning.

Fourth Inning: (1-8 Kilen goes yard)
Top: Kilen hits a lead-off home run, this was his third of the series. Ensley is up to hit. Ensley grounds out. Fischer singles to give Tennessee a base runner. Clark strikes out swinging. Chapman draws a walk. Marin flies out to end the inning.

Bottom: West grounded out to shortstop. Brown doubled to left field. Tennessee manages to get out.

Fifth Inning: (1-8)
Top: Lawless is out to start the inning. Abernathy comes to the batter's box. Abernathy is out. Curley is up to bat. Curley grounds out.

Bottom: Boachica grounds out to start the inning. A second ground out is hit to Marin. Eppley hits a stand-up double to give the Owls their first base runner of the 5th inning. Phillips's day might be done here. Here comes Brayden Sharp. Sharp is a two-way player for the Vols. Sharp gets the job done in just three pitches.

Sixth Inning: (1-9 Kilen hits his 2nd home run of the game)
Top: Here comes Kilen up to the plate. Roycraft replaces Williams, and Johnson replaces Ranks for the Owls. Kilen hits another home run for the Vols today. This is his fourth of the series. Fischer and Ensley are both out. Clark is up. Clark is out to end the inning.

Bottom: Curley slides to third, Antigua replaces Clark and goes to short, Marin goes to first. Sharp strikes West out. Vazquez pinch hits for Brown. Vazquez walks. Johnson grounds out but advances Vazquez to second. Zito grounds out at first to end the inning.

Seventh Inning: (3-9 Eppley hits an RBI ground out, West pinch hits and gets himself an RBI)
Top: Tennessee needs two runs to be in run-rule territory. Chapman is now up to bat for the Volunteers to start the seventh inning. Rios is in for West. Chapman lines out to right field. Marin is up. Marin flies out. Lawless is up. Lawless lines out to third base. Tennessee will at least have to bat one more inning.

Bottom: Nic Abraham replaces Sharp on the mound. Robson is up to bat. Robson strikes out but reaches safely on a wild pitch. Robson reaches second on an error, throwing the ball to the first baseman. Bopachica advances Robson to third on a single. Motley faces a full count. He strikes out looking giving Abraham his first out. Eppley is up to bat. Eppley hits a ground out and scores Robson. He also advances Boachica. Michael Sharman is in to pitch now. G. West is in to pinch hit. He has two outs and one on base. West doubles to score Boachica. The Owls are coming to life. Rios strikes out.

Eighth Inning: (3-12 Kilen continues his dominating performance while Ensley brings him in)
Top: Davis is in to pitch. Newstrom pinch hits for Abernathy. He walks. Newstrom advances to second on a wild pitch. Curley walks. Fuentes is in to pitch for the Owls. He will likely face Kilen. Kilen at the plate. Newstrom advances to third on a wild pitch. Kilen hits a triple to bring both base runners in. Ensley is up. Ensley brings Kilen in on a single. Fischer flies out. Antigua flies out. Dalton Bargo Pinch Hits for Chapman. Bargo lines out.

Bottom: Austin Breedlove is in to pitch. He will see Vazquez to kick the inning off. Hunter High makes an outstanding catch. Johnson strikes out swinging. Tanner Wiggins is coming in the game to pitch. He is going to face Zito. Ziton singles, Robson walks. Two batters are now on. Boachica strikes out swinging.

Ninth Inning: (3-13 Lawless brings in Backus)
Top: Atchley is in to pitch. Backus is in to bat for the first time today. Backus walks. Lawless doubles to bring Backus in. Nestrom grounds out to bring Lawless to third. Blake Grimmer pinch hits for Curley. Grimmer is hit by a pitch. Kilen grounds out into a double play.

Bottom: Three quick outs for the Vols end this game to give Tennessee another win.

FINAL

Tennessee defeats Rice 13-3 on Saturday.

Pre-Game Information

Tennessee's Saturday Uniform vs. Rice

Tennessee's Saturday Starting Pitcher

Tennessee's Starting Lineup vs Rice

1. Dean Curley (SS)
2. Gavin Kilen (2B)
3. Hunter Ensley (CF)
4. Andrew Fischer (DH)
5. Levi Clark (1B)
6. Reese Chapman (RF)
7. Manny Marin (3B)
8. Stone Lawless (C)
9. Jay Abernathy (LF)

How To Watch: Tennessee vs. Rice

• GamDay: Saturday, March 1st
• Game Time: 12:05 PM EST
• Stadium: Daikin Park
• Where: Houston, Texas
• Event: Astros Foundation College Classic
• Watch: Astros.com
• Live Updates: Tennessee on SI
• Radio: Vol Network

Tennessee-Rice Series History

Rice won the only contest between the two teams in 2012. In this contest the Volunteers were defeated 11-1. The game was a road test for the Vols. Tennessee has still yet to play Rice in Knoxville.

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Published | Modified
Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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