KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– Top-ranked Tennessee Baseball is set to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Lindsey Nelson Stadium at 2 pm ET for game two of the NCAA Super Regional Tournament. The game will be broadcast to ESPN.
The Vols dropped game one to the Irish 8-6. Notre Dame posted eight runs in the first four innings and held their lead all the way through, as UT could not perform the comeback.
In Tennessee’s loss, star junior outfielder and clean-up hitter Drew Gilbert and pitching coach Frank Anderson were ejected. Per NCAA rules, Gilbert is suspended for Tennessee’s Saturday game against Notre Dame, and Anderson is suspended for three games due to the fact it is his second ejection of the season. Umpire crew chief Billy Van Raaphorst’s statement on the matter can be found here.
Tony Vitello chose to use Jared Dickey in the four-hole after Gilbert’s fifth inning ejection on Friday, putting him in left-field and moving Seth Stephenson to center-field.
Tony Vitello’s post-game press conference from Friday is above.
For Saturday’s game, Tennessee will roll with Trey Lipscomb in the four-hole and Jared Dickey in the outfield again.
Below is Tennessee’s starting lineup.
Lineup notes:
-Against a lefty, Christian Moore will start at DH over Blake Burke.
-Like last night, Dickey will play in left-field. Seth Stephenson moves to center-field to replace Gilbert. This marks the first start for Dickey since his injury to him.
-Lipscomb will bat in the clean-up spot with Gilbert out. Ortega moves to two-hole, Russell moves up, Luc moves down due to lefty starting.
Below is Notre Dame’s starting lineup:
DH Ryan Cole
3B Jack Brannigan
1B Carter Putz
LF Jack Zyska
2B Jared Miller
C David LaManna
RF Brooks Coetzee III
SS Zack Prajzner
CF Spencer Myers
Below is the pitching matchup for game two between the Vols and Irish. Two of the best arms in the country will take the mound on Saturday.
UT So. RHP Chase Dollander (9-0, 2.38 ERA, 13 GS, 15 App., 45 H, 23 R, 19 ER, 103 K/13 BB, .172 opp. avg., 72 IP)
vs.
ND Gr. Student LHP John Bertrand (9-2, 2.27 ERA, 16 GS, 16 App., 83 H, 30 R, 25 ER, 103 K/19 BB, .223 opp. avg., 99 IP)
-UT is rolling with SEC Pitcher of the Year Chase Dollander on the mound in a must-win game. Dollander is looking to rebound after arguably his worst outing of his standout sophomore season last week against Campbell. Still, Dollander is Tennessee’s best pitcher, and he is the best choice to start on the bump for the Big Orange in a must-win situation.
-Lefty Bertrand has been Notre Dame’s Friday night ace all season but is starting on Saturday this week due to throwing many pitches on Sunday in the Statesboro Regional Finals. He will be one of the best arms, if not the best arm, Tennessee has faced all postseason.
The Vols will be the away team against Notre Dame due to the fact they’ve been the road team less than the Fighting Irish have this tournament.
Tennessee will be sporting orange tops and gray pants as they fight for their season.
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The section below will be continuously updated with LIVE updates and the score of Tennessee’s second game against Notre Dame in the Knoxville NCAA Super Regional.
LIVE UPDATE THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Seth Stephenson singles on his second pitch to right center.
-Jorel Ortega strikes out swinging.
-Jordan Beck flies out to CF.
-Trey Lipscomb rips an RBI double to left center.
-Evan Russell flies out to CF.
B1
-Ryan Cole flies out to LF.
-Jack Brannigan strikes out looking.
-Carter Putz strikes out looking.
Score: Vols 1, Fighting Irish 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Jared Dickey singles up the middle.
-Christian Moore grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
-Luc Lipcius strikes out swinging.
B2
-Jack Zyska singles to LF.
-Zyska steals second.
-Jared Miller pops out to shallow LF as Lawson back tracks makes the catch.
-David LaManna cracks a hard-hit line drive to right-field that finds Jordan Beck’s glove for out two.
-Brooks Coetzee III strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 1, Fighting Irish 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Cortland Lawson strikes out looking.
-Seth Stephenson works a one-out walk.
-Jorel Ortega pops up to CF.
-Seth Stephenson advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Jordan Beck reaches on a fielder’s choice as Stephenson is out heading to third.
B3
-Zack Prajzner flies out to right center.
-Spencer Myers flies out to CF.
-Ryan Cole grounds out to 2B.
Dollander sits down the Irish in order with six pitches.
Score: Vols 1, Fighting Irish 0
4th inning:
T4
-Trey Lipscomb flies out to CF.
-Evan Russell grounds out 1b to p. Fantastic diving stop by Carter Putz to rob Russell of a base-hit.
-Jared Dickey works a two-out walk.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
B4
-Jack Brannigan grounds out to 3B.
-Carter Putz flies out to RF.
-Jack Zyska singles to right center.
-Jared Miller flies out to CF.
Score: Vols 1, Fighting Irish 0
Scroll to Continue
5th Inning:
T5
-Luc Lipcius homers off the batter’s eye.
-Cortland Lawson doubles through the left side.
-Seth Stephenson singles to 3B on a bunt to give UT runners on the corners with no outs.
-Jorel Ortega pops up to SS.
-MIKE HONCHO sends a three-run moonshot homer to left-field. Vols blowing it open in the fifth.
-Trey Lipscomb pops up to SS.
-Evan Russell only homers to LF. Russell has now set the program record for most home runs hit by a Vol with 39.
-Jared Dickey is walked after Notre Dame makes a pitching change to Jackson Dennies.
**Christian Scott pinch running for Jared Dickey**
-Christian Moore singles through the left side.
-Luc Lipcius demolishes a three-run homer to left center. Lipcius NOW TIES Russell for the program record with 39 homers. Can’t make this up. Lipcius’ second home run of the inning.
-Cortland Lawson is walked.
**Radek Birkholz to p for Dennies**
-Seth Stephenson flies out to RF.
B5
**C. Scott to CF, Stephenson to LF**
-Pinch-hitter Danny Neri singles up the middle.
-Brooks Coetzee III HBP. Mound meeting between Chase and Tony.
-Zack Prajzner grounds out to 3B.
-Spencer Myers RBI grounds out to 2B. Neri scores. Coetzee III moves to third.
-Pinch-hitter Nick Juarie flies out to LF.
Score: Vols 9, Fighting Irish 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Jorel Ortega grounds out to SS.
-Jordan Beck doubles to LF.
-Trey Lipscomb strikes out.
-Evan Russell grounds out to 3B.
B6
-Jack Brannigan grounds out to 3B.
-Carter Putz singles to CF. Nice throw from Scott to keep Putz at first.
-Jack Zyska doubles to CF. Nick Demarco, who pinch ran for Putz, goes to third.
-Pinch-hitter Jack Penney sac flies to CF. Demarco scores.
-Danny Neri strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 9, Fighting Irish 2
7th Inning:
T7
-Christian Scott singles down the RF line.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
-Luc Lipcius singles to right center.
-Cortland Lawson sac fly to RF as Scott scores.
-Lipcius advances to third on a passed ball.
-Seth Stephenson reaches first on a throwing error by 3B. Lipcius scores on the error.
-Jorel Ortega gets a double to drop in left-field. Stephenson comes home. Poor defense from the Notre Dame outfield.
-Jordan Beck is walked.
-Trey Lipscomb lines out to RF.
B7
-Coetzee flies out to RF.
-Prajzner flies out to CF.
-TJ Williams strikes out looking.
Score: Vols 12, Fighting Irish 2
8th Inning:
T8
-Evan Russell flies out to RF.
-Christian Scott flies out to deep RF. Heck of a leaping catch by Brooks Coetzee for Notre Dame.
**Blake Burke pinch-hitting for Christian Moore** It is Blake Burke’s birthday.
**LHP Matt Lazzaro on to pitch for Notre Dame to face Burke**
-Blake Burke grounds out to 2B.
B8
**Jr. RHP Mark McLaughlin (2-1, 1.36 ERA) on to pitch for Tennessee**
-Juaire singles to CF.
-Brannigan strikes out swinging.
-Nick DeMarco strikes out.
-Jack Zyska two-run homer.
-Jack Penney flies out to LF.
Score: Vols 12, Fighting Irish 4
9th Inning:
**Logan Steenstra pinch-hitting for Luc Lipcius**
-Steenstra flied out to left center.
-Cortland Lawson is walked.
-Seth Stephenson pops up to 2B.
-Jorel Ortega grounds out to 2B.
B9
-Lindwedel strikes out swinging
-Coetzee is walked.
-Prajzner grounds out.
-Willaims grounds out to 3B.,
Score: Vols 12, Fighting Irish 4
FINISH: Tennessee 12, Notre Dame 4
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism