Tennessee(7-0) vs. Middle Tennessee State(4-3)
Carter Watson(0-0, 2.08 ERA) v. Jordan Cooper(0-0, 2.57 ERA)
Lindsey Nelson Stadium
Tuesday, February 28 @ 4pm
Tickets

Live Video @ UTsports
Game Notes

The BaseVols have been one of the bigger surprises of the first two weeks of the college baseball season. As in basketball, the Vols were predicted to be scraping the bottom of the barrel among SEC teams... and as in basketball they've defied expectations to this point. Obviously it's still quite early in the season, but the fact is that in 103 seasons of baseball only one other UT team has started a season at 7-0. The 2003 Vols started 8-0, and it will require a win over MTSU and an upset of host Houston in this weekend's Houston College Classic to break that record.

As far as MTSU baseball, they are a moderately competent program with more recent success than UT... but let's be honest here and say that almost everyone had more success than UT under Raleigh. The Blue Raiders finished last season at a disappointing 18-37 overall with a 9-21 record in the Sun Belt, but have made the NCAA Regionals in the recent past. This is a game that UT should win comfortably, however MTSU just completed a weekend sweep of the Ohio Bobcats and has some high level talent on their roster. I'd expect something close to another 7-2 win, but it could vary significantly depending on who our midweek starter will be.

Update: Murfreesboro local Carter Watson will get the start for UT and face Ole Miss to MTSU transfer, and Knoxville native, Jordan Cooper. Neither team is putting their best stuff out there, so in reality the game could get out of hand early either way if one of the young pitchers struggles early. As a 2010 freshman at Ole Miss Cooper threw only 11 innings allowing 16 runs for an ERA of 12.27. He spent last season at Walters State where he only threw 4 innings all season(2.25 ERA).

MTSU

2012 Record: 4-3
2011 Record: 18-37(9-21)
Coach: Steve Peterson = 760-609-3
25th season at MTSU
RPI = #176
Massey = #189

Star Hitters

Ethan Williams = 9/26, .346 avg, 4 2B
Ryan Ford = 9/27, .333 avg, 1 HR, 3-3 SB
Hank LaRue = 6/24, .250 avg, .419 OBP

Star Pitchers

Nathan Foreist = 1-0, 11 IP, 0.82 ERA, .114 OPP BA, 12K
Jonathan Frebis = 1-0, 11 IP, 0.82 ERA, .200 OPP BA, 11K
Joey McClung = 0-0, 3.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1 SV, .111 OPP BA, 1 HIT

Tennessee

2012 Record: 7-0
2011 Record: 25-29(7-23)
Coach: Dave Serrano = 293-136-1
RPI = #87
Massey = #37

Star Hitters

Wes Walker = 5/11, .455 AVG, 5 RBI, .563 OBP
Drew Steckenreider = 9/20, .450 AVG, 4 2B, 2 HR, .950 SLG, .676 OBP
Jared Allen = 5/10, .500 AVG, 2 2B, 5 RBI
Chris Fritts = 8/23, .348 AVG, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, .516 OBP
Chris Pierece = 10/27, .370 AVG, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .471 OBP

Star Pitchers

Nick Blount = 2-0, 12 IP, 1.50 ERA, .200 OPP BA
Drew Steckenreider = 1-0, 7 IP, 1.29 ERA, .192 OPP BA
Zack Godley = 1-0, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 10 K, .158 OPP BA, 1 BB
Nick Williams = 1-0, 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, .154 OPP BA, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 SV
Dalton Saberhagen = 1-0, 4 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 K, .200 OPP BA, 3 H