This week the Volunteers are looking for their first SEC series victory of the season as they travel to take on Auburn. The Vols and Tigers are tied for last in the SEC and with Serrano's contract ending this season this series is a must win for the Vols. Last weekend saw Tennessee get swept by South Carolina.
Tuesday Tennessee returned home to host Appalachian State in a midweek match up. The Vols started the scoring early, plating two runs in the bottom of the first frame on a Nick Senzel RBI triple and Vincent Jackson RBI double. Benito Santiago added an RBI single in the bottom of the second to push the Volunteer lead to 3-0. A wild pitch with runners on second and third allowed ASU to cut the lead to 3-1 in the 3rd. The Vols responded in the fifth with a well timed steal of second by Jackson which allowed Santiago to steal home to push the lead back to three. Appalachian State got a run back in the sixth on an RBI single before Matt Waldren drilled a triple down the right field line with the bases loaded in the seventh to put UT up five. The Mountaineers responded in the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out before clearing them with a two-out double. The tying run came to the plate but popped up to second base to end the rally and secure the Tennessee 7-5 victory.
Auburn leads the all-time series with Tennessee 88-37 and have won eight of the last eleven meetings. The Vols have only won one of the last six series. The last time the teams met was in March 2014, where the Tigers won the series 2-1 in Knoxville.
This past week saw Auburn at Missouri and Kennesaw State. The Tigers took the opening game against Missouri before dropping the final two games. They also dropped their midweek meeting with Kennesaw State 5-6.
Next week the Vols continue their road trip on Tuesday as they travel to MTSU before returning home for a weekend series with Vanderbilt.
Tennessee Volunteers (19-14) (3-9 SEC) at Auburn Tigers (15-18) (3-9 SEC)
Date: Thursday-Saturday April 14-16, 2016
First Pitch: 7 p.m. ET Thursday, 7 p.m. ET Friday, 2 p.m. ET Saturday at Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ala.
TV: SEC Network Thursday and Friday
Live Audio: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on UTSports
Internet Video: All Games on WatchESPN
Live Stats: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on GameTracker
Probable Starting Pitchers:
UT LHP Aaron Soto (3-1, 4.78 ERA) vs AU LHP Ben Braymer (3-2, 2.43 ERA)
UT LHP Zach Warren (4-3, 2.92 ERA) vs AU RHP Justin Camp (2-2, 3.91 ERA)
UT LHP Andy Cox (2-3, 6.54 ERA) vs AU LHP Andrew Mitchell (4-2, 4.39 ERA)
Players to Keep an Eye on:
School | Pos | Name | BA | RBI | R | HR | SB-A |
UT | 3B | Nick Senzel | .361 | 42 | 42 | 4 | 11-12 |
UT | 1B | Jordan Rodgers | .303 | 50 | 24 | 4 | 9-9 |
UT | OF | Vincent Jackson | .370 | 39 | 31 | 6 | 6-10 |
UT | OF | Chris Hall | .350 | 13 | 35 | 0 | 5-5 |
AU | OF | Anfernee Grier | .421 | 27 | 43 | 7 | 16-19 |
AU | OF | Joshua Palacios | .408 | 23 | 34 | 5 | 12-17 |
AU | OF/2B | Jordan Ebert | .375 | 24 | 29 | 1 | 4-8 |
AU | 1B | Niko Buentello | .355 | 38 | 25 | 7 | 0-0 |
School | Arm | Name | ERA | WHIP | K | BAA | W-L (S) |
UT | LHP | Aaron Soto | 4.78 | 1.33 | 17 | .243 | 3-1 |
UT | LHP | Zach Warren | 2.92 | 1.28 | 43 | .263 | 4-3 |
UT | LHP | Andy Cox | 6.54 | 1.73 | 41 | .272 | 2-3 |
UT | RHP | Jon Lipinski | 5.30 | 1.71 | 15 | .303 | 2-0 (3) |
AU | LHP | Ben Braymer | 2.43 | 1.04 | 28 | .168 | 3-2 |
AU | RHP | Justin Camp | 3.91 | 1.28 | 32 | .251 | 2-2 |
AU | LHP | Andrew Mitchell | 4.39 | 1.59 | 39 | .255 | 4-2 |
AU | RHP | Gordon Cardenas | 1.96 | 1.25 | 16 | .197 | 0-0 (2) |
Go Vols!