University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Battle Virginia Tech
April 25, 2000 | Baseball
THE VOLUNTEERS: The Vols have dropped five of seven SEC series' this season. They are just 3-9 at home while going 4-3 on the road. They have managed to lose the first two games in four of the seven series' (Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia and Auburn). They are 2-5 on Fridays, 2-5 on Saturdays and 3-2 on Sundays. Five last six SEC losses have all been by two runs or less, while nine of the 12 league losses have been by three runs or less, including four in extra-innings. Tennessee has reached the 30-win mark for the ninth time in the last 10 years. With 12 games remaining, the Vols have a chance at posting their seventh 40-win season and first since 1997. They reached the 30-win mark in 41 games which was the third-fastest in school history, ranking behind the 39 games in 1991, 1994, 1997 and the 40 games in 1995.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
GAME TIME CHANGE:
UP NEXT:
VOLS ON THE AIR: Games can be heard locally on WNOX 99.1 FM/990 AM. SEC games will be broadcast in the Tri-Cities area on WOPI 1490 AM-Bristol, WKPT 1400 AM-Kingsport and WKTP 1590 AM-Johnson City. Tennessee has appeared on live television four times and tape-delayed once this year. It is scheduled for four more appearances as all three games of the Mississippi State series will be on Comcast Sports Southeast and the May 12 game at South Carolina will be on Fox Sports Net. 40/40 MEN: Tennessee boasts one of the top stolen base tandems in the country with Stevie Daniel and Chris Burke stealing 45 and 42 respectively. Florida A&M's Dwaine Bacon and Alex Smith had combined for 78 entering the week. Daniel and Burke join former Vols Mike Basse and Coleman Smith as the only other tandem in SEC history to swipe at least 40 bases in a season. Basse and Smith combined for 90 stolen bases. Daniel and Burke are hot on their heals with 87 combined stolen bases this season. Together, Daniel and Burke have stolen as many or more bases than the rest of the teams in the SEC. Not only that, but they have been successful 87.8 percent of the time with 87 steals in 99 attempts. Burke and Daniel became the fourth and fifth Vols to steal 40 bases in a season, joining Basse (three times), Smith and single-season leader Clay Greene (54). Daniel is 11th on the SEC single-season stolen base chart. With one more steal, he will tie Vanderbilt's Vee Hightower for 10th at 46. With five more steals, he will become the eighth player in SEC history to swipe 50 bags in a season.
UT 30-STOLEN BASE TANDEMS
BREAKING IT DOWN:
HEAD COACH ROD DELMONICO: Also, 57 players have gone on to the professional ranks during his tenure, including two first-round selections in 1995 (Todd Helton, National Player of the Year) and in 1996 (R.A. Dickey, Olympian). He has coached or signed 24 players who went on to play in the major leagues in his 18 years at the collegiate level.
DELMONICO'S CAREER RECORD
BURKE NEARS TOP 10: Second baseman Chris Burke is not suffering from any sophomore slump as he has improved his numbers in nearly every hitting category this season. He needs just 11 hits over the next 12 games to join Jeff Pickler and Todd Helton as the only Vols to collect 100 base hits in a season.
His 89 hits ties Helton's 1994 total for fourth and his 63 runs scored ties Scott Schroeffel's 1995 mark for 8th.
Here is what he needs to enter the single-season top 10 at Tennessee...
Burke already ranks fourth all-time with his .388 career batting average, fourth with 48 doubles and fourth with 61 stolen bases.
RECORD SETTING TIME: Tennessee has tied or established records for hit-by-pitches and sacrifice flies this season. The Vols have 43 sac flies which bettered the previous mark of 33 set in 1998. They have also tied the hit-by-pitch mark of 75 set in 1995.
The triples record of 32 set in 1994 is in jeopardy. With 28 three-baggers this season, the Vols are only four shy of that school mark.
Also, with 166 stolen bases, the school record of 174 set in 1991 has a chance to fall as well.
NO CLUTCH HITS LEADS TO FEW RUNS:
As a result, the Vols have scored just 39 runs and are averaging 4.9 runs per game over the last eight, the lowest output since scoring 32 runs in a eight-game span from 2/26-3/7 in 1999.
As a result, the Vols have scored just 20 runs and are averaging 4.0 runs per game over the last five, the lowest output since scoring 23 runs in a seven-game span from 2/26-3/6 in 1999.
OVER THE LAST 17: Tennessee is 8-9 over its last 17 games. The Vols have allowed 6.2 runs per game over that span, while giving up more than six runs in 10 of those games. They are 3-7 in those 10 games.
They have lost those 10 games by 20 total runs. By comparison, they have made 26 errors during that 17 span which has led to 25 unearned runs.
They have given up 18 home runs during that span, including seven in the last four, after allowing 15 in the first 34. Twenty-eight of the 105 runs allowed over the last 17 games have come via the home run (27 percent).
THE BIG INNING: In nine of UT's 19 league games, the Vols have fallen victim to the "Big Inning." They have allowed at least four runs in an inning in nine of 12 losses. On the flip side, they have used the "Big Inning" to propel them to five of their seven victories. Here's a look at those Big Innings:
NINE TIMES. NINE TIMES?: Tennessee had blown leads nine times this season. In eight of its 12 SEC defeats, the Vols have held a lead at one point in the game. In contrast though, the Vols have posted 12 come-from-behind wins.
EEEEEEEEEEEE:
WALKING THE LINE:
CLOSING IN: The 2000 Tennessee Volunteers are ranked in the top five all-time in numerous statistical categories this season.
OTHERS IN CAREER NUMBERS:
EITHER/OR: Tennessee has either played close games this season or blowouts. In 45 of the 51 games played, the games have either been decided by at least five runs or two runs or less. The Vols are 23-3 in games decided by five runs or more, 8-11 in games decided by two runs or less and 5-6 in one-run games. They are 3-2 in games decided by three or four runs.
In SEC play, UT is 6-3 in games decided by at least five runs, 1-7 in games decided by two runs or less and 1-5 in one-run contests.
GETTING A GOOD START: Tennessee has been jumping on its opponents early, outscoring them 105-27 over the first two innings. Things tighten a little in the third inning where the Vols only hold a three-run edge, 40-37. In the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, the Vols are averaging one run per game in each of those innings. They are averaging 8.2 runs per game which currently ranks as the third-highest runs per game average.
In SEC play UT has also gotten out early, outscoring the opponents 40-33 over the first three innings. But it's been the seventh inning where the Vols have done well as they have scored 30 of their 134 runs (22 percent) in that inning.
VOLS IN THE SEC RANKINGS: The 2000 season is proving to be one of the better ones statistic-wise in a number of years. The Vols are second in the league in ERA (3.48), third in fielding percentage (.965) and third in hitting (.327).
The Vols lead the league with 166 stolen bases which is nearly twice as many as second place Auburn (87). They also pace the conference in triples (28), hit by pitches (75), sac flies (43) and sac bunts (35). They are third in doubles (119).
UT is also one of three pitching staffs in the league that has given up fewer hits than innings pitched. They have not had a staff do that since 1996.
In SEC games, Tennessee is second with a .341 batting average, second in ERA at 5.09 and fourth in fielding percentage at .959.
PITCHING NOTES:
HITTING NOTES:
FIELDING NOTES: The Vols have played 16 error-free games this season and 31 games with one or less errors. They are 9-11 when making two or more errors.
BURKE INVITED TO TEAM USA TRYOUTS: Tennessee sophomore second baseman Chris Burke (Louisville, Ky.) is one of the first 20 student-athletes invited to participate in the 2000 USA Baseball National Team Trials to be held in Tucson, Ariz., June 16-21. The National Team will be selected from a pool of 35-40 players at the trials. USA Baseball will announce the names of the remaining players to be invited sometime by the end of May.
Burke becomes the eighth University of Tennessee player invited to the Team USA Trials. Three Vols, Todd Helton, R.A. Dickey and Augie Ojeda, made the final cut to participate on the team. Dickey and Ojeda played for the Bronze Medal winning squad in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, while Helton toured with the team in 1993.
Southern California's Mike Gillespie will serve as the head coach for the team. The official team roster will be determined and announced on June 21.
NOTE: This is NOT the team nor the players that will represent the United States in the 2000 Summer
TWO VOLS ON ALL-AMERICA CHECKLIST: Jamie Bennett and Chris Burke were named to Baseball America's Midseason All-America Checklist.
Burke was named first team among sophomore second basemen in the country, while Bennett was second team among senior pitchers in the nation.
SACRIFICE CITY: The Vols set the school record for sacrifice flies in a season with 43. Chris Burke set the record in the second inning against Tennessee Temple 4/12 with UT's 34th which bettered the old mark of 33 set in 1998. Six Vols have at least four, led by Burke's and Kris Bennett's six which ties for third on UT's single season list.
Five times this season, UT has had at least three in a game (Hawaii-Hilo 2/9, Morehead State 3/1, Dayton 3/15, Kentucky 3/26, Tennessee Temple 4/12). They set the school record for sacrifice flies in a game with four against Dayton 3/15. Burke, Bennett, Brandon Hopkins and John Massey helped set that mark. The old record of three was set several, most recently against Toledo 3/9/99.
The Vols have also laid down 34 sacrifice bunts which ranks as the fifth-highest total in school history. They tied the school record with four against Kentucky 3/25. The mark was set previously against MTSU 4/26/83. Justin Parker, Ryan Case, Chris Burke and Jeff Baumtrog each recorded a sacrifice hit in tying the record.
GETTING PLUNKED: The Vols have been hit by a pitch 75 times which ties the highest total in school history set in 1995. Vol hitters have been hit at least once in 36 of the 51 games and have been hit multiple times on 20 occasions.
John Massey leads the way with 18, followed closely by Jeff Christensen with 13. Massey is second on the single-season hit by pitch chart, trailing Scott Vieira holds the school mark of 25 set in 1995. Massey tied the school record for hit-by-pitch in game twice when he was hit three times against Richmond 2/18 and Mississippi 3/18.
Christensen has been hit 20 times in his career which ranks fourth on UT's career list. Ranking third on the career hit-by-pitch chart is Jeff Baumtrog who has been hit 23 times, including nine times this season. He was hit three times by Hawaii-Hilo 2/7 in tying the school mark.
The Vols set the school record for being hit by a pitch when seven were plunked against Richmond 2/18. The old mark of five was set twice,most recently against MTSU 5/11/99.
SECOND-MOST STEALS: For the second straight year and the 10th time in the last 12 years, the Vols have reached century mark for stolen bases in a season. They have 166 on the season which ranks as the second-highest total in school history and the third-highest in SEC history. The school record is 174 set in 1991 when that squad was stealing bases at 2.9 per game. The SEC mark is 182 set by the 1989 Vanderbilt club. They are stealing bases at 3.3 clip per game this year which puts them on a pace for over 200 steals.
The 79.8 percent stealing percentage is the highest percentage with at least 200 attempts in school history.
The Vols have been held without a stolen base only four times. They have stolen at least three bases in a game 24 times, including a season-high nine against Tennessee Temple 4/12.
MORE STEALS: Sophomore's Chris Burke and Stevie Daniel, who rank 1 & 2 in the SEC, have combined for 87 of UT's 166 stolen bases this season. In fact, four other Vols have at least 11 stolen bases.
Daniel has 45 stolen bases which is fourth on UT's single season list, while Burke has 42 which is sixth on UT's list. Clay Greene holds the UT single season mark of 54 set in 1997. The SEC record is 67 set by South Carolina's Brian Roberts in 1999.
Daniel ranks 13th on the SEC's all-time steals list with 75 and needs five more to become the 10th player in league history to steal 80.
VOLS IN PRO BASEBALL: A total of six former University of Tennessee players appeared on opening day Major League rosters in 2000. Also, one Vol, Phil Garner, is the manager of the Detroit Tigers. Nine more were on rosters at various levels of the minor leagues. Listed below are those players.
MEDICAL UPDATE: Out for season: Judson Brownell, 3B (right shoulder surgery); Out: Adam Smith, OF (broken right wrist); Probable: Brandon Hopkins, OF (left tibula stress fracture); Questionable: Logan Brummitt, RHP (neck)
|
