| Vanderbilt Commodores | 157-124-2 | | SERIES RESULTS SINCE 1990 | | 1990 | Nashville | 2-1 | W | | 1991 | Knoxville | 2-1 | W | | 1992 | Knoxville | 1-2 | L | | 1993 | Nashville | 2-1 | W | | 1994 | Knoxville | 3-0 | W | | 1995 | Nashville | 2-1 | W | | 1996 | Knoxville | 3-0 | W | | 1997 | Nashville | 1-2 | L | | 1998 | Knoxville | 3-0 | W | | 1999 | Nashville | 1-2 | L | | 2000 | Knoxville | 3-0 | W | | 2001 | Nashville | 2-1 | W | | 2002 | Knoxville | 2-1 | W | TENNESSEE vs. VANDERBILT Tennessee and Vanderbilt have met 283 times with the Volunteers holding a 157-124-2 series lead since the first meeting in 1897.
The Vols have won the last three series and 10 of 13 since 1990. Vanderbilt has won two of the last three series in Nashville. UT took two of three in their last trip to Music City in 2001.
Head coach Rod Delmonico is 32-14 against the Commodores. Tennessee at a Glance The Tennessee Volunteers (31-21,13-14 SEC) enter this weekend's series having won six in a row and seven of their last eight. The six-game winning streak is the second longest of the season. They opened the 2003 campaign with eight straight victories.
Following a sweep of the No. 22 Arkansas Razorbacks last weekend, the Volunteers moved into second place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division with a 13-14 mark. With one week of league play remaining, the Vols are a virtual lock to make the tournament for the first time since 2001 and just the second time in the last six years.
Tennessee leads third place Florida by 1 1/2 games in the East and owns a two-game advantage over fourth-place Vanderbilt, this weekend's opponent. The Vols have identical league marks with Arkansas and Alabama, but own the head-to-head tie breakers with those schools.
UT is 5-11 on the road this year, picking up wins at The Citadel, ETSU, UNC Asheville with one each at Auburn and Kentucky. UT won two neutral site games against Old Dominion and James Madison in Charleston, S.C.
The Vols finished 7-8 against the Western Division, reeling off five straight wins. They are 6-6 versus the East, going just 2-10 in conference road games this year. It also finished 18-7 in non-conference play this year, winning eight of the last nine.
Fourteenth year head coach Rod Delmonico picked up his 200th Southeastern Conference victory in a 12-9 win over Georgia 4/11. He sits with a 207-192 mark in league games, while ranking seventh all-time in SEC history with 550 wins (299 losses). He needs seven victories to tie Florida's Dave Fuller (557-354-6 from 1948-75) for sixth.
Delmonico will be coaching his 850th overall game and 400th SEC game Friday against Vanderbilt.
Tennessee has faced off against seven top 25 teams this season, going 9-12. It swept No. 10 South Carolina and No. 22 Arkansas, took two from No. 22 Alabama and one from No. 10 Auburn while being swept three time by No. 8 LSU, No. 14 Miami and No. 15 Florida.
UT tied the best start in school history at 8-0 established by the 1992 team. It was the longest win streak since two eight-game streaks in 2001. After getting off to the 8-0 start, Tennessee jumped back into the national polls at No. 24 by Collegiate Baseball. The Vols were ranked as high as No. 17 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Mar. 3, while settling at No. 22 in the ESPN/Sports Weekly and No. 23 in the Collegiate Baseball polls.
The Vols drew 7,754 fans for the Miami series which was the largest attendance for a three-game series since drawing 8,889 for the LSU series in 1997. The season-high crowd of 3,105 against Miami 3/8 was UT's largest regular season draw since 3,337 versus LSU 3/29/1997.
When the Vols win, they win big as as 14 of the 31 wins have been decided by five runs or more. They have also won 11 games (over 1/3 of total victories) in their final at-bat this season. They are 6-6 in one-run games and 9-10 in games decided by two runs or less.. VOLS RANK 45th IN LATEST RPI
After going 3-0 last week, Tennessee moved to No. 45 from No. 52 in the latest RPI rankings published by Boyd Nation at www.boydsworld.com. It peaked at No. 15 following a sweep of South Carolina. The Vols have been aided in their schedule strength by playing seven ranked teams over the last 10 weekends in Miami, Auburn, South Carolina, Florida, LSU, Alabama and Arkansas. This weekend's opponent, Vanderbilt, is No. 71. UP NEXT
Tennessee heads to the SEC Tournament which runs from May 21-25 in Hoover, Ala., at the Hoover-Met Stadium, home of the Class AA Birmingham Barons. SEC TOURNAMENT COUNTDOWN
Tennessee sits in second place in the SEC Eastern Division, 1 1/2 games ahead of Florida and two games in front of Vanderbilt. As long as the Volunteers avoid a sweep by Vanderbilt this weekend, they will reach the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2001.
After being 8-14 at one point in league play and in fourth place in the division, the Vols have reeled off five straight conference wins to move into second place.
Tennessee owns the tiebreaker over South Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama. VOL HITTING NOTES | UT CAREER STOLEN BASES | | 1. | 145 | Mike Basse | 89-91 | | 2. | 134 | Stevie Daniel | 99-01 | | 3. | 124 | Chris Burke | 99-01 | | 4. | 87 | Clay Greene | 96-97 | | 5. | 56 | Jeff Christensen | 98-01 | | 6t. | 55 | Jordan Czarniecki | 02-03 | | 6t. | 55 | Ronnie Hartsfield | 78-81 | | 7. | 53 | Bobby Gaylor | 84-86 | | 8. | 51 | Bill Hatfield | 73-76 | | 9t. | 50 | Alex Sanmiguel | 92-93 | Tennessee has 85 hits over its last eight games (.304 average) while scoring at least 10 runs twice during that span. The Vols are batting .294 on the season which is eighth in the SEC. - They are batting .333 (25-for-75) with runners in scoring over the last eight games.
- The Vols slugged a season-high four home runs against UNC Asheville, doubling the previous high of two done seven times. They have 36 home runs this season and are on a pace to hit 38 after hitting 38 last year.
- Tennessee leads the SEC with 78 stolen bases. Leading the way is Jordan Czarniecki who paces the individuals with 31 in 38 attempts. He is UT's active leader with 55 and needs two more to vault into fifth place on UT's career list.
- The Vols have amassed 38 doubles over the last 22 games, compared to just eight in the previous 14.
- UT's nine steals versus Morehead State 2/8 marked the fifth highest stolen base effort in school history. The Vols were a perfect 9-for-9 with Walter Sevilla stealing three, Jordan Czarniecki and Chad LeGate getting two apiece while Brian Cleveland and Javi Herrera had one each.
- Tennessee homered in a season-high seven straight games, collecting eight round trippers from 3/23-4/2.
- The Vols collected their first triple in 18 games when Josh Alley sliced a three-bagger to right field against ETSU 4/2. It was the first triple since the West Virginia game Mar. 2. They have just seven this season which would be the lowest total since hitting six in 1988.
- In UT's 21 losses, they are 26-for-157 (.165) with runners in scoring position. They have scored 65 runs in those defeats, being held to two or fewer runs 10 times.
- They have collected at least 10 hits in 26 games and plated at least 10 runs 11 times. UT has its biggest offensive output of the season in a win over Louisville 3/4 when it scored 18 runs on 19 hits. It also exploded for 16 runs on 19 hits against Georgia 4/12, and had 14 runs on 18 hits at UNC Asheville 4/29.
- UT has at least four doubles seven times, including a season-high six versus West Virginia 3/2.
| | | PINCH HITTING SEC SERIES | | | AVG | H-AB | RBI | BB | | AU | .800 | 4-5 | 3 | 0 | | SC | .200 | 1-5 | 0 | 0 | | UF | .250 | 1-4 | 0 | 2 | | UM | .000 | 0-2 | 1 | 4 | | UG | .556 | 5-9 | 5 | 2 | | UK | .250 | 1-4 | 0 | 0 | | LSU | .000 | 0-4 | 0 | 0 | | UA | .000 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | | Total | .343 | 12-35 | 9 | 8 | VOLS GET CLUTCH HITS OFF THE BENCH
Tennessee's bench has been a productive unit thus far, as the reserves are hitting .338 with nine doubles, two triples, two home runs and 36 RBI. Vol pinch hitters are excelling as well, going 24-for-72 (.333) with 14 RBI and 18 walks. Pinch hitters have reached base safely on 44 of 93 plate appearances (47.3%).
Jimbo Watson leads all pinch hitters with nine hits and has a .450 average. He has reached base safely in 13 of 24 plate appearances for a .542 on-base percentage. He hit his first home run coming off the bench at UNC Asheville 4/29, a three-run shot.
Josh Alley has four pinch hits, while Alex Suarez and Jeremy Cabbage have three pinch hits apiece.
Justin Branson became the first Vol to hit a pinch-hit grand slam since Justin Altmann against UT-Martin in 1996 when he slugged his first career home run against Georgia 4/11.
In the Auburn series, Watson, Cabbage, Suarez and Branson combined to go 6-for-9 with five RBI as reserves. Watson had four RBI in UT's 9-6 win. His two-run pinch hit single in the seventh tied it at five while he capped a three-run eighth with another two-run single. Brett Chappell had a triple and two sac bunts with an RBI vs. Ole Miss 4/6. In the Georgia series, UT pinch hitters went 5-for-9 with five RBI.
PITCHING NOTES
- Thanks to posting a 1.59 ERA over the last seven games, the team ERA dropped from a season high 4.08 to 3.72. They have not had a team ERA under 4.00 since 2000 when it was 3.75.
- After giving up 42 runs on 47 hits in the LSU series, the Vols stiffened against Alabama and Arkansas by limiting them to 17 runs (10 earned) on 34 hits in 59.0 innings and holding them to a .170 batting average.
- The Vols are fifth in the SEC in opponent batting average at .257, fourth in strikeouts at 398 and tied for third in home runs allowed with 29. Opponents are averaging 8.8 hits and 4.6 runs per game.
- The staff opened the season without yielding an opponent home run in the first 46 innings until Old Dominion's Brandon LeNoir hit a two-run blast in the second inning.
- They also average 7.74 strikeouts per nine innings while walking just 3.03. That's a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.6. The 1965 pitching staff holds the record of 8.91 strikeouts per nine innings.
- The pitchers have posted at least 10 strikeouts in 11 games with a high of 17 against Morehead State 2/8.
- Even more impressive is the fact that the staff has given up three or fewer walks 35 times. UT's 1994 pitching staff holds the record of 3.04 walks per nine innings. The 1996 staff is second at 3.26.
- The staff has not given up more than four earned runs in 34 contests. They have held the opponents to eight or fewer hits 29 times.
STARTING PITCHER NOTES Brandon Crowe --Scheduled to make his fourth straight start in SEC play and sixth of the season ... Owns an outstanding 5.2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... Made his first start in over two months at LSU 4/27 ... Is 2-1 in five starts this season with a 6.41 ERA in 19.2 innings ... Has pitched past the fourth in just one start this season ... Got win over Alabama 5/3 in a season-high 6.1 innings ... Earned a win over Morehead State 2/9 after pitching a designated four innings ... Had made nine straight relief appearances, picking up wins in his last two outings at ETSU 4/15 and at Kentucky 4/20 ... Logged 10.1 innings in those stints, giving up just three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and one walk ... Tied with Dusty Johnson on UT's active wins list with 12 ... Is 7-1 in 11 career starts with a 4.47 ERA ... Owns a 6-5 mark in SEC play with a 4.77 ERA ... Recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2001 ... Is 2-0 with a 4.38 ERA in May ... Vols are 4-1 in his five starts this season.
Last Start -- Gave up three runs on six hits in a no-decision against Arkansas 5/11 ... Struckout three and walked none.
Versus Vanderbilt -- Picked up a relief win in 10-inning UT win 2001 in Nashville ... Pitched two innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and one strikeout. Ben Riley -- Is 0-3 in his last four starts with a 3.33 ERA ... Given up 14 runs (nine earned) on 18 hits in those four starts covering 24.1 innings with 17 walks and 17 strikeouts ... Ranks first in the SEC in opponent batting average at .207 and fifth in innings pitched at 88.0 ... Has worked into at least the seventh inning in seven of his last 10 starts ... Holds a 3.02 ERA in his last nine starts, giving up three or fewer runs seven times ... Has walked 29 in his last 44.1 innings with just 28 strikeouts ... Held opponents to six or fewer hits in 11 of 14 starts ... Allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of 14 starts ... Pitched at least five innings in 12 of 14 starts with a career-high tying 9.1 in a no-decision vs. Arkansas 5/9 ... Also logged 8.0 innings twice in win versus South Carolina 3/23 and first career complete game at Kentucky 4/18 ... Got third win over Ole Miss 4/4 ... Earned win over Morehead State 2/7, striking out a season-high seven in five shutout innings ... Named SEC Pitcher of the Week honors for his performance ... Has not missed a start in his career ... Is 8-8 in 29 career starts with a 4.19 ERA ... Worked at least five innings in 23 of 29 starts ... Is 1-2 with a 3.64 ERA in May ... Is 5-6 in SEC action with a 4.42 ERA ... Vols are 7-7 in his 14 starts this season.
Last Start -- Matched his career-high with 9 1/3 innings against Arkansas 5/9 ... Shut out the Razorbacks while limiting them to four hits with six strikeouts and two walks ... Retired 11 straight at one point.
Versus Vanderbilt -- Pitched a career-high 9 1/3 innings in a game halted by rain last year ... Allowed four runs on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks. Derek Tharpe -- Seeking his third straight win ... Is 4-4 in last eight starts after going 2-1 in his first six ... Is tied for fourth in the SEC in strikeouts with 82 and is sixth in innings pitched at 80.0 ... Touched for 32 runs (19 earned) on 51 hits in the last 47.0 innings for a 3.64 ERA ... Struckout 43 and walked 13 during that span ... Given up three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 14 starts ... Worked at least five innings 11 times, including working into at least the seventh in eight of last nine ... Opponents are hitting .267 off him ... Threw his first CG of season in loss at Kentucky 4/19, matching career-high with 11 Ks ... Tossed season-high 8.1 innings in win over SC 3/22 ... Is 6-5 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 appearances against SEC opponents, covering 79.1 innings ... Worked 6.0 innings in win vs. West Virginia 3/2 ... Posted a career-high 11 strikeouts in first UT start vs. Morehead State 2/8 ... Owns an 11-20 career Division I record with a 4.65 ERA ... Is 10-17 with a 4.46 ERA in 36 career starts ... Has eight complete games to his credit ... Owns a 3-3 mark with a 3.47 ERA in May ... Transfer from Samford who made 14 starts for the Bulldogs in 2002 ... Vols are 8-6 in his 14 starts this season.
Last Start -- Had perhaps best start of the season against Arkansas 5/10, allowing just one run on four hits in seven innings with four strikeouts and one walk ... Retired 14 hitters in a row at one point. SEC NOTES - The Vols are 13-14 in SEC play and have won five straight.This the first time UT has been 13-14 in league play.
- Tennessee is 6-6 against the East (5-1 home, 1-5 away) and 7-8 versus the West (6-3 home, 1-5 away). Overall it is 11-4 at home and 2-10 on the road.
- In the last two SEC series, UT is 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 59.0 innings, giving up 34 hits (6 extrabase hits) with 41 strikeouts, 20 walks while opponents hit .170.
- UT has collected at least 10 hits in four of the last six games, batting .270 (57x211) ... Scored 32 runs (5.3 rpg) with nine doubles, a triple and three home runs.
- Starting pitchers are 8-8 with a 4.18 ERA, while the bullpen is 5-6 with four saves and a 3.95 ERA in 73.0 innings.
- The Vols are batting .313 against left handers and .267 versus right handers
- UT has done most of its damage in the second and eighth innings, scoring 57 of its 147 runs (39%) in those frames.
- The Vols have hit just nine home runs in their last 18 games after slugging seven in the first nine
- The Vols have won five games in their last at-bat (3-0 and 10-6 vs. SC; 9-8 vs. UK; 1-0 and 4-3 vs. AR)
- UT held the lead or was tied entering the ninth inning in all three Auburn games
- UT's bullpen tossed 12.0 scoreless innings vs. Arkansas, giving up just two hits
- UT's bullpen tossed 9.2 scoreless innings vs. Alabama, giving up just one hit
- The Vols are 3-4 in one-run games and 4-7 in games decided by two runs or less
- UT held to one or fewer hits with RISP 11 times
JOHNSON AND CROWE NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS
University of Tennessee junior pitcher Dusty Johnson was named to the first team Verizon Academic All-District IV Baseball Team, while sophomore first baseman Nick Crowe received second team honors. Johnson will now appear on the national ballot for the Verizon Academic All-America Baseball Team.
Johnson, who was also selected to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll last week, boasts a 3.79 GPA in finance. He leads the Volunteers in victories and earned run average with a 6-1 mark and 3.23 ERA.
Crowe, Tennessee's third leading hitter with a .326 average, holds a 3.51 GPA in accounting. TENNESSEE ON TV
Comcast Sports Southeast / Charter Sports Southeast announced that it will televise all five of the University of Tennessee's Saturday Southeastern Conference home baseball games at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. As a result, start time for those five games has been moved to 7 p.m. ET.
The CSS schedule for Tennessee home baseball games is as follows: Mar. 22 South Carolina, Apr. 5 Mississippi, Apr. 12 Georgia, May 3 Alabama, May 10 Arkansas CSS will also air two other home games against Georgia 4/11 and Alabama 5/4 in addition to road games at Auburn 3/16, Kentucky 4/19, LSU 3/26 and Vanderbilt 5/17.
FOX Sports Net South will show the Saturday 3/29 Florida game while the Sunshine Network will air the Sunday Florida game. Cox Sports will televise the LSU game on Apr. 26 and the Louisiana Sports Network will show the LSU game on Apr. 27. Tennessee will be on live television 15 times during the 2003 regular season. | |
