University of Tennessee Athletics
Baseball Vols Open SEC Play at Auburn This Weekend
March 17, 2005 | Baseball
March 17, 2005
After running its record to 14-4 against a gauntlet of non-conference opposition, the No. 25-ranked Tennessee baseball team enters into its grueling Southeastern Conference schedule with a three-game series this weekend at Auburn.
The series begins Friday at 8 p.m. ET. Saturday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET, and the series finale is Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
"We have a well balanced offense and it will be interesting to see how we stack up against the great teams in the SEC," UT head coach Rod Delmonico said. "Auburn's going to be ready to play. It's a tough place to play with a great atmosphere and a beautiful stadium."
Tennessee's pitching rotation this weekend will be junior right-handed ace Luke Hochevar (4-1, 1.59 ERA) Friday, sophomore right-hander Sean Watson (4-1, 2.90 ERA) Saturday and freshman lefty James Adkins (3-1, 1.73) Sunday.
The Tigers, led by first-year head coach Tom Slater, boast a 15-5 record so far this season. Auburn's hurlers will be left-hander Arnold Hughey (2-1, 3.82 ERA) Friday, right-hander Josh Sullivan (3-1, 2.09 ERA) Saturday and southpaw Josh Blake (2-1, 4.82 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.
The Tigers lead the all-time series 75-29, dating to 1948. Last season in Knoxville, Auburn took two of three games from the Vols.
"You can never predict what's going to happen in any given weekend," Delmonico said. "And that's what makes this conference so tough."
All three games in the series will be broadcast in the Knoxville area on WNOX AM 990, with 14th-year play-by-play man John Wilkerson calling the action.
