University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Host Furman/APSU in Midweek Action
February 24, 2008 | Baseball
The Tennessee baseball team hosts a pair of non-conference opponents this week to close out a season-opening five-game homestand at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Volunteers (2-1) host Furman Monday and then welcome intrastate foe Austin Peay on Wednesday. Both games??start at 3 p.m.
Tennessee leads the all-time series with Furman 5-2, dating to 1925. The Paladins turned in a 19-36 (11-16 SoCon) finish last season under head coach Ron Smith, who is in his 15th season at Furman. Monday???s game marks Furman???s season-opener. The club from Greenville, S.C., is led offensively by senior third baseman Bobby Hubbard, who drove in 42 runs on 60 hits a season ago.
The Vols defeated the Paladins 12-7 last year in Knoxville, with current UT junior Aaron Everett earning the win out of the bullpen. Yan Gomes and Shawn Griffin each homered and drove in three runs in that contest.
Redshirt freshman left-hander Bryan Morgado is expected to start on the mound for Tennessee Monday.
Monday???s game is the first of two regular-season meetings between Tennessee and Furman. The Vols will travel to Greenville on May 13 to face the Paladins at West End Field???home of the minor league Greenville Drive (Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox).
Austin Peay, located in Clarksville, Tenn., posted a 40-22 (19-8 OVC) record in 2007. The Vols last faced the Governors in the 2005 NCAA Knoxville Regional, with UT posting a 7-5 victory. Austin Peay alumnus Gary McClure is in his 22nd season as the Govs??? head coach. McClure led Austin Peay to the Ohio Valley Conference championship last season, and the Govs are picked by Collegiate Baseball to repeat as OVC champs in 2008.
Austin Peay went 1-2 in its season-opening series against Valparaiso this past weekend and hosts Western Kentucky Tuesday before heading to Knoxville.
The Big Orange lead the all-time series with Austin Peay 15-2, dating to 1972. All but one meeting has taken place in Knoxville, and Tennessee has won its last six games against the Governors.
First-year UT head coach Todd Raleigh owns a 14-12 (.538) career record against Furman. Raleigh???s teams have never faced Austin Peay.
