University of Tennessee Athletics
Baseball hosts defending MAC Champion EMU
March 05, 2008 | Baseball
UT Game Notes (PDF) | EMU Game Notes (PDF)
The Tennessee baseball team continues its current nine-game homestand when it hosts Eastern Michigan this weekend for a three-game series at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Game times are set for 3 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.
The Volunteers have been hampered by defensive miscues and a lack of offensive production during a recent three-game losing skid and enter this weekend???s series with a 4-4 record. The Big Orange are averaging more than two errors per game and also strand more than nine runners on base per game.
A bright spot for the Vols has been the play of true freshmen Kentrail Davis, Blake Forsythe, Josh Liles and P.J. Polk. That rookie quartet has combined to post a batting average (.266) higher than that of the team as a whole (.255). The four freshmen also combine to account for more than half of the team???s RBI (52 percent) and nearly one-third of the team???s runs (32 percent).
Veteran infielders Cody Brown and Andy Simunic continue to lead Tennessee with batting averages of .385 and .344, respectively. Brown paces the club with seven RBI, while Simunic leads the Vols in hits (11) and stolen bases (6-of-6).
Tennessee???s pitching staff owns a 3.50 ERA and has held opponents to a .216 average at the plate???helping to limit the opposition to an average of less than five runs per game.
Defending Mid-American Conference champion Eastern Michigan and first-year head coach Jake Boss Jr. arrive in Knoxville with their own struggles, as the Eagles are off to an 0-10 start this season. EMU is hitting .246 as a team but has clubbed eight home runs thus far. The Eagles batters strike out an average of nine times per game
Pitching woes have been prevalent for the Eagles, as their staff ERA stands at 12.65. Eastern Michigan???s opponents are hitting at a .400 clip, and Eagles pitchers have issued more walks (49) than strikeouts (44).
EMU junior Kyle Rhoad leads the team with a .357 batting average, eight runs and 15 hits. But he is the only starter hitting better than .300.
This weekend???s pitching matchups feature UT right-hander Steve Crnkovich (2-0, 2.03 ERA) on Friday against Eagles left-hander Kevin Sikora (0-0, 3.46 ERA). Sophomore left-hander Nick Hernandez (0-1, 3.75 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Vols on Saturday opposite EMU right-hander Sean Hoffman (0-2, 17.65 ERA). Sunday???s series-finale features lefty Bryan Morgado (1-1, 0.56 ERA) on the mound for Tennessee; it will likely be a staff day for Eastern Michigan.
Fans are advised that due to a home men???s basketball game on Sunday, many of the parking lots near Lindsey Nelson Stadium will be reserved for those who hold basketball parking permits.
However, paid parking will be available in Lot 23B???located behind the music building and adjacent to the student health center near the corner of Andy Holt Avenue and Pat Head Summitt Street???for $5 per vehicle. Parking in Lot 23B is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the lot is filled. Those who park in that lot could reach the baseball stadium via a short walk south on Pat Head Summitt Street.
Also on Sunday, fans who show their ticket to the men???s basketball game against South Carolina (2 p.m. tipoff) will receive free admission to the baseball series finale against the Eagles. All children age 12 and under also will receive free admission to Sunday???s baseball game and can run the bases after the game.
