University of Tennessee Athletics
Rivals collide as Vols host Vandy
May 01, 2008 | Baseball
Game Notes (PDF)
The Tennessee baseball team enters the final three weekends of Southeastern Conference play in a tie for fourth place in the overall league standings. This weekend???s three-game home series against midstate rival Vanderbilt???the league???s third-place team???will be crucial to both team???s fortunes as they battle for position in the always-grueling SEC race.Game times for this weekend???s action at Robert M. Lindsay Field at Lindsey Nelson Stadium are set for 7 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Saturday???s game will be televised regionally on FSN South as the ???SEC Game of the Week.??? All three games will be broadcast on the radio in the Knoxville area on WNML AM 990, FM 99.1 & 99.3. And the radio broadcasts also can be accessed for free online at UTsports.com.
Vanderbilt (31-13, 11-9 SEC) is ranked as high as 13th nationally and was picked by the SEC head coaches to win the 2008 SEC regular-season championship. Tennessee (25-20, 11-10 SEC) was picked by the coaches to finish last in the league.
The Commodores rank second in the SEC with a .305 team batting average, and Vandy???s pitching staff ranks second in the league with 429 total strikeouts on the year. National Player of the Year candidate Pedro Alvarez is back in the Vanderbilt lineup after missing a significant portion of the season with an injury. The junior All-America is batting .299 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 21 starts.
Tennessee needed just 45 games this season to match last year???s 59-game total of 49 home runs. The Vols??? power numbers have increased as the season has progressed, and 27 of UT???s longballs have been hit during SEC play (55.1 percent). Interestingly, Tennessee???s slugging percentage in SEC games (.456) is higher than the team???s overall slugging rate (.450).
Solid pitching during conference play also has helped UT???s fortunes this season. In fact, Tennessee???s top-two weekend starters???sophomore Nick Hernandez and redshirt-freshman Bryan Morgado???have combined to post a 3.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in SEC games while limiting league opponents to a .258 average at the plate.
Friday???s pitching matchup features Hernandez (1-3, 4.82 ERA) against Vanderbilt left-hander Mike Minor (4-3, 3.86 ERA). Morgado (5-2, 3.20 ERA) will start for the Vols Saturday, and the Commodores??? starter is expected to be freshman right-hander Caleb Cotham (6-3, 3.77 ERA). Nick Christiani (5-2, 3.64 ERA) will start for Vanderbilt Sunday, while Tennessee has not announced its starter for the series-finale.
Numerous promotions are slated to take place at the ballpark this weekend.
Friday is ???Finals Break Night,??? with free hot dogs and drinks available for UT students in the left-field bleachers. Students cleaning out their dorm rooms and apartments are encouraged to drop off items at a Goodwill collection station set up in front of the stadium. Hot dogs for all fans will be available for $1 Friday, and a fireworks show will follow the game.
Tennessee???s ???Family Plan??? ticket package is available for Saturday???s game. For just $20, families receive four tickets, a large pizza and a baseball autographed by junior third baseman Cody Brown.
Sunday is ???Fan Appreciation Day,??? with all kids (age 17 and under) receiving free admission as well as a coupon for a free hot dog and drink. Kids can run the bases after the game, and fans can visit with the Vols on the field after the series-finale as well.
Should inclement weather threaten the status of any game this weekend, fans are encouraged to call (865) 974-5555 to receive the most up-to-date information regarding the game???s status before heading to the ballpark.
