University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Host Austin Peay Tuesday
February 23, 2009 | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2009
The Tennessee baseball team concludes its four-game, season-opening home stand Tuesday afternoon when it hosts the Austin Peay Governors. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., and the game marks UT's first midweek contest of the season.
The Vols are 1-1 after splitting a two-game, opening-weekend series against Oregon State. The third game of the series was cancelled due to snowy conditions on Sunday. Tennessee rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the Friday night's game 5-4. Freshman pitcher Will Locante earned the victory after pitching one-third of an inning.
Junior right-hander Stephen McCray (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start on the mound for Tennessee Tuesday, while Austin Peay sends junior right-hander Ricky Marshall (0-0, 15.43 ERA) to the hill.
McCray was scheduled to start UT's Sunday game against OSU but was moved back with the cancellation. The Lilburn, Ga., native is a junior-college transfer from Young Harris College. In 2008, he posted a 10-2 record with a 3.31 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 92-1/ 3 innings.
Sophomore outfielders Josh Liles and Kentrail Davis led the Vols at the plate during the opening weekend. Liles leads the team with a .444 average, going 4-for-9 with a double and two RBI. Davis went 2-for-5 (.400) with five runs scored, four walks, a stolen base and hit his first home run of the season.
The Governors bring a 0-4 record into Tuesday's game and are hitting .175 as a team with a 6.40 staff ERA. Senior first basemen Brooks Hunton leads the club with a .308 batting average and four hits, three of which are doubles. He also leads the team with three RBI.
Tennessee leads the all-time series with Austin Peay 16-2, dating back to 1972. The last meeting between the two teams was April 8, 2008 in Knoxville. The Volunteers came away with the victory, 16-13.
