University of Tennessee Athletics
BASEBALL CENTRAL: Tennessee Hosts #11 LSU (May 13-15)
May 12, 2016 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Volunteers (26-23, 7-17 SEC) begin their final Southeastern Conference series on Rocky Top this weekend, hosting the No. 11-ranked LSU Tigers (33-16, 14-10 SEC) from Friday, May 13 - Sunday, May 15 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Series Info
Tennessee vs. LSU Series
- Opponent: #11 LSU Tigers (33-16, 14-10 SEC)
- Date: Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. ET
- Date: Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m. ET
- Date: Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. ET
- Venue: Lindsey Nelson Stadium (Knoxville, Tenn.)
- Radio: UTSports.com
- Broadcast: SEC Network/SEC Network+
Tennessee (26-23, 7-17 SEC)
Roster Schedule Stats#11 LSU (33-16, 14-10 SEC)
Roster Schedule StatsThe Volunteers enter their weekend series with a 26-23 overall record, including a 7-17 mark in Southeastern Conference play while the Tigers (33-16, 14-10 SEC) look to claim their fourth-straight series victory over UT since 2010.
In the last contest between the schools, the Tigers took two of three games at Alex Box Stadium in 2014. In Game Two of that series, Tennessee scored two runs in each of the final two frames to snap a seven-game losing streak to LSU and evened the series by handing the sixth-ranked Tigers a 6-3 loss before a crowd of 8,121.
UT's Saturday, May 14 game is will nationally broadcast, with Richard Cross (PxP) and Nick Belmonte (Analyst) delivering the game action via SEC Network television. VFL Rusty Ensor is slated to join former Tennessee Baseball broadcaster and current voice of the Tennessee Titans Mike Keith.
Weekend Rotation
- Friday, May 13 @ 6 p.m. ET: RHP Will Neely (1-2, 4.46 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Lange (6-3, 4.02)
- Saturday, May 14 @ 1 p.m. ET: LHP Zach Warren (5-4, 3.15 ERA) vs. LHP Jared Poché (5-4, 4.05)
- Sunday, May 15 @ 2 p.m. ET: LHP Aaron Soto (4-2, 4.10 ERA) vs. TBA
Tennessee vs. LSU All-Time
- Overall vs. LSU: LSU leads, 52-22
- In Knoxville: LSU leads, 17-13
- In Baton Rouge: LSU leads, 33-8
- Last Meeting: LSU won, 9-4, in Baton Rouge (4/27/14)
- Last 10 Games: LSU leads, 8-2, since 2009
Vols on the Charts
Tennessee owns a collective .291 team batting average, the fifth-best mark in the league. Additionally, UT's 77 stolen bases rank second in the SEC, while they lead the conference with 49 double plays turned over as many games in 2016.
Among SEC opponents, the Volunteers also rank tied for third in doubles (94), fifth in hits (484), tied for seventh in total runs scored (303) and seventh in on-base percentage (.375).
Tennessee on NCAA charts (as of May 10):
- Jordan Rodgers - 53 RBI (T-31st in NCAA), five triples (T-24th in NCAA), six sacrifice flies (T-18th in NCAA), five triples (T-24th in NCAA)
- Nick Senzel - 53 RBI (T-31st in NCAA), 19 doubles (T-14th in NCAA), 23 stolen bases (T-27th in NCAA), six sacrifice flies (T-18th in NCAA)
- Chris Hall - 14 HBP (T-23rd in NCAA)
- Team Double Plays - 49 (T-12th in NCAA)
- Team Stolen Bases - 77 (T-22nd in NCAA)
- Team Sacrifice Flies - 28 (T-16th in NCAA)
Volunteers rank among the SEC's Top 10 in the following categories:
- Chris Hall - 41 runs scored (T-9th), .441 OBP (10th), 14 HBP (3rd)
- Jordan Rodgers - 53 RBI (T-2nd), five triples (T-2nd), six sacrifice flies (T-3rd)
- Nick Senzel - 51 runs scored (3rd), 53 RBI (T-2nd), 19 doubles (1st), eight home runs (T-8th), 107 total bases (T-6th), 32 walks (5th), five sac flies (T-7th), 23 stolen bases (T-1st), .441 OBP (9th), .591 SLG (5th)
- Vincent Jackson - 50 RBI (T-4th), nine HBP (T-7th)
- Steven Kane - four runners picked off (T-2nd)
- Jon Lipinski - 11 games finished (T-9th)
In addition to leading the SEC in double plays turned this year as a team, Jordan Rodgers (1st - 45) also ranks first in the SEC for the most double plays fielded.
Senior Day - Sunday, May 15
Prior to Tennessee's series finale vs. LSU on Sunday, May 15, the Vol Baseball program will honor its eight seniors in a pregame ceremony on the field.
Joining student managers Blake Carver and Riley Clem, Tennessee seniors Andy Cox, Chris Hall, Vincent Jackson, Steven Kane, Derek Lance, Jeff Moberg, Jared Pruett and Tyler Schultz will be recognized by their coaches and teammates for their careers spent with UT Baseball.
A Good Look at LSU
Ranked No. 11 in the nation by Baseball America and No. 13 in the USA Today Coaches Poll this week, LSU enters the series on Rocky Top having just posted a two-game midweek sweep (doubleheader) over Notre Dame.
The Tigers' pitching staff boasts some of the top arms in the conference, with weekend starters Alex Lange and Jared Poché working alongside John Valek III to combine for 17 of LSU's 33 wins. Lange ranks among the Top 10 in the SEC with 88 strikeouts over 80.2 innings pitched.
As a team, LSU holds a .296 team batting average, the fourth-best mark in the league directly ahead of the Volunteers (.291). Six regular starters are hitting above .300 for the Tigers including outfielder Jake Fraley (.328) and Cole Freeman (.311), each with 22-or-more stolen bases on the year.
LSU Head Coach Paul Mainieri is in his 10th season at LSU and owns a 448-177-3 coaching record during that span. Having also coached at St. Thomas University (1983-88), Air Force (1989-94) and Notre Dame (1995-2006), Mainieri is one of only seven active Division I coaches with at least 1,300 career wins (1,312-669-7).
Midweek Recap
The Volunteers gained an advantage over Belmont early Tuesday night. Building on a 2-1 first inning lead, each of UT's starters recorded at least one hit and the pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts in the Vols' 5-3 victory.
Seniors Chris Hall and Vincent Jackson and junior Nick Senzel led the 10-hit effort, totaling four hits and three RBI in addition to two runs scored.
Sophomore Aaron Soto started on the mound for the Orange and White, allowing one run on one hit and striking out two batters through 2.0 innings of work.
Entering the game to start the third inning, righty Jon Lipinski fired two strikeouts in his 2.0 shutout innings pitched to earn his third win of the season.
Andy Cox took to the mound in the eighth to close the game. The lefty fired two strikeouts and allowed just one hit in his 2.0 inning appearance. The performance earned him his third save of the season.
On Deck for the Vols
Tennessee plays its final home game of the 2016 season on Tuesday, May 17 at 6 p.m. ET, hosting the ETSU Buccaneers in midweek action.
From there, UT heads to Athens, Ga., taking on the Georgia Bulldogs for the final conference series of regular season play (Thursday, May 19 - Saturday, May 21).
