University of Tennessee Athletics
BASEBALL CENTRAL: Smoky Mountain Challenge
April 25, 2017 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Following Tennessee Baseball's 14-inning thriller last weekend at No. 20-ranked Texas A&M, the Volunteers and the ETSU Buccaneers meet at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tenn., on Wednesday night in the first-ever Smoky Mountain Challenge.
More Info
Game Time & Broadcast Info
- Opponent: ETSU Buccaneers
- Date: Wednesday, April 26
- Game: Wed. 4/26 at 6:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Smokies Stadium (Kodak, Tenn.)
- Radio: UTSports.com
- Live Stats: UTSports.com
Tennessee (20-17, 5-13 SEC)
Roster Schedule 2017 Stats
ETSU (19-18, 2-10 SoCon)
Roster Schedule 2017 Stats
The game on Wednesday, April 26 at Smokies Stadium -- home of the Tennessee Smokies - is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET with gates opening at 5 p.m.
Multiple ticket options are still available for fans planning to attend the game. Field level seating prices are $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors and $5 for current UT and ETSU students. The Smokies are also offering "All You Can Eat" options ranging from $19 for adults, $17 for children, and $15 for students.
For more ticket information, fans are encouraged to call (865) 286-2300, visit SmokiesBaseball.com, or visit the Smokies Box Office between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET.
The matchup in Smokies Stadium will mark Tennessee's fourth game played in the minor league ballpark since 2002. The previous three games were played as part of the Tennessee Classic, an exhibition series between the Vols and the Double-A Smokies. The Orange and White last played in Smokies Stadium on April 4, 2006, when the then-Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated UT, 8-0.
The Vols (20-17, 5-13 SEC) enter Wednesday's matchup versus ETSU (19-18, 2-10 SoCon) after winning the series finale versus No. 20 Texas A&M, 5-3, in 14 innings. The win marked UT's first-ever in College Station, Texas, as well as Tennessee's fourth-straight win in extra-inning contests this season. UT is now 5-1 in extra-inning games in 2017.
On the season, the Volunteers are scheduled to play 15 of their 55 regular season games against five 2016 NCAA postseason participants.
Pitching Matchup
- Wed. April 26 at 6:00 p.m. ET - RHP Will Neely (1-1, 5.06 ERA) vs. TBA
Tennessee vs. ETSU
- All-time vs. ETSU: Tennessee leads, 62-17
- In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 35-7
- In Johnson City: Tennessee leads, 27-10
- Last 10 Games: Tennessee leads, 7-3
- Last Meeting: Vols lost, 10-2, in Johnson City (4/11/17)
- Dave Serrano vs. ETSU: 7-4 since 2012
Tennessee plays ETSU in the second of three midweek games between the programs this season on Wednesday. On April 11, senior infielder Jordan Rodgers led UT at the plate with a 3-for-5 effort, while outfielders Justin Ammons (2-for-4) and Dom Thornton (2-for-4) each added two hits for UT in the Vols' 10-2 loss to ETSU.
Scouting the Bucs
- East Tennessee State heads into Wednesday's contest having just dropped three games at Furman last weekend, including a 6-3 loss in the series finale on Sunday.
- ETSU boasts conference wins over Mercer and UNCG, who rank first and third in the SoCon, respectively.
- Offensively, the Bucs have six players hitting over .300 on the season. Christian Bailey leads the team with a .395 batting average including a team-best 62 hits and 36 RBI.
- On the mound for the Bucs, Ryan Simpler, Jamin McCann and Blake Smith have combined for 28 of ETUS's 37 starts this year. Simpler owns the best ERA on the starting staff at 3.60 and McCann has allowed the fewest hits at 44. Simpler and Smith have combined for 125 strikeouts through 125.0 innings pitched.
Tennessee on [Rocky] Top
UT on NCAA charts (as of April 24):
- Team Hits Allowed/Nine Innings: 46th (8.37)
- Team WHIP: 46th (1.30)
- Jordan Rodgers: 1.56 hits per game (32nd)
- Hunter Martin: two complete games (24th) 10 games started (28th)
As a team, Tennessee ranks among the SEC's Top 10 in the following categories (as of April 24):
- Batting Average: 9th (.277)
- On Base Percentage: 7th (.370)
- Team Triples: 2nd (11)
- Team Walks: 7th (164)
- Team Stolen Bases: T-7th (41)
- Team ERA: 9th (3.84)
- Batters Struck Out Looking: 9th (104)
- Runners Picked Off: 8th (5)
- Fewest Hits Allowed: 5th (312)
- Fewest Runs Allowed: 7th (168)
- Fewest Walks Allowed: 5th (125)
- Fewest Doubles Allowed: T-2nd (54)
- Fewest Home Runs Allowed: 4th (21)
- Double Plays Turned: 7th (32)
Vols rank among the SEC's Top 10 in the following categories (as of April 24):
- Jeff Moberg: 9 HBP (T-8th)
- Jordan Rodgers: .371 average (4th) and 56 hits (9th)
- Pete Derkay: .456 OBP (6th), 29 walks (6th) and 1.000 fielding percentage (T-1st)
- Andre Lipcius: 313 putouts (5th) and 29 double plays fielded (4th)
- Dom Thornton: 1.000 fielding percentage (T-1st)
- Hunter Martin: 65.1 innings pitched (4th), 65 batters struck out (9th), 26 batters struck out looking (T-3rd) and fewest walks allowed (12 - T-10th)
- Garrett Stallings: fewest walks allowed (9 - T-5th)
- Zach Linginfelter: two runners picked off (T-8th) and fewest hits allowed (37 - T-8th)
- Jon Lipinski: 15 games finished (4th)
The 2017 Volunteers
- The Vols' 2017 roster boasts 17 newcomers including 14 true freshmen, two JUCO transfers and one graduate transfer.
- Keep on Walking: With his walk on Sunday night vs. Texas A&M, Pete Derkay now has a team-leading 29 walks on the season, which ranks T-6th in the SEC through 37 games.
- Rodger(s) That: Senior Jordan Rodgers has reached base safely in every game started this year (36), while his .371 batting average currently ranks fourth-best in the SEC.
- More on Martin...: Senior Hunter Martin ranks tied for third in the SEC with 26 batters stuck out looking as well as fourth with 65.1 innings pitched on the year. With his complete game effort last Friday at Texas A&M, Martin became the first UT pitcher to record multiple complete games in a single season since Zack Godley did so in 2013 (6).
- The Vols have combined for 91 extra-base hits this year, including 22 home runs (surpassing 2016's complete season total).
- Despite losing seven positional starters from the 2016 season, UT returns 18 lettermen including six true seniors.
Knoxville-Johnson City Connections
- The Bucs have seven players on the 2017 squad who claim Knoxville as their hometown, including Matt Turner who competed with Vol sophomore Will Neely at Hardin Valley Academy.
- VFL Drake Owenby's younger brother, Hagen Owenby, catches for ETSU. In 2016, he led the Bucs in batting average (.374), at bats (235), hits (88), home runs (17) and slugging percentage (.660).
- Tennessee's Zach Linginfelter played with ETSU's Dillon Cate on Sevier County High School's baseball team in 2013.
Weekend Recap
Friday (4/21)
- Led by a complete-game effort from senior Hunter Martin, Tennessee took a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the ninth vs. No. 20-ranked Texas A&M but was outlasted, 2-1, on Friday at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
- In his 10th start of the year, Martin (4-4) dealt his second complete effort in as many games (also, vs. Auburn) and became the first Volunteer pitcher to record multiple complete games in a single season since Zack Godley (6) did so in 2013.
- The Volunteers matched the Aggies with seven total hits on Friday, led by Jordan Rodgers (2-for-4, RBI) and Luc Lipcius (2-for-4).
Saturday (4/22)
- Tennessee allowed just four hits at No. 20-ranked Texas A&M on Saturday, but the Aggies took advantage of an early error and scoring opportunity to come out on top, 3-1.
- Making his fourth start of the season, freshman Garrett Stallings went a career-long 7.0 innings in the loss.
- Freshman Luc Lipcius led UT's offense with a 2-for-4 effort in his first start in right field since the Vols' season opener.
Sunday (4/23)
- Gridlocked at a 3-3 tie entering the 14th inning with No. 20-ranked Texas A&M on Sunday, an RBI single and bases loaded walk gave the Vols a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish in their series finale at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
- The Aggies fought back in the bottom of the 14th, putting two runners on base, but a called third strike from reliever Andrew Schultz secured Tennessee's win.
- Jeff Moberg (2-for-5), Luc Lipcius (2-for-6, RBI) and Jordan Rodgers (2-for-7, 2 RBI) led UT's lineup on Sunday as the offense combined for three doubles in the finale at Texas A&M, its most since March 28 vs. Tennessee Tech (W, 6-0).
- In the top of the 14th, Lipcius delivered the go-ahead single through the left side, scoring Matt Waldren from second before a base-loaded walk by Pete Derkay would bring one more across to give UT a 5-3 lead.
- Entering the game in the seventh, freshman Zach Linginfelter went 7.0 scoreless innings in relief, fanning a career-high eight batters while allowing just three hits for the win.
- Schultz finished the game in the bottom of the 14th, picking up the save with 1.0 scoreless inning and one strikeout.
On Deck for the Vols
- SEC play continues for the Vols with a three-game set in Nashville as Tennessee visits the Vanderbilt Commodores from Friday, April 28 -- Sunday, April 30.
