Analyzing Tennessee's opponents in the upcoming Clemson Regional

On Monday afternoon, it was announced that Tennessee will be taking a trip to Clemson to begin the NCAA Tournament.

This is the first time the team has traveled for a regional since 2019 after hosting in 2021 and 2022.

Let's dive into the opponents that stand in the Vols' way from making a third-straight Super Regional.

The top team in the regional is Clemson.

The Tigers earned the No. 4 overall national seed after posting a 43-17 record and a second-place finish in the ACC regular season. However, the team went on a run in the ACC Tournament to claim the conference title.

At home, the Tigers proved to be beatable. They finished 24-10 in their home stadium while being swept by UCF and dropping other winnable games.

The last time Tennessee squared off against Clemson in baseball was in 1997. The Vols lost the game on the road 13-5. Overall, the Tigers lead the series 23-11 and 13-3 while in Clemson.

Leading the way at the plate for the Tigers is Billy Amick. He owns a .418 batting average and has slugged 12 home runs.

On the mound, Rob Hughes has earned the best ERA. He has thrown 13.1 innings while posting a 1.35 ERA and 0.84 WHIP.

To begin the regional, Tennessee will face off with Charlotte.

The 49ers finished the year with a 34-26 record while finishing third in the Conference USA. However, the team surged through the conference tournament to take the title.

Away from home, Charlotte has been inconsistent. It owns a 15-14 record including road losses to Clemson and UNCW and allowed sweeps against Virginia Tech and WKU. On the other hand, the 49ers have also taken road matches against Coastal Carolina and South Carolina who are both regional hosts.

Tennessee has a short history against Charlotte. The last time the programs met, the 49ers won 9-0 on their home field in 2021. However, the Vols hold a 4-2 series advantage.

Likely starting the opening game against Charlotte will be Andrew Lindsey. The Vols' starter pitched for the 49ers in 2021 before transferring.

The best batter for Charlotte is Cam Fisher. The Knoxville native is batting at a .352 average while mashing an NCAA-high 30 home runs.

On the mound, Wyatt Hudepohl is the starter with the best ERA. He owns a 4.44 mark with a 1.17 WHIP.

Rounding out the regional is in-state rival, Lipscomb.

From Nashville, the Bisons posted a 36-24 record. They finished first in the ASUN during the regular season and parlayed it into a tournament championship.

Away from home, Lipscomb owns an 18-17 record. This includes losses to Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and Evansville and allowed sweeps at Auburn and Mississippi State. The Bisons have won at Louisville and Arkansas, though.

Due to proximity, the Vols typically play Lipscomb every season. This year, Tennessee took down the Bisons 10-0 at home. Overall, the Vols own a 13-2 advantage in the series.

Their best batter statically is Trace Willhoite. He has earned a .311 average while smacking 17 home runs.

The starting pitcher with the highest ERA is Logan Van Treeck. He's posted a 3.50 ERA and 0.91 WHIP.

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