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First pitch: 6:46 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN3
Listen: Click here (FREE)
Starting Lineup:
Key Plays:
T-1st: After giving up a single and then a walk with two outs to put runner's on first and second, Will Heflin strikes out designated hitter Brady Gulakowski to get out of the inning and keep Liberty off the board.
B-2nd: Evan Russell hits a one-out single to reach, takes second on a wild pitch, and then moves over to third on a ground ball to first from Luc Lipcius. Jordan Beck was then hit by a pitch and stole second to put runners on second and third for Pete Derkay, who grounded out to second to strand the runners and end the inning.
The game remains scoreless after two innings as the Vols squander an opportunity to deliver an early blow.
T-3rd: Heflin ran into some trouble in the third because of some unfortunate luck. After giving up a two-out single to right, Liberty's Will Wagner singled on a weak ground ball that found a hole on the right side of the infield to put runners on first and second with two outs. Heflin came back with his fifth strikeout of the game to get out of the frame.
Other than a touch of trouble, Heflin has looked great through three innings.
B-3rd: After a two-out double from Max Ferguson into the left field corner, Vols third baseman Jake Rucker laced an RBI single through the right side to give his team an early 1-0 lead.
B-4th: Back-to-back two-out singles from Jordan Beck and Pete Derkay put runners on first and second for catcher Connor Pavolony. After a wild pitch moved up Beck and Derkay to second and third, Pavolony hit a hard ground ball right at the shortstop to strand the fourth and fifth runners on base for the Vols.
B-5th: After Max Ferguson was hit by a pitch to reach, Drew Gilbert launches a two-run homer to extend Tennessee's lead to 3-0. Gilbert now has three home runs on the weekend and has homered in each of the Vols' regional games.
T-6th: Heflin works into trouble and Liberty takes advantage. After Aaron Anderson is hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, he advances to third on a double from Will Wagner. Anderson then scores on a weak ground ball down the third base line to make it 3-1.
With runners on first and second, Brady Gulakowski is rung up on a ball that looked outside to me for the first out of the inning. The 13-pitch battle with Gulakowski signaled the end of the day for Heflin, as Tony Vitello went to the bullpen to get Sean Hunley.
Hunley came in and picked up back-to-back strikeouts to preserve Tennessee's 3-1 lead.
Will Heflin's final line: 5.1 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 8 K (ties career-high), 97 pitches (65 strikes) and in line for the win.
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s win.
Rounding 1st — Big Game Will
A week after Will Heflin got the ball in the SEC Championship Game, the Morristown, Tennessee got the ball on the bump with a chance to send the Vols to Super Regionals.
The senior lefty was excellent against the Liberty, extinguishing the Flames over the course of 5.1 innings of work. Heflin only allowed one run on four hits, gave up just one walk and tied a career-high in strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches, 65 of which were strikes.
Rounding 2nd — Hunley Slams The Door
The only legitimate trouble Heflin ran into came in the bottom of the sixth inning when he allowed his only run of the game. After a hit by pitch, a double and an RBI single in the infield, Tony Vitello elected to bring in Sean Hunley out of the bullpen.
With the tying run in a 3-1 game standing on first for Liberty, Hunley promptly struck out back-to-back batters to get Tennessee out of the jam and preserve the two-run lead.
Tennessee’s best reliever then proceeded to pitch the remainder of the game and close things out for his eighth save of the season. Hunley pitched 3.2 innings, allowed just one hit, didn’t allow a run, gave up just one walk and struck out five on 65 pitches.
Rounding 3rd — Gilbert Does It Again
After playing hero on Friday night with a walk-off grand slam to beat Wright State, Drew Gilbert’s two-run home run in the fifth inning proved to be the difference in the two-run win for the Vols.
Gilbert hadn’t hit a home run prior to the grand slam since March 28 when he hit one to walk-off LSU. Friday night’s homer sparked a big weekend for Tennessee’s starting centerfield. He hit a home run in all three regional games to help lead the Vols.
His play all weekend led to Gilbert being named the Knoxville Regional’s most outstanding player.
Headed for Home — On to Super Regionals
Tennessee is on to the Super Regionals for the first time since 2005. And to put the cherry on top, every time Tennessee has won the Knoxville Regional, it’s advanced to the College World Series.
After sweeping this weekend’s regional, the Vols now await the winner of the Eugene Regional. As of 10 p.m. on Sunday night, Central Connecticut and Gonzaga had been eliminated out west. LSU and Oregon are the only two teams left standing and the Tigers will need to knock off the Ducks twice in order to advance to Knoxville.
2021 Knoxville Regional Schedule
Friday, June 4
Game 1 – Liberty 11, Duke 6
Game 2 – Tennessee 9, Wright State 8
Saturday, June 5
Game 3 – Duke 14, Wright State 6 (Wright State eliminated)
Game 4 – Tennessee 9, Liberty 3
Sunday, June 6
Game 5 – Liberty 15, Duke 4 (Duke eliminated)
Game 6 – Tennessee 9, Liberty 3 (Liberty eliminated, Vols advance)
Monday, June 7 (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Not Necessary