KNOXVILLE — Join hundreds of other Tennessee fans in our game thread where you can follow along for live play-by-play updates and commentary as No. 1 Tennessee (33-3) hosts Bellarmine (7-28) in this week's midweek game
First pitch: 6:30 p.m. ET
Watch: SEC Network+
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Here’s four quick takeaways from No. 1 Tennessee’s midweek win over Bellarmine on Tuesday night:
Rounding 1st — Zander deals
Zander Sechrist made his seventh start of the season for the Vols and was excellent once again. The sophomore lefty was perfect in 4.1 innings of work, striking out two and not allowing a hit or a walk on 40 pitches, 31 of which were strikes.
Sechrist improved to 3-0 on the season and has now given up just six runs and six walks in 30.1 innings of work. He has struck out 35.
Rounding 2nd — Bats wake up
Neither team tallied a hit until the bottom of the fifth when Jorel Ortega and Jordan Beck hit back-to-back singles with one out. After Luc Lipcius walked to load the bases, Kyle Booker hit a bases-clearing double to give Tennessee a 4-0 lead. Logan Steenstra then hit an RBI double to score Booker and make it 5-0.
Despite being unable to tally a hit until the fifth, the Vols went on to score eight runs on nine hits over the final four innings.
Tennessee finished the game hitting .364 with two outs, .333 with runners on, .364 with runners in scoring position and .611 in advancement opportunities.
Rounding 3rd — McCracken and Smith struggle
Freshman lefty J.D. McCracken made his Tennessee debut against Bellarmine. McCracken struggled in his first appearance, recording just one out in the sixth.
After giving up a double that resulted in Jorel Ortega gunning down the runner at third on the relay throw for McCracken’s only out, McCracken then gave up a walk and a single before giving up a three-run home run to cut Tennessee’s lead to 5-3.
Vanderbilt transfer Ethan Smith relieved McCracken, making his first appearance since March 8 against James Madison. In just his fourth outing of the season, Smith struck out the first hitter he saw, but then allowed a single and a walk to load the bases.
Junior righty Mark McLaughlin had to relieve Smith. The junior right-hander got the Vols out of the inning to preserve the lead by striking out the Bellarmine hitter on three pitches.
McLaughlin would then pitch a scoreless seventh inning after getting the Vols out of the sixth. He allowed one walk, but didn’t allow a hit and struck out two.
Junior lefty Kirby Connell pitched a scoreless eighth inning courtesy of a double play to end the frame after he gave up a single.
Freshman lefty Drew Patterson pitched in the ninth and although he gave up a leadoff single, got a double play for the first two outs. Fellow freshman lefty Gavin Brasosky then came in and got the final out of the game.
Headed for Home — Vitello still serving suspension
Pitching coach Frank Anderson returned from his one-game suspension on Tuesday night while Tony Vitello sat out the second game of his four-game suspension. Vitello is scheduled to return on Sunday for the series finale of this weekend’s series between Tennessee and Florida.
Both game one and game two in Gainesville this weekend will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET. Sunday’s finale will begin at 12 p.m. ET. All three games will be aired digitally on SEC Network+.
Key Plays
B-1st: Bellarmine 0, Tennessee 0
Jorel Ortega reached on an error by the Bellarmine shortstop and Jordan Beck walked to put two runners on with one out, but the Vols were unable to take advantage as Luc Lipcius flew out to left and Trey Lipscomb grounded out to first.
B-4th: Bellarmine 0, Tennessee 1 (+1)
Despite Tennessee not having a hit through four innings, the Vols took a 1-0 lead in the fourth as a result of a Bellarmine walk, hit by pitch and error.
B-5th: Bellarmine 0, Tennessee 5 (+4)
Tennessee recorded its first two hits of the game when Jorel Ortega and Jordan Beck both singled with one out in the fifth. After Luc Lipcius walked to load the bases, Trey Lipscomb struck out for the second out of the inning.
Kyle Booker picked Lipscomb up though, hitting a bases-clearing double to right-center to extend the Tennessee lead to 4-0. Logan Steenstra then hit an RBI double to score Booker and make it 5-0.
T-6th: Bellarmine 3 (+3), Tennessee 5
Bellarmine immediately responded with three runs in the sixth off of Tennessee freshman LHP J.D. McCracken who was making his first ever appearance for the Vols.
With one out, McCracken allowed a walk, a single and a three-run home run. After a ground-rule double, senior RHP Ethan Smith entered in relief. With a runner on second and one out, Smith immediately recorded a strikeout for the second out before allowing a single to put runners on the corners. Smith then gave up a walk to load the bases.
Mark McLaughlin relieved Smith on the mound and struck out the Bellarmine hitter on three pitches to end the inning and get the Vols out of the jam.
B-6th: Bellarmine 3, Tennessee 6 (+1)
Tennessee added a run in the sixth when Jorel Ortega hit a triple with two outs and Jordan Beck hit an RBI double to score Ortega from third. It pushed the Vols' lead back to three.
B-7th: Bellarmine 3, Tennessee 8 (+2)
After Luc Lipcius led off the inning with a triple and Trey Lipscomb was intentionally walked, Lipcius was able to score on a wild pitch while Lipscomb advanced to second.
Christian Moore then hit a pinch-hit RBI single through the left side to score Lipscomb and make it 8-3.
B-8th: Bellarmine 3, Tennessee 9 (+1)
Vols infielder Jorel Ortega hit a solo home run in the eighth, his eighth home run of the season.
Final Box Score
Postgame Media
Where Tennessee is ranked this week:
Perfect Game: No. 1 (-)
Collegiate Baseball: No. 1 (-)
NCBWA: No. 1 (-)
USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 1 (-)
D1Baseball: No. 1 (-)
Baseball America: No. 1 (-)
This Week's Schedule
Tuesday, April 19
Midweek Game – Bellarmine (3) vs. No. 1 Tennessee (9)
Friday, April 22
Game 1 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Florida -- 6:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 23
Game 2 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Florida -- 6:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 24
Game 3 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Florida -- 1 p.m. ET
