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 (45-7, 22-5 SEC) hosts Belmont (35-17, 16-5 OVC) in the final midweek game of the year.
First pitch: 6:02 p.m. ET
Watch: SEC Network+
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Live Stats: Click here
Starting Lineup
Four Takeaways
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s midweek win over Belmont on Tuesday night:
Rounding 1st — Home Run Derby
Tennessee hosted a home run derby on Tuesday night, hitting six home runs on the night to beat Belmont by double-digits.
Drew Gilbert got the derby going early when he smoked a three-run home run into the Vols’ bullpen in the bottom of the first inning. Gilbert’s sixth home run of the season was part of a four-run first inning for the Vols.
Seth Stephenson and Luc Lipcius then hit back-to-back home runs to spark a five-run second inning. After Stephenson hit his into the porches, Lipcius crushed a baseball over the scoreboard in right field. Lipcius’ 14th homer of the season traveled 433 feet.
Stephenson hit his second home run of the game in the third inning. His fourth homer of the season traveled well over the porches.
Jorel Ortega and Christian Moore then hit home runs in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively. Ortega’s 12th home run was a two run-home. Moore’s three-run shot was his 10th of the season.
Tennessee has now hit six home runs in a game twice this season. It also did so against Auburn on April 29. The Vols’ hit a season-high seven home runs against James Madison on March 9.
Rounding 2nd — Zander starts
Sophomore LHP Zander Sechrist made his 11th midweek start of the season against the Bruins and pitched three scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit, didn’t give up a walk and struck out two on 45 pitches, 30 of which were strikes.
Rounding 3rd — Pitching staff shoves
Including Sechrist, eight Tennessee pitchers combined to pitch a shutout as it allowed just four hits for the game. It was the Vols' eighth shutout of the season.
Will Mabrey relieved Sechrist and pitched a scoreless fourth inning courtesy of two strikeouts. Freshman lefty Gavin Brasosky then pitched a scoreless fifth frame.
Fellow freshman LHP J.D. McCracken then pitched a scoreless two innings before handing the ball over to freshman RHP Grant Cherry, who got two outs in the eighth before handing the ball over to Wyatt Evans.
Evans got the final out of the eighth and handed the ball over to freshman LHP Drew Patterson, who got the first two outs of the ninth inning. Ethan Smith then got the final out of the game.
Headed for Home — Senior Day
Tennessee held its Senior Day festivities prior to the final midweek game of the season. Trey Lipscomb, Camden Sewell and Christian Scott participated in Senior Day festivities.
Ben Joyce, Logan Steenstra, Redmond Walsh and Evan Russell were congratulated for graduating. Walsh, Russell and Luc Lipcius went through Senior Day last year as well.
At 46-7 on the season, Tennessee now heads to Mississippi State for the final weekend of the regular season. First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Starting Pitchers
Tennessee's starting pitcher: Sophomore LHP Zander Sechrist (4-0, 1.62 ERA) made his 11th start of the season and his 15th appearance.
Sechrist's season stats entering the game: 39.0 IP, 23 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 41 K, .173 opponent batting average
Belmont's starting pitcher: Freshman RHP Jordan Zuger (2-1, 3.03 ERA) made his 11th start and 11th appearance of the season.
Zuger's season stats entering the game: 32.2 IP, 34 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 14 BB, 19 K, .270 opponent batting average
Key Plays
T-1st: Belmont 0, Tennessee 0
Belmont third baseman Guy Lipscomb doubled with two outs and stole third immediately. Zander Sechrist was able to bounce back with a pop up to Luc Lipcius in foul territory to end the inning and strand the runner.
B-1st: Belmont 0, Tennessee 4 (+4)
Tennessee scored four runs on two hits in the bottom of the first.
After Seth Stephenson walked to lead off the inning, Luc Lipcius hit an RBI single to right field to get the Vols on the board. After Jordan Beck to put a pair of runners on with no outs, Drew Gilbert crushed a three-run home run into the Tennessee bullpen to make it a 4-0 ball game.
Trey Lipscomb walked after Gilbert's sixth home run of the season, but Jorel Ortega flew out to right field, Blake Burke struck out and Cortland Lawson grounded out to shortstop to end the inning and strand Lipscomb.
B-2nd: Belmont 0, Tennessee 9 (+5)
Tennessee scored five runs on four hits in the second inning.
With one out, Seth Stephenson and Luc Lipcius hit back-to-back home runs to make it 6-0 ball game. Stephenson's third home run of the season traveled to left field, while Lipcius' 14th home run soared over the scoreboard in right field.
Jordan Beck then walked and Drew Gilbert was hit by a pitch to set up Trey Lipscomb for a two-run double. Jorel Ortega then hit an RBI double to make it a 9-0 game.
B-3rd: Belmont 0, Tennessee 10 (+1)
Seth Stephenson hit hit second home run of the game in the third to put the Vols up double-digits. It was his fourth home run of the game and traveled 401 feet.
B-4th: Belmont 0, Tennessee 12 (+2)
After Drew Gilbert led off the inning with a walk, Jorel Ortega hit a two-run home run to extend Tennessee's lead to 12-0.
Ortega's 12th homer of the season was 107.7 mph off the bat and travelled 433 feet.
B-5th: Belmont 0, Tennessee 15 (+3)
After Charlie Taylor and Seth Stephenson led off the inning with back-to-back singles, freshman Christian Moore hit a three-run home run to extend Tennessee's lead to 15-0.
B-6th: Belmont 0, Tennessee 17 (+2)
After Christian Moore reached on a fielding error in the sixth that allowed Logan Chambers to score, Kyle Booker hit an RBI single to make it 17-0.
B-7th: Belmont 0, Tennessee 18 (+1)
After Ethan Payne walked and Blake Burke singled, Logan Chambers hit an RBI single that made it 18-0.
Final Box Score
Postgame Media
Where Tennessee is ranked this week:
Perfect Game: No. 1 (-)
USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 1 (-)
D1Baseball: No. 1 (-)
Collegiate Baseball: No. 1 (+1)
NCBWA: No. 1 (+1)
Baseball America: No. 1 (+1)
This Week's Schedule
Tuesday, May 10
Midweek Game – Belmont (0) vs. No. 1 Tennessee (18)
Thursday, May 12
Game 1 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Mississippi State -- 7 p.m. ET
Friday, May 13
Game 2 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Mississippi State -- 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 14
Game 3 – No. 1 Tennessee @ Mississippi State -- 3 p.m. ET
