GAINESVILLE — 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 (34-3, 14-1 SEC) takes on Florida (23-14, 6-9 SEC) in Friday night's series opener.
First pitch: 6:30 p.m. ET
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: Click here
Live Stats: Click here
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s 8-2 win on Friday night in Gainesville to take the series opener over Florida:
Rounding 1st — Burns bounces back
Chase Burns took the mound in game one coming off a pair of poor outings.
Two starts ago against Missouri, Burns lasted just 2.2 innings as he walked four and gave up two runs on three hits. A week later against Alabama, the freshman took his first loss of the season after lasting just three innings. Burns gave up five runs on seven hits against the Tide.
Burns bounced back in strong fashion against Florida, improving to 7-1 on the season as he made his 10th start. He allowed just one earned run on two hits although he walked three. On 98 pitches, 56 of which were strikes, Burns struck out five.
Rounding 2nd — Big second inning
Seven of Tennessee’s eight runs came in the second inning.
The Vols struck for seven runs in the second after Luc Lipcius led off the inning with a walk and Evan Russell doubled down the left field line. Christian Moore and Cortland Lawson then hit back-to-back RBI singles. Two were able to score on Lawson's as Florida right fielder Sterlin Thompson allowed the ball to get past him.
After a Jordan Beck bloop RBI single made it 4-0, Vols third baseman Trey Lipscomb crushed a three-run homer to make it 7-0. It was Lipscomb's 16th home run of the season and he now has 60 RBIs.
Rounding 3rd — Joyce dazzles
Ben Joyce relieved Burns in the seventh inning with one out. The hard-throwing righty proceeded to get a ground ball and a strikeout to end the frame.
In the seventh, Joyce threw seven fastballs. Three were 103 mph, while four of them were 102 mph. His strikeout came on an 85 mph slider.
Joyce had to work out of a jam in the eighth. After he walked the lead off man, he bounced back with a strikeout for the first out before allowing a single to put two runners on. He then got a fly ball to right for the second out and a fly ball to left to get out of the inning.
Headed for Home — No Vitello, no problem
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello served the third game of his four-game suspension. The Vols are now 3-0 since Vitello was ejected last Saturday against Alabama.
Tomorrow will be the final game of Vitello’s suspension. Sophomore RHP Blade Tidwell will start for the Vols on the mound in place of injured RHP Chase Dollander as the Vols go for the series win. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Key Plays
T-1st: Tennessee 0, Florida 0
After a Jordan Beck double and Drew Gilbert walk with two outs, both runners advanced to third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch. Trey Lipscomb grounded out to shortstop, however, to strand the runners and end the inning.
T-2nd: Tennessee 7 (+7), Florida 0
Tennessee struck for seven runs in the second after Luc Lipcius lead off the inning with a walk and Evan Russell doubled. Christian Moore and Cortland Lawson then hit back-to-back RBI singles. Two were able to score on Lawson's as Florida right fielder Sterlin Thompson allowed the ball to get past him.
After a Jordan Beck bloop RBI single made it 4-0, Vols third baseman Trey Lipscomb crushed a three-run homer to make it 7-0. It was Lipscomb's 16th home run on the season. He now has 60 RBIs for the year.
B-2nd: Tennessee 7, Florida 0
After Chase Burns began the frame with back-to-back strikeouts, he allowed his first hit and first walk to put runners on first and second with two outs. Burns worked out of trouble with a fly ball to right field to end the inning and threat.
T-3rd: Tennessee 7, Florida 0
Tennessee couldn't do further damage in the third. After Christian Moore walked and Cortland Lawson singled with one out, Jared Dickey popped up to second for the second out and Jorel Ortega grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
B-3rd: Tennessee 7, Florida 1 (+1)
The Gators got on the board in the third on an RBI groundout after a Luc Lipcius error and Chase Burns walk put a runner on.
T-5th: Tennessee 8 (+1), Florida 1
Tennessee added a run in the fifth after Luc Lipcius led off the inning with a walk for the second time. Lipcius would then steal second and advance to third on a ground ball before scoring on a Cortland Lawson sac fly.
B-5th: Tennessee 8, Florida 2 (+1)
Florida got a run back in the bottom half when designated hitter Mac Guscette hit a solo home run to lead off the inning.
B-8th: Tennessee 8, Florida 2
Ben Joyce worked out of a jam in the eighth. He allowed a lead off walk and a one-out single, but bounced back with a fly ball to right and a fly ball to left to get out of the inning.
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 (8) @ Florida (2)
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
