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First pitch: 4:30 p.m. ET
Stream: SEC Network+
Listen: Click here
Live Stats: Click here
Starting Lineup:
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s midweek win over UNC Asheville.
Rounding 1st — Joyce dazzles
Tennessee RHP Ben Joyce dazzled on Wednesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The hard-throwing righty tossed a scoreless inning in relief and consistently touched 101, 102 and 103 on the radar gun. Joyce also utilized a filthy slider and changeup.
He gave up one hit, but didn't allow a walk and recorded two strikeouts.
Rounding 2nd — Home Run Derby
Tennessee hit five home runs for 16 runs to power itself past UNC Asheville. Jordan Beck got things going with his first home run of the season in the first inning — a solo shot to left.
Christian Moore hit his first career homer in the second inning, a two-run shot to deep left-center, before Trey Lipscomb and Luc Lipcius hit back-to-back homers in the third inning.
Seth Stephenson hit his second homer of the season in the seventh inning.
Rounding 3rd — Lefties impress
Zander Sechrist (W, 1-0) received the start and impressed. He pitched three scoreless innings and struck out seven batters in a row in the process. Sechrist didn't allow a hit and just one walk in his first career win.
Freshmen lefties Wyatt Evans and Gavin Brasosky also got in on the action and impressed. Evans pitched a scoreless fourth inning, while Brasosky did as well despite two walks, respectively.
Sophomore lefty Jake Fitzgibbons was even more impressive, striking out two in a scoreless seventh.
Headed for Home — Christian Moore flexes
Moore's first career homer was an absolute bomb to put Tennessee up 5-0 in the second inning. The ball was 105 mph off the bat and traveled 405 feet to deep left-center.
It was Moore's first career start. As the designated hitter, Moore finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs and two walks.
Key Plays:
T-1st: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 0
Making his first career start, Tennessee sophomore lefty Zander Sechrist gave up a one-out walk, but came back with back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side to get out of the inning.
B-1st: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 1 (+1)
Vols right fielder Jordan Beck hit his first home run of the season in the bottom of the first. Beck's solo shot was a missile out to left field.
Drew Gilbert followed up Beck with a two-out triple into the right field corner, but Trey Lipscomb grounded out to third to strand Gilbert.
B-2nd: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 5 (+4)
Tennessee scored four runs in the second inning to extend its lead to 5-0.
Luc Lipcius hit a double, stole third and then scored on a ball that rolled into the dugout before Logan Chambers hit a sac fly to make it 3-0. Freshman Christian Moore then hit a two-run homer to make it 5-0.
T-3rd: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 5
The third inning was the final of sophomore lefty Zander Sechrist's first career start. He struck out seven in three scoreless innings of work and all seven strikeouts were in a row. Sechrist gave up one walk, but didn't allow a hit on 47 pitches.
B-3rd: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 7 (+2)
Luc Lipcius and Trey Lipscomb got in on the home run derby in the third inning, hitting back-to-back solo shots to extend the lead to 7-0.
T-4th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 7
Freshman lefty Wyatt Evans was impressive in his debut. Relieving Zander Sechrist on the mound, Evans pitched up a scoreless fourth and only gave up one hit. He threw 12 strikes on 17 pitches.
B-4th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 11 (+4)
Tennessee scored four runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 11-0.
Jordan Beck hit a sac fly deep to right field, Drew Gilbert hit an RBI single through the right side, Trey Lipscomb hit a deep sac fly to left and Logan Steenstra hit an RBI double down the left field line.
T-5th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 11
Hard-throwing Ben Joyce relieved Wyatt Evans on the mound and dazzled. The righty touched 103 mph four times in the inning as he didn't give up a run despite give giving up a two-out double.
Joyce also touched 101 and 102 on the gun several times, and also broke out a filthy slider and unfair changeup.
B-5th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 12 (+1)
Tennessee extended the lead to 12-0 in the fifth with a bases loaded walk from outfielder Christian Scott.
T-6th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 12
Freshman lefty Gavin Brasosky entered in relief to start the sixth and after loading the bases on two walks and a single, recorded a strikeout to strand the bases loaded.
B-7th: UNC Asheville 0, Tennessee 16 (+4)
Ethan Payne doubled, Hunter Ensley walked and Jared Dickey hit a single to load the bases with no outs. Christian Scott then stepped to the plate and hit into an RBI groundout in Payne from third to make it 13-0.
With runners on the corners and one out, Seth Stephenson then hit a three-run home run to left field to extend the lead to 16-0.
B-9th: UNC Asheville 1 (+1), Tennessee 16
UNC Asheville's Kevin Catrine hit a solo home run off Mark McLaughlin to breakup the shutout.
Final Box Score:
This Week's Schedule
Tuesday, February 22
Midweek game – Tennessee Tech vs. Tennessee -- GAME SUSPENDED
Wednesday, February 23
Midweek game – UNC Asheville (1) vs. Tennessee (16)
Friday, February 25
Game 1 – Iona vs. Tennessee -- 4:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, February 26
Game 2 – Iona vs. Tennessee -- 1 p.m. ET
Sunday, February 27
Game 3 – Iona vs. Tennessee -- 1 p.m. ET
