KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Join hundreds of other Tennessee fans in our game thread where you can follow along for live play-by-play updates and commentary as Tennessee (57-8) and Notre Dame (39-15) square off in game two of the Knoxville Super Regional with Omaha on the line.
The Fighting Irish won game one on Friday night 8-6 before Tennessee responded with a 12-4 win on Saturday in game two to even the series.
First pitch: 1:06 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN
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Starting Lineup
Four Takeaways
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s season-ending 7-3 loss to Notre Dame in Game 3 of the Knoxville Super Regional:
Rounding 1st — Irish win it late
Tennessee was 49-0 when leading after the sixth inning this season — that is until the final day.
Notre Dame scored six runs in both the seventh and eighth inning after Tennessee led for the first six innings of the game. The Irish scored three runs on two home runs in the seventh to take the lead before scoring three in the eighth to tack on some insurance runs.
Tennessee was unable to generate any offense over the final three innings.
Rounding 2nd — Vols turn to the freshman
The Vols started true freshman Chase Burns on the mound. Burns was stellar for 6.2 innings before Notre Dame hit two home runs off of him in the seventh to take the lead.
Burns lasted 6.2 innings, allowed four runs on five hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 92 pitches, 59 of which were strikes.
Rounding 3rd — Bullpen struggles
Tennessee's bullpen struggled to keep it a one-run game after Notre Dame took the lead on Burns.
After Camden Sewell got the final out of the seventh, he hit the first batter of the eighth to put a runner on base. After a Trey Lipscomb throwing error, Notre Dame hit a two-out double off of Kirby Connell to make it 6-3. The Irish then hit an RBI single to make it a four-run game.
Headed for Home — Stephenson gets hot
Vols left fielder Seth Stephenson was the lone bright spot outside of a Luc Lipcius solo home run in the first inning.
Stephenson had an RBI single in the second inning, and then an RBI double in the fifth inning. He accounted for two of the three Tennessee runs as he finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the day.
Starting Pitchers
Tennessee's starting pitcher: Freshman RHP Chase Burns (8-1, 2.69 ERA) made his 14th start of the season and his 17th appearance.
Burns' season stats entering the game: 73.2 IP, 60 H, 27 R, 22 ER, 24 BB, 98 K, .216 opponent batting average
Notre Dame's starting pitcher: Graduate Junior RHP Liam Simon (2-0, 4.67 ERA) made his 6th start of the season and his 15th appearance.
Simon's season stats entering the game: 27.0 IP, 18 H, 17 R, 14 ER, 22 BB, 49 K, .182 opponent batting average
Key Plays
B-1st: Notre Dame 0, Tennessee 1 (+1)
Luc Lipcius hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the first to give Tennessee an early 1-0 lead. It was home run No. 40 of Lipcius' career to break the program record.
Jordan Beck then walked on four pitches after the Lipcius homer, but Drew Gilbert and Trey Lipscomb grounded out back-to-back to end the inning and strand Beck.
T-2nd: Notre Dame 1 (+1), Tennessee 1
Notre Dame designated hitter Jack Zyska led off the inning with an infield single and then stole second and third with no outs. He then scored on an RBI groundout from catcher David LaManna to tie the game at one.
Chase Burns gave up a two-out walk later in the inning to Zack Prajzner, but Evan Russell immediately threw him out trying to steal to end the frame.
B-2nd: Notre Dame 1, Tennessee 2 (+1)
Jorel Ortega walked on four pitches to lead off the bottom of the second. Jared Dickey and Evan Russell then struck out, but with two outs, Cortland Lawson walked to put runners on first and second.
Seth Stephenson stepped to the plate and smoked an RBI single down the left field line to score Ortega from second and give Tennessee a 2-1 lead.
Luc Lipcius then flew out to right field to end the inning and strand two runners.
T-3rd: Notre Dame 1, Tennessee 2
Brooks Coetzee reached on a Chase Burns error to lead off the inning, but was immediately thrown out by Evan Russell when trying to steal.
B-3rd: Notre Dame 1, Tennessee 2
Jordan Beck was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, but the Vols couldn't take advantage when Drew Gilbert popped up to third, Trey Lipscomb struck out and Beck was caught stealing to end the inning.
B-5th: Notre Dame 1, Tennessee 3 (+1)
After Cortland Lawson singled to lead off the inning, Seth Stephenson smoked an RBI double down the left field line to score Lawson all the way from first and extend the Tennessee lead to 3-1.
Jordan Beck later walked with one out to put runners on first and second, but Drew Gilbert popped up to short and Trey Lipscomb grounded out to end the inning.
B-6th: Notre Dame 1, Tennessee 3
Jared Dickey singled with one out in the sixth, but Evan Russell grounded into a double play to wipe it out and end the inning.
T-7th: Notre Dame 4 (+3), Tennessee 3
Notre Dame first baseman Carter Putz doubled with one out in the seventh to bring the tying-run to the plate, and after Chase Burns got a pop up to third for the second out, David LaManna hit a two-run home run into the Tennessee bullpen to tie the game at 3-3.
A batter later, Jack Brannigan crushed a solo home run to left to give Notre Dame a 4-3 lead.
T-8th: Notre Dame 7 (+3), Tennessee 3
After a hit by pitch to lead off the inning and an error on Trey Lipscomb with one out to put runners on, Jared Miller bunted them over to second and third. With two outs, Carter Putz hit a two-run double to make it a 6-3 game.
Notre Dame added another run on an RBI single with two outs from Jack Zyska.
B-8th: Notre Dame 7, Tennessee 3
After Drew Gilbert reached on an error, he was caught stealing for the second out of the inning.
T-9th: Notre Dame 7, Tennessee 3
Redmond Walsh worked around a two-out double to throw up a zero on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth.
B-9th: Notre Dame 7, Tennessee 3
Christian Moore walked with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Evan Russell grounded into a double play to end Tennessee's season.
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 (-)
NCBWA: No. 1 (-)
Baseball America: No. 1 (-)
This Week's Schedule
Friday, June 10: No. 17 Notre Dame (8) vs. No. 1 Tennessee (6)
Saturday, June 11: No. 17 Notre Dame (2) vs. No. 1 Tennessee (12)
Saturday, June 12: No. 17 Notre Dame (7) vs. No. 1 Tennessee (3)
