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 No. 1 Tennessee (56-7) hosts No. 17 Notre Dame (38-14) in game one of the Knoxville Super Regional.
First pitch: 6:06 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN2
Listen: Click here
Live Stats: Click here
Starting Lineup
Four Takeaways
Here’s four quick takeaways from Tennessee’s 8-6 loss to Notre Dame in game one of the Knoxville Super Regional:
Rounding 1st — Notre Dame brings the power
Notre Dame hit the third-fewest home runs in the ACC this season. You wouldn’t have known it watching the Irish swing their bats in game one the Knoxville Super Regional.
The Fighting Irish hit a two-run home run in the first inning, a solo home run in the second, a second two-run homer in the third and a three-run shot in the fourth inning. It gave the offense who entered the game averaging 7.7 runs per game an 8-1 lead.
Tennessee’s seven-run deficit was the most it had trailed by all season long. It had not trailed by more than five this season, and had only trailed by five twice this season.
The deficit proved to be too much for the Vols to overcome, leading to a two-run loss.
Rounding 2nd — Gilbert and Anderson ejected
Following a one-out Jordan Beck walk, Drew Gilbert was ejected for arguing balls and strikes when he took a 1-0 pitch for a strike. Gilbert didn't agree with the call and turned around and voiced his displeasure to the umpire.
Pitching coach Frank Anderson was also ejected when he began to run on the field after Gilbert was ejected. Both Gilbert and Anderson will now be suspended for game two on Saturday, as NCAA rules state that any non-head coach ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct is also suspended for the following game.
Anderson will be suspended for three games because it is his second ejection of the season.
Rounding 3rd — Blade Tidwell struggles
Sophomore right-hander Blade Tidwell started for the Vols and struggled over his three innings of work. Tidwell allowed five runs on seven hits, three of which were home runs. He struck out three.
Headed for Home — Win or go home
Tennessee is now in a situation in which it must win on Saturday afternoon in order to keep its season alive. The Vols will start SEC Pitcher of the Year Chase Dollander when first pitch rolls around at 2:06 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Notre Dame will counter with John Michael Bertrand. The two-time All-ACC First-Team pitcher will get the ball coming off a season in which he went 9-2 with a 2.27 ERA.
If Dollander can lead Tennessee to a win, the Vols and Irish will play a game three on Sunday afternoon in which the winner will head to Omaha.
Starting Pitchers
Tennessee's starting pitcher: Sophomore RHP Blade Tidwell (3-1, 2.00 ERA) made his 9th start of the season and his 13th appearance.
Tidwell's season stats entering the game: 36.0 IP, 24 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 11 BB, 48 K, .185 opponent batting average
Notre Dame's starting pitcher: Graduate Senior RHP Austin Temple (4-1, 3.46 ERA) made his 14th start of the season and his 17th appearance.
Temple's season stats entering the game: 65.0 IP, 45 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 31 BB, 86 K, .196 opponent batting average
Key Plays
T-1st: Notre Dame 2 (+2), Tennessee 0
After Ryan Cole led off the game with a single on the first pitch and stole second and advanced to third when Evan Russell's throw sailed into center. After Blade Tidwell bounced back with a strikeout for the first out, Notre Dame first baseman Carter Putz hit a two-run home run to give Notre Dame an early 2-0 lead.
B-1st: Notre Dame 2, Tennessee 0
Seth Stephenson hit an infield single and Luc Lipcius walked to lead off the bottom of the first, but Jordan Beck then grounded into a double play to kill the rally. Then, with Stephenson on third, Drew Gilbert grounded out to second to end the inning.
T-2nd: Notre Dame 3 (+1), Tennessee 0
With one out in the top of the second, Notre Dame second baseman Jared Miller hit a solo home run to extend the Irish's lead to 3-0.
B-2nd: Notre Dame (3), Tennessee 0
Jorel Ortega singled with one out, but Tennessee was unable to take advantage when Blake Burke struck out and Evan Russell popped up to third in foul territory.
T-3rd: Notre Dame 5 (+2), Tennessee 0
Jack Brannigan singled with one out in the third, but was immediately picked off for the second out.
Blade Tidwell then allowed Carter Putz to reach on a two-out single before giving up a two-run homer to Jack Zyska in the third inning that made it a 5-0 game.
B-3rd: Notre Dame 5, Tennessee 1 (+1)
Tennessee was able to get on the board in the bottom of the third after Cortland Lawson was hit by a pitch and Seth Stephenson walked to lead off the inning. They then moved over to second and third on a groundout to shortstop from Luc Lipcius.
It set up Jordan Beck to hit a sac fly to the warning track in center that was just a couple feet away from being a three-run home run. Instead, it pushed one run across to make it a 5-1 game.
The inning ended when Drew Gilbert lined out to left field to strand Stephenson on third.
T-4th: Notre Dame 8 (+3), Tennessee 1
The Irish put runners on first and second with one out in the fourth, and then moved over to second and third on a ground ball to shortstop. With two outs, Will Mabrey — who relieved Blade Tidwell to start the fourth inning — then gave up a three-run home run to Notre Dame third baseman Jack Brannigan that made it an 8-1 game.
Ben Joyce relieved Mabrey, and after a two-out walk, got a strikeout to end the inning.
B-4th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 2 (+1)
Tennessee got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Vols third baseman Trey Lipscomb hit a solo home run to make it 8-2.
The Vols could have gotten more in the inning, but with runners on the corners and two outs, Seth Stephenson flew out to right field for the third out.
T-5th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 2
After Notre Dame singled and walked with two outs to put two runners on, Ben Joyce recored a strikeout to end the top of the fifth.
B-5th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 2
Following a one-out Jordan Beck walk, Drew Gilbert was ejected for arguing balls and strikes when he took a 1-0 pitch for a strike. Gilbert didn't agree with the call and turned around and voiced his displeasure to the umpire.
Pitching coach Frank Anderson was also ejected when he began to run on the field after Gilbert was ejected. Both Gilbert and Anderson will now be suspended for game two on Saturday, as NCAA rules state that any non-head coach ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct is also suspended for the following game.
Seth Stephenson took over for Drew Gilbert in center and Jared Dickey took over in left field.
T-6th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 2
Ryan Cole reached on a fielding error by Cortland Lawson to lead off the sixth. Ben Joyce bounced back, however, with a ground ball, a strikeout, and Jack Brannigan was caught stealing by Evan Russell to end the inning.
B-6th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 3 (+1)
Tennessee got a run back in the sixth when Jorel Ortega led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run. Ortega's 18th homer of the season made it a five-run game.
T-7th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 3
Ben Joyce stranded runners on first and second in the top of the seventh. After a lead off single, and an intentional walk with two outs, Seth Stephenson made a sliding catch in center to strand the pair of runners and end the inning.
B-7th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 5 (+2)
Jordan Beck singled with two out before Jared Dickey drew a four-pitch walk. Beck and Dickey then advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, setting up Trey Lipscomb for a two-run double that made it a three-run game.
Jorel Ortega struck out to end the inning and strand Lipscomb on second.
T-8th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 5
Freshman lefty Wyatt Evans entered to pitch the eighth inning and struck out the first two batters he faced. He would walk the next batter and be relieved by Camden Sewell.
Sewell inherited a runner on first and two outs, and got Carter Putz to line-out to right field to end the inning.
B-8th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 5
Christian Moore led off the bottom half of the eighth with a pinch-hit walk, but the Vols couldn't do anything with it. Evan Russell and Cortland Lawson both struck out to end the inning before Seth Stephenson grounded out to the pitcher to the end of the inning.
T-9th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 5
Camden Sewell hit a batter and gave up a single with two outs, but was able to bounce back with a strikeout to end the inning.
B-9th: Notre Dame 8, Tennessee 6 (+1)
Jordan Beck hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to make it a two-run game, but it's all the Vols would muster in the frame.
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 vs. No. 1 Tennessee, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Saturday, June 12: No. 17 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Tennessee, TBD (TBD)
