Vols face Texas size task at Round Rock Classic

The Tennessee baseball team gets its first big test of the season tonight in the Lone Star State as the Vols are set to face off with No. 5 Texas Tech in the opening game of the Round Rock Classic.

The game is the first of three Tennessee will play in east Texas as the Vols will battle Houston Saturday and No. 25 Stanford on Sunday.

The Vols are looking to build off a 4-0 start that’s seen them outscore opponents 53-6, but this weekend presents a new, early season challenge to see where they stack up with college baseball’s best.

“They’re excited about finding out what they can and can’t do,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said. “That’s what good competition does for you. Name brand wise it’ll step up this weekend and it’ll be a little bigger stage; we’re going on the road. Probably like the three other clubs they’re excited to go down there and see what they can do.”

“It’s going to be difficult for sure,” sophomore infielder Jake Rucker said. “We’re going to go in there and play our game. Nothing’s going to change that. It’s just another opponent. We’ll do what we do.”

Let’s see how the Vols opponents stack up.

The Red Raiders are coming off a 2019 campaign that saw them post a 46-20 record making it to Omaha falling in the semifinals to Michigan.

Texas Tech is off to a fast start in 2020 dominating Houston Baptist and Northern California on the opening weekend of the season. In their 4-0 start, the Red Raiders have outscored opponents 65-11.

Redshirt-sophomore Clayton Beeter got the ball in the season opener and turned in a strong debut allowing just two hits and one run in six innings while striking out six.

The hard throwing right-hander was the Red Raiders closer a year ago where he posted a 3.48 ERA in 22 appearances, recording eight saves.

Texas Tech lost some of its best bats from 2019, but they aren’t short on firepower at the plate.

Sophomore Dylan Neuse is back after a debut season that saw him hit .298, eight homers and 51 RBIs. Neuse has shown no signs of a sophomore slump, hitting .571 and six RBIs through the first four games.

Junior infielder Brian Klein hit .315 a season ago while driving in 57 runs. Klein is batting .500 and has walked three times in the first week of the season.

Freshman catcher Nate Rombach is helping replace some of the Red Raiders lost offensive production. In his four starts Rombach is hitting .500 with an astounding five homers in his 14 at-bats.

RHP Chad Dallas will be tasked with slowing down the Red Raider’s dominant offense that has five batters hitting over .500 and seven over .400.

The Orange, Texas native made his first appearance at Tennessee in the Vols’ opener, earning a win in five scoreless innings. The sophomore, junior college transfer surrendered one hit and two walks while striking out four in his debut.

The challenge will rise to a whole new level Friday night against Texas Tech for Dallas. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET.

Tennessee’s Saturday matchup pits the Vols with a traditionally strong Houston program. The expectations were lower for Houston going into the season and the Cougars struggled in their opening weekend series.

The Cougars dropped two out of three at home to Youngstown State with both Houston losses coming in extra innings.

LHP Clay Aguilar will pitch for the Cougars against Tennessee. The junior gave up three unearned runs in Houston’s Saturday loss to Youngstown State. Aguiler surrendered six hits and a walk while striking out five in 5.2 innings.

Aguiler started 13 games as a sophomore posting a 3.06 ERA striking out 73 while walking only 21.

Houston’s bats look quite tame compared to the one Tennessee will see Friday night.

Junior first basemen Ryan Hernandez is the only Cougar hitting over .300, posting a .385 batting average while hitting two homers and driving in four.

The Cougars next best bats are Tyler Bielamowicz, whose hitting .250 and Ian McMillan, whose hitting .200.

Chase Wallace will get the ball on Saturday for the second time this season. Expectations were high for Wallace entering the season and the Sevierville native didn’t disappoint in his debut posting 5.2 scoreless innings allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out two.

First pitch Saturday is set for 3:00 p.m. ET Saturday.

Expectations were high for the Cardinal to open up the season finding themselves in the nation’s top 15. Stanford struggled on the opening weekend dropping two out of three at home to Cal State Fullerton, dropping to No. 25 in the polls.

Stanford couldn’t get things straightened out in the midweek as they fell at Santa Clara, 2-1.

Stanford’s bats have been the source of its shortcomings so far this season. The Cardinal have scored just six runs in their four games as they’ve been outscored 17-6.

Stanford’s Sunday pitcher on opening weekend was Alex Williams. Williams got the win turning in seven innings of one run baseball allowing just two hits and a walk.

Williams posted an 8-1 record as a freshman a year ago starting 10 games and posting a 2.56 ERA.

Predictably, Stanford’s hitting numbers are putrid so far on the season. The team is hitting just .156 with a .200 on-base percentage.

Only two Cardinal players are hitting over .200 and the team has combined for 37 strikeouts and only six walks.

Tennessee hasn’t announced its Sunday starting pitcher. Jackson Leath got the start last Sunday, striking out 12 in 4.2 innings of work. The junior college transfer allowed three earned runs on a pair of walks and hits.

Camden Sewell has yet to make his sophomore debut. The Cleveland, Tennessee native was one of the Vols’ most reliable arms as a freshman posting a 2.18 ERA. Sewell dealt with back injuries this offseason but was clear to work during the preseason.

Sean Hunley is another possible starter. The junior posted four scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Tennessee’s debut and a scoreless inning Tuesday night against Charlotte.

First pitch Sunday is set for noon ET.