KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following a pair of midweek victories to open the 2024 home slate, No. 7/9 Tennessee continues its 15-game homestand this weekend with a weekend series against the University of Albany at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over UNC Asheville on Tuesday before exploding for 11 runs in the third inning of Wednesday’s 16-0 run-rule win over ETSU.
TICKET INFORMATION
Limited single-game tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased through AllVols.com.
If you’re a season ticket holder and can’t make it to a baseball game this season, you now have the option to donate your non-conference tickets. Your tickets will be donated back to Tennessee Athletics and will be distributed to the military and/or local charities in the Knoxville area.
All non-conference ticket donations will be accepted until 5 PM the business day before a game. After donating your tickets a gift receipt equal to the ticket value will be emailed to you. You may save that receipt for your tax records.
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM
As we prepare for the next phase in renovations, please pardon our progress… and our dust. Once completed, Lindsey Nelson Stadium will offer fans an unrivaled experience and be among the nation’s finest college baseball venues. We appreciate your support and patience when you enter Lindsey Nelson Stadium this season. Please be advised changes may occur from game to game.
BROADCAST INFO
All three games this weekend will be streamed on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app with Andy Brock (PxP) and VFL Cody Hawn (analyst) on the call.
Fans can also listen to John Wilkerson and Vince Ferrara call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App and the Varsity App.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
GAME 1: RHP AJ Russell (0-0) vs. RHP Owen Birkman (0-0)
GAME 2: RHP Drew Beam (0-0) vs. RHP Connor Eisenmann (0-0)
GAME 3: TBD vs. TBD
SERIES HISTORY
Friday’s series opener will mark the first-ever meeting between the Vols and Great Danes on the diamond.
NOTABLE
Top-Tier Transfers Making an Immediate Impact
Tennessee has already gotten some big-time contributions from its impact transfers. RHP AJ Causey was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week after striking out seven batters in 4.2 shutout innings to earn the win against No. 18/21 Texas Tech on opening night last Friday while third baseman Billy Amick is also off to a hot start with a team high three home runs and seven RBIs through five games. Relief pitchers Nate Snead and Chris Stamos also looked strong on opening weekend, combining for eight strikeouts in eight innings of work.
Home Sweet Home Advantage
Tennessee has been extremely tough to beat at home over the past three-plus years thanks in large part to having one of the best home field advantages in college baseball. The Vols are 116-21 when playing at Lindsey Nelson Stadium since the start of the 2020 season and continue to set attendance records along the way. The Big Orange went 33-5 at home in 2023 with six series sweeps, marking the program’s third consecutive season with 30 or more home victories.
Attendance at Lindsey Nelson Stadium has been rising significantly during the past two-plus years, as 48 of UT’s 50 highest single-game attendance marks have come since the start of the 2021 season (all over 4,000). On Tuesday, Tennessee set a new home opener attendance record in its win over UNC Asheville (4,699) and followed that up with its third largest crowd in program history on Wednesday against ETSU (5,020). UT sold out 23 of their 38 home games last season and posted an attendance of over 4,000 in all but one contest. Its average attendance of 4,369 was a new program record and ranked 10th in the nation.
The AJ Show
The pitching duo of AJ Russell and AJ Causey put on a show in last Friday’s season-opening win over No. 18/21 Texas Tech, combining to pitch all nine innings while striking out 17 Red Raiders’ batters. The AJ’s allowed just two runs on five hits and one walk against a dangerous Texas Tech lineup.
Russell got the starting nod and was nearly unhittable for the first four innings, allowing just one hit while racking up a career-high 10 strikeouts in that span. The first eight outs Russell recorded in the game were via strikeout.
Causey came on in relief of Russell with one out and two runners on in the fifth, and after giving up a two-run single, was able to strand the tying run at third to end the inning and preserve the Vols’ lead. The Jacksonville State transfer allowed just one hit and faced the minimum over the final four innings while racking up seven strikeouts in his 4.2 innings of work to pick up his first win as a Vol.
Causey was named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week for his dominant relief performance.
OPPONENT SCOUT
UAlbany Great Danes
2023 Record: 9-34-1 (3-21 America East)
2023 Postseason: N/A
2024 America East Preseason Poll: 7th
Head Coach: Jon Mueller (25th season)
2023 All-Conference Selections: 2
INF Will Binder (2nd Team)
RHP Matthew Mariano (Rookie Team)
ON DECK
The Vols are slated to play four more home games next week starting with a midweek contest on Tuesday, Feb. 27 against High Point before hosting Bowling Green in a weekend series.
Source: University Of Tennessee
