The Official #6 Tennessee @ #7 LSU Series Thread (Fri. April 25 7:30PM EDT SECNET+) (Sat. April 26 8PM EDT ESPNU) (Sun. April 27 3PM EDT SEC NETWORK)

[Orangeslide]

Stay calm vol nation, our team will get back on track, 6 of our 9 conference games are at LNS. We need our fan base to bring back the nasty LNS from prior years. I still think our team will come alive and land a top 8 seed and make another strong push to reach Omaha. Russell will start to hit his stride down the stretch as he builds his pitch count up and our bats will regain that dong magic. If we catch and throw accurately this past Friday, we win this series. Tony and our coaching staff are top notch with motivation, I got a feeling TV is going to get our players attention this week, we will come out fighting like hell against Auburn. I’m putting my trust in the best coach in college baseball. Go Vols! Let’s start playing like the defending national champions!

 

[84Volfan]

Sunday games are decided by which teams back end pitching shows up. LSU did, Tennessee’s didn’t. TV saw what I saw based on his post game comments. Some guys weren’t confident enough to pitch in that situation. Only scoring 2 runs was also pitiful. Gotta step up these last 3 weekends.

They didn't have to have much backend pitching. Evans whipped out Ass

 

[wmcovol]

They didn't have to have much backend pitching. Evans whipped out Ass

Those two were their closers. Unfortunately Vols didn’t extend counts to run the pitch count up or score many on Evans so we’ll never know what they had after those two.

 

[taylorvol]

What is, "a valid question given that our starters are juniors, not green freshman."

You have to also take note of how many years the juniors have played at UT. For most it’s either their 1st or 2nd year. It does impact team chemistry, leadership, etc.

# of Years at UT/Class
Fischer. 1 Jr
Kilen. 1. Jr
Antigua. 2. Soph
Curley. 2. Soph
Peebles. 2. Jr
Bargo. 2. Jr
Ensley. 5. R Sr
Chapman 3. Jr.
Marin. 1. Freshman

Key Reserves
Abernathy 1. Freshman
Clark. 1. Freshman
Grimmer. 2. R Freshman
Newstrom 1. Freshman
Lawless. 2. R Freshman

 

[84Volfan]

Those two were their closers. Unfortunately Vols didn’t extend counts to run the pitch count up or score many on Evans so we’ll never know what they had after those two.

I agree didn't get pitching count up and that was the difference, but Evans was still throwing 97 in the 6th. He's going to he hell for the next couple years. Our approach at the plate was not good today.

 

[taylorvol]

quite a conundrum. We may be the “youngest team in the league” but over half our regular starters and pitchers will be gone from this team anyways next year.

Courtesy of the MLB draft and transfer portal. Not to mention, many of the high profile freshman are now 20 and will be draft eligible sophomores.

 

[taylorvol]

This series stings, but I’m still annoyed over the Aggie series. For the life of me, I don’t know how TAMU, playing like they were and run-ruled the first game, comes to Knoxville and whips the Vols twice.

They whipped pretty much everyone until they ran into #1 TX this weekend.

 

[taylorvol]

Stay calm vol nation, our team will get back on track, 6 of our 9 conference games are at LNS. We need our fan base to bring back the nasty LNS from prior years. I still think our team will come alive and land a top 8 seed and make another strong push to reach Omaha. Russell will start to hit his stride down the stretch as he builds his pitch count up and our bats will regain that dong magic. If we catch and throw accurately this past Friday, we win this series. Tony and our coaching staff are top notch with motivation, I got a feeling TV is going to get our players attention this week, we will come out fighting like hell against Auburn. I’m putting my trust in the best coach in college baseball. Go Vols! Let’s start playing like the defending national champions!

Well said. Let’s see how LNS bounces back to a hornets nest just like the BaseVols bounce back against Auburn on Friday! I hope Curley and the entire team receives a thunderous ovation. They hear it and they need it!

 

[AthensVol2007]

Texas luck is gonna run out. They have a ton of one run wins. They still have Arkansas Florida and Oklahoma. Not saying they are bad at all they are very good. But! They won’t beat our 2022 25-5 sec record.

Their pitching is the best in the country and it’s not close. AM came in averaging 9.8 RPG over their last 3 SEC series, they scored 8 total this weekend. They win cause once they get a lead, they don’t give it up.

 

[vol66]

Their pitching is the best in the country and it’s not close. AM came in averaging 9.8 RPG over their last 3 SEC series, they scored 8 total this weekend. They win cause once they get a lead, they don’t give it up.

The little I’ve seen, they look the part.

 

[chuckiepoo]

You have to also take note of how many years the juniors have played at UT. For most it’s either their 1st or 2nd year. It does impact team chemistry, leadership, etc.

# of Years at UT/Class
Fischer. 1 Jr
Kilen. 1. Jr
Antigua. 2. Soph
Curley. 2. Soph
Peebles. 2. Jr
Bargo. 2. Jr
Ensley. 5. R Sr
Chapman 3. Jr.
Marin. 1. Freshman

Key Reserves
Abernathy 1. Freshman
Clark. 1. Freshman
Grimmer. 2. R Freshman
Newstrom 1. Freshman
Lawless. 2. R Freshman

More strong research. Thank you!
Reason that repeat NC are few and far between.

 

[taylorvol]

Their pitching is the best in the country and it’s not close. AM came in averaging 9.8 RPG over their last 3 SEC series, they scored 8 total this weekend. They win cause once they get a lead, they don’t give it up.

Didn’t TX just lose their Friday night starter to injury? If so, those stats might decline soon.

 

[taylorvol]

Starting Pitchers. Years at TN/Class
Doyle. 1. Junior
Phillips. 2. Junior
Kuhns. 1. Freshman
Russell. 3. Junior

Primary Relief Pitchers
Snead 2. Junior
Loy. 2. Soph
Franklin. 1. Junior
Arvidson. 1. Junior
Behnke. 3. Junior
Krenzel. 1. Freshman
Combs. 1. Junior
Breedlove 1. Junior
Hunley. 3. R Soph

 

[vol_smoothie]

You have to also take note of how many years the juniors have played at UT. For most it’s either their 1st or 2nd year. It does impact team chemistry, leadership, etc.

# of Years at UT/Class
Fischer. 1 Jr
Kilen. 1. Jr
Antigua. 2. Soph
Curley. 2. Soph
Peebles. 2. Jr
Bargo. 2. Jr
Ensley. 5. R Sr
Chapman 3. Jr.
Marin. 1. Freshman

Key Reserves
Abernathy 1. Freshman
Clark. 1. Freshman
Grimmer. 2. R Freshman
Newstrom 1. Freshman
Lawless. 2. R Freshman

So should we expect to be better next year, have more experience and more time together as well as some of these highly rated freshmen hopefully becoming productive regulars ?
Do not take my question to mean I have given up on this season.

 

[Christian Lowe]

So should we expect to be better next year, have more experience and more time together as well as some of these highly rated freshmen hopefully becoming productive regulars ?
Do not take my question to mean I have given up on this season.

More of the same. Most of those guys will be gone who are starting. Welcome to the new reality of college sports

 

[taylorvol]

So should we expect to be better next year, have more experience and more time together as well as some of these highly rated freshmen hopefully becoming productive regulars ?
Do not take my question to mean I have given up on this season.

Unsure based on current environment. I’m afraid the NIL era has made it difficult to acquire, develop, and retain top talent. Roster churn is inevitable when you lose elite sophomores and juniors to MLB draft. However, unlimited transfers has made it impossible to predict next years team with any certainty. I’m afraid the days of the Trey Lipscomb’s and Jorel Ortega’s might be long gone. Now that Players can literally transfer every year or hold out for the highest bidder, I’m not sure it will be much more than pickup baseball every year with 65% to 76% new rosters. I sincerely hope I’m wrong but college athletics is headed in the wrong direction.

 

[taylorvol]

Starting Pitchers. Years at TN/Class
Doyle. 1. Junior
Phillips. 2. Junior
Kuhns. 1. Freshman
Russell. 3. Junior

Primary Relief Pitchers
Snead 2. Junior
Loy. 2. Soph
Franklin. 1. Junior
Arvidson. 1. Junior
Behnke. 3. Junior
Krenzel. 1. Freshman
Combs. 1. Junior
Breedlove 1. Junior
Hunley. 3. R Soph

Likely 4 returners next year.

 

[taylorvol]

So should we expect to be better next year, have more experience and more time together as well as some of these highly rated freshmen hopefully becoming productive regulars ?
Do not take my question to mean I have given up on this season.

 

[taylorvol]

You have to also take note of how many years the juniors have played at UT. For most it’s either their 1st or 2nd year. It does impact team chemistry, leadership, etc.

# of Years at UT/Class
Fischer. 1 Jr
Kilen. 1. Jr
Antigua. 2. Soph
Curley. 2. Soph
Peebles. 2. Jr
Bargo. 2. Jr
Ensley. 5. R Sr
Chapman 3. Jr.
Marin. 1. Freshman

Key Reserves
Abernathy 1. Freshman
Clark. 1. Freshman
Grimmer. 2. R Freshman
Newstrom 1. Freshman
Lawless. 2. R Freshman

Maybe 6 of the above return next year.

 

[TigerMan]

Those two were their closers. Unfortunately Vols didn’t extend counts to run the pitch count up or score many on Evans so we’ll never know what they had after those two.

Both have actually been primarily used as mid relievers this season. However, both can come in and give you 3-4 innings and will close games as well. I was really happy to see Evans go 6 today, and it looked like he had more in the tank if needed. He could settle into a starter role. Cowan was actually a starter at Wofford last year, so he could be effective as a starter as well.

But, those two are basically it as far as reliable pen pitchers go for LSU. No one else has shown much promise in league play thus far. LSU has 4 pitchers this year that are really good, and yall saw all of them this weekend: Anderson, Eyanson, Evans, and Cowan. After that, we really have no one else to count on. That could end up being a BIG problem in the post season, especially in bracket play.

I just gotta say again that Doyle is absolutely just next level to anyone I’ve personally seen in college this year. He’s the Paul Skenes of the 2025 season. Just purely dominate. And Phillips was outstanding as well. That’s a great one two punch right there.

 

[vol66]

Both have actually been primarily used as mid relievers this season. However, both can come in and give you 3-4 innings and will close games as well. I was really happy to see Evans go 6 today, and it looked like he had more in the tank if needed. He could settle into a starter role. Cowan was actually a starter at Wofford last year, so he could be effective as a starter as well.

But, those two are basically it as far as reliable pen pitchers go for LSU. No one else has shown much promise in league play thus far. LSU has 4 pitchers this year that are really good, and yall saw all of them this weekend: Anderson, Eyanson, Evans, and Cowan. After that, we really have no one else to count on. That could end up being a BIG problem in the post season, especially in bracket play.

I just gotta say again that Doyle is absolutely just next level to anyone I’ve personally seen in college this year. He’s the Paul Skenes of the 2025 season. Just purely dominate. And Phillips was outstanding as well. That’s a great one two punch right there.

That’s last sentence. Gotta have more than two. We have 9 home games, maybe we can get it sorted, congrats on the series.

 

[vol66]

I know this in the bottom of my heart, depth of soul…and I made a mistake earlier, I said we’re young, inexperienced is more accurate.

There are a bunch of kids on the bench, elbows on the rails, dying for the opportunity all highly regarded,

We got 9 home games in a row, but they gotta go get em. I’m here for it.

GBO!!!

 

[vol66]

Both have actually been primarily used as mid relievers this season. However, both can come in and give you 3-4 innings and will close games as well. I was really happy to see Evans go 6 today, and it looked like he had more in the tank if needed. He could settle into a starter role. Cowan was actually a starter at Wofford last year, so he could be effective as a starter as well.

But, those two are basically it as far as reliable pen pitchers go for LSU. No one else has shown much promise in league play thus far. LSU has 4 pitchers this year that are really good, and yall saw all of them this weekend: Anderson, Eyanson, Evans, and Cowan. After that, we really have no one else to count on. That could end up being a BIG problem in the post season, especially in bracket play.

I just gotta say again that Doyle is absolutely just next level to anyone I’ve personally seen in college this year. He’s the Paul Skenes of the 2025 season. Just purely dominate. And Phillips was outstanding as well. That’s a great one two punch right there.

Sorry to ask so late. Can Tigers fans just walk up to the gate and get a ticket or is it sold out in advance?

 

[MAD]

 

[knoxvol52]

Unsure based on current environment. I’m afraid the NIL era has made it difficult to acquire, develop, and retain top talent. Roster churn is inevitable when you lose elite sophomores and juniors to MLB draft. However, unlimited transfers has made it impossible to predict next years team with any certainty. I’m afraid the days of the Trey Lipscomb’s and Jorel Ortega’s might be long gone. Now that Players can literally transfer every year or hold out for the highest bidder, I’m not sure it will be much more than pickup baseball every year with 65% to 76% new rosters. I sincerely hope I’m wrong but college athletics is headed in the wrong direction.

I think CTV will have to get a couple of big bats and a solid Friday Night starting pitcher every year going forward from the Portal.

By looking at Roster you posted, I believe the Freshmen returning will be better. I think Clark hit a wall hopefully he hangs around as makes major strides next season. Abernathy will be better, Antigua will be back and Marin has had a solid Freshmen season.


On the pitching front I think Kuhns has hit a wall like Clark has and will improve and be solidly in weekend rotation next season. The big thing is if the UNC- Asheville guy makes it on Campus or if he gets drafted high enough to he may go pro.