NO SIR EEE
The Sultan Of Swat
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Florida Gators (16-2) Overall (0-0) SEC
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Tennessee Volunteers (17-0) Overall (0-0) SEC
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A top-10 showdown awaits this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as No. 1/2 Tennessee hosts No. 6/7 Florida to open Southeastern Conference play.
The Vols enter league play undefeated for the first time in the modern era after improving to 17-0 with a 4-2 midweek win over West Georgia on Tuesday while the Gators come into the series on a five-game winning streak after knocking off previously unbeaten Florida State on Tuesday in Tallahassee.
Fans can also listen to the official radio broadcast, featuring the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson, on the Vol Network (FM 99.1 / AM 990) as well as on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics Mobile App and the Varsity App.
UT: LHP Liam Doyle (4 GS, 3-0, 0.44 ERA)
UF: RHP Liam Peterson (4 GS, 4-0, 0.86 ERA)
Game 2 – Saturday (3:30 pm):
UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (4 GS, 1-0, 1.42 ERA)
UF: RHP Aidan King (1 GS, 3-0, 0.55 ERA)
Game 3 – Sunday (1 pm):
UT: TBD
UF: TBD
Overall: Gators lead, 157-97
in Knoxville: Gators lead, 69-49
in Gainesville: Gators lead, 84-46
at Neutral Sites: Gators lead, 4-2
Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 7-3
Last Meeting: W, 16-3 (7 Inn.) on May 4, 2024, in Gainesville
The Vols have faced a top-15 ranked Gators team in each of the last eight series played in Knoxville and posted a 10-14 overall record in those contests. The road team has won each of the last three series between the two programs.
Tennessee enters this weekend as the only remaining unbeaten team in Division I college baseball after Florida defeated Florida State, 7-2, on Tuesday night in Tallahassee.
SEC Opening Weekend
After a record-setting 17-0 start to the year, the Vols enter SEC play with an undefeated record for the first time in the modern era. This marks the seventh straight season that Tennessee has entered league play with at least 15 wins: (17-1 in 2019, 15-2 in 2020, 15-3 in 2021, 16-1 in 2022, 15-3 in 2023, 16-1 in 2024, 17-0 in 2025). The Big Orange will be looking to notch their third series win on SEC opening weekend under head coach Tony Vitello.
This will be just the second time under Vitello (2018-pres.) that UT will open SEC play at home. The only other season the Vols opened league play at home was when they swept South Carolina in 2022. Tennessee is 6-8 in SEC openers at home since 1980 and 33-47 overall in SEC openers.
SEC Weekly Honors for Doyle and Clark
Liam Doyle and Levi Clark both took home SEC honors on Monday afternoon after being named pitcher of the week and co-freshman of the week by the league.
Doyle continued his incredible start to the season with another dominant performance in Tennessee's series-opening win over St. Bonaventure. The junior lefthander played a starring role in the ninth no-hitter in program history, tossing 5.2 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 3-0 on the year.
Clark put together another impressive week to cement his status as one of the nation's best freshmen so far this season. The Georgia native led all SEC freshmen with a .615 batting average for the week after going 8-for-13 with a double and a home run while driving in six runs to add to his team-leading RBI total (23).
More on Doyle and Clark's weekly awards can be found HERE.
SEC Success Under Vitello
During the six seasons in which Tennessee has played SEC games under Vitello, the Vols are 109-71 in league play. In the six full seasons prior to Vitello taking over (2012-17), UT was 81-120 in SEC play.
UT is 83-37 in SEC regular-season play since 2021, which is the best record in the league in that span, five games better than Arkansas (78-42). Including postseason games, the Vols are 97-42 against SEC foes since 2021.
Having reached the 22-win mark in conference play last year, the Vols have posted four straight seasons with a winning record in conference play (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and 20-plus SEC wins in three of the last four years. The last time UT had four consecutive seasons with a record above .500 in SEC play was during a five-year stretch from 1993-1997. UT and Arkansas are the only two teams in the SEC who have posted winning records in league play in each of the past four seasons.
The Vols have posted 16 series sweeps in conference play under Vitello: 2024 (3), 2023 (3), 2022 (6), 2021 (2), 2019 (1), 2018 (1). In the six year's prior to Vitello taking over, (2012-17) UT swept just two SEC series.
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Tennessee Volunteers (17-0) Overall (0-0) SEC
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A top-10 showdown awaits this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as No. 1/2 Tennessee hosts No. 6/7 Florida to open Southeastern Conference play.
The Vols enter league play undefeated for the first time in the modern era after improving to 17-0 with a 4-2 midweek win over West Georgia on Tuesday while the Gators come into the series on a five-game winning streak after knocking off previously unbeaten Florida State on Tuesday in Tallahassee.
BROADCAST INFO
Zack Nelson (PxP) and VFL Will Heflin (analyst) will have the call on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app for Friday's series opener and Sunday's finale. Saturday's contest will be televised on the SEC Network with Dave Neal (PxP) and Kyle Peterson (analyst) calling the action.Fans can also listen to the official radio broadcast, featuring the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson, on the Vol Network (FM 99.1 / AM 990) as well as on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics Mobile App and the Varsity App.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1 – Friday (6:30 pm):UT: LHP Liam Doyle (4 GS, 3-0, 0.44 ERA)
UF: RHP Liam Peterson (4 GS, 4-0, 0.86 ERA)
Game 2 – Saturday (3:30 pm):
UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (4 GS, 1-0, 1.42 ERA)
UF: RHP Aidan King (1 GS, 3-0, 0.55 ERA)
Game 3 – Sunday (1 pm):
UT: TBD
UF: TBD
SERIES HISTORY
Vols vs. GatorsOverall: Gators lead, 157-97
in Knoxville: Gators lead, 69-49
in Gainesville: Gators lead, 84-46
at Neutral Sites: Gators lead, 4-2
Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 7-3
Last Meeting: W, 16-3 (7 Inn.) on May 4, 2024, in Gainesville
The Vols have faced a top-15 ranked Gators team in each of the last eight series played in Knoxville and posted a 10-14 overall record in those contests. The road team has won each of the last three series between the two programs.
NOTABLE
Vols Only Remaining UnbeatenTennessee enters this weekend as the only remaining unbeaten team in Division I college baseball after Florida defeated Florida State, 7-2, on Tuesday night in Tallahassee.
SEC Opening Weekend
After a record-setting 17-0 start to the year, the Vols enter SEC play with an undefeated record for the first time in the modern era. This marks the seventh straight season that Tennessee has entered league play with at least 15 wins: (17-1 in 2019, 15-2 in 2020, 15-3 in 2021, 16-1 in 2022, 15-3 in 2023, 16-1 in 2024, 17-0 in 2025). The Big Orange will be looking to notch their third series win on SEC opening weekend under head coach Tony Vitello.
This will be just the second time under Vitello (2018-pres.) that UT will open SEC play at home. The only other season the Vols opened league play at home was when they swept South Carolina in 2022. Tennessee is 6-8 in SEC openers at home since 1980 and 33-47 overall in SEC openers.
SEC Weekly Honors for Doyle and Clark
Liam Doyle and Levi Clark both took home SEC honors on Monday afternoon after being named pitcher of the week and co-freshman of the week by the league.
Doyle continued his incredible start to the season with another dominant performance in Tennessee's series-opening win over St. Bonaventure. The junior lefthander played a starring role in the ninth no-hitter in program history, tossing 5.2 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 3-0 on the year.
Clark put together another impressive week to cement his status as one of the nation's best freshmen so far this season. The Georgia native led all SEC freshmen with a .615 batting average for the week after going 8-for-13 with a double and a home run while driving in six runs to add to his team-leading RBI total (23).
More on Doyle and Clark's weekly awards can be found HERE.
SEC Success Under Vitello
During the six seasons in which Tennessee has played SEC games under Vitello, the Vols are 109-71 in league play. In the six full seasons prior to Vitello taking over (2012-17), UT was 81-120 in SEC play.
UT is 83-37 in SEC regular-season play since 2021, which is the best record in the league in that span, five games better than Arkansas (78-42). Including postseason games, the Vols are 97-42 against SEC foes since 2021.
Having reached the 22-win mark in conference play last year, the Vols have posted four straight seasons with a winning record in conference play (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and 20-plus SEC wins in three of the last four years. The last time UT had four consecutive seasons with a record above .500 in SEC play was during a five-year stretch from 1993-1997. UT and Arkansas are the only two teams in the SEC who have posted winning records in league play in each of the past four seasons.
The Vols have posted 16 series sweeps in conference play under Vitello: 2024 (3), 2023 (3), 2022 (6), 2021 (2), 2019 (1), 2018 (1). In the six year's prior to Vitello taking over, (2012-17) UT swept just two SEC series.
OPPONENT SCOUT
Florida Gators (16-2, 0-0 SEC)- 2024 Record: 36-30 (13-17 SEC)
- 2024 Postseason: NCAA Men's College World Series (2-2)
- 2025 SEC Preseason Poll: 5th
- Head Coach: Kevin O'Sullivan
- Overall Record: 733-351 (18th year)
- Record at UF: Same
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (3):
- 2B Cade Kurland
- C Luke Heyman
- SS Colby Shelton
ON DECK
Tennessee concludes its 10-game homestand with an in-state midweek battle against ETSU on Tuesday, March 18 at 5 p.m.
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