The Official Tennessee @ Astros Classic Thread (Fri. Feb 28 4:05PM EST) (Sat. March 1 12:05PM EST) (Sun. March 2 11:05AM EST) (All games Astros.com)

#1

NO SIR EEE

The Sultan Of Swat
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Tennessee Volunteers (8-0) Overall (0-0) SEC
Levi Clark, Tennessee, Outfielder


Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-3) Overall (0-0) Big 12 Fri. Feb 28 4:05PM EST
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Rice Owls (2-5) Overall (0-0) AAC Sat. March 1 12:05PM EST
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Arizona Wildcats (5-3) Overall (0-0) Big 12 Sun. March 2 11:05AM EST
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HOUSTON – No. 1/3 Tennessee hits the road for the first time this season as it travels to Houston, Texas for the Astros Foundation College Classic this weekend at Daikin Park.

The Vols enter the weekend with a perfect 8-0 record and will look to continue their early-season success this weekend when they square off against a trio of talented teams in No. 16/NR Oklahoma State, Rice and No. 24/NR Arizona.

TOURNAMENT & TICKET INFO

General tournament and ticket information for the 2025 Astros Foundation College Classic can be found HERE.

BROADCAST INFO

Every game of the tournament can be streamed live on Astros.com and the Houston Astros' social media channels (X, Facebook, YouTube). They will also be televised locally on the Space City Home Network.

Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics Mobile App and the Varsity App.

PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Friday vs. Oklahoma State:
LHP Liam Doyle (2 GS, 2-0, 0.87 ERA)

Saturday vs. Rice:
RHP Marcus Phillips (2 GS, 0-0, 1.04 ERA)

Sunday vs. Arizona:
TBD

SERIES HISTORY

Vols vs. Arizona
Overall: 0-1
in Knoxville: 0-0
in Tucson: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: 0-1
Last Meeting: Feb. 17, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona (L, 3-1)

Vols vs. Oklahoma State
Overall: 4-1
in Knoxville: 2-0
in Stillwater: 0-1
at Neutral Sites: 2-0
Last Meeting: Feb. 13, 2005 in Houston, Texas (W, 6-5)

Vols vs. Rice
Overall: 0-1
in Knoxville: 0-0
in Houston: 0-0
at Neutral Sites: 0-1 (at Minute Maid Park)
Last Meeting: March 4, 2012 in Houston, Texas (L, 11-1)

NOTABLE

Vols Back in H-Town
After an unbeaten homestand to start the 2025 season, Tennessee hits the road for the first time this year to take part in the Astros Foundation College Classic. This weekend will mark the fifth time that the Vols have participated in a tournament hosted at Daikin Park (formerly Minute Maid Park), including the second time under head coach Tony Vitello. The Vols went 2-1 at the 2022 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic in their most recent appearance at Daikin Park.

Success in Early Season Tournaments
For the sixth time in eight seasons under Vitello, Tennessee will play in a neutral site tournament during the non-conference slate. In the previous five neutral site tournaments under Vitello, the Vols have posted an 11-4 overall record and have either won the tournament outright or finished in a tie for the best record four times.

Vols in Neutral Site Non-Conference Tournaments Under Vitello
- 2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown (Arlington, Texas): 2-1 (Won Tournament)
Opponents: #18 Texas Tech (W, 6-2) | Oklahoma (L, 5-1) | Baylor (W, 11-5)

- 2023 MLB Desert Invitational (Scottsdale/Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona): 1-2
Opponents: Arizona (L, 3-1) | Grand Canyon (L, 4-3) | UC San Diego (W, 7-0)

- 2022 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic (Houston, Texas): 2-1 (Tied for Best Record)
Opponents: #1 Texas (L, 7-2) | Baylor (W, 10-5) | Oklahoma (W, 8-0)

- 2020 Round Rock Classic (Round Rock, Texas): 3-0 (Won Tournament)
Opponents: #1 Texas Tech (W, 6-2) | Houston (W, 8-4) | #25 Stanford (W, 7-2)

- 2019 Cox Diamond Invitational (Pensacola, Fla.): 3-0 (Won Tournament)
Opponents: Louisiana-Monroe (W, 7-2) | North Florida (W, 10-2) | Western Kentucky (W, 6-3)

Vitello Fastest to 300
With last Friday's 5-1 win over Samford, Vitello notched his 300th career victory as head coach of the Volunteers, doing so in 412 games, faster than any other skipper in program history. Legendary head coach and Tennessee baseball career wins leader Rod Delmonico needed 501 games to reach 300 victories.

Dominant Start to 2025
The Vols dominated in all facets over their season-opening homestand, posting an unblemished 8-0 record after Tuesday's midweek win over North Alabama. UT has outscored its opponents 105-16 over its first eight games while leading the nation in runs per game (13.1), home runs (21), slugging pct (.680) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.4).

The Vols opened the year with four straight run-rule wins and have posted five in their first eight games. On top of leading the country in strikeouts per nine innings, the Vols' pitching staff also ranks in the top 10 nationally in ERA (6th - 1.89), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4th - 5.21), hits allowed per nine innings (3rd - 4.65) and WHIP (4th - 0.82).

OPPONENT SCOUT

Arizona Wildcats (5-3)
  • 2024 Record: 36-23 (20-10 Pac-12) | Pac-12 Tournament Champions
  • 2024 Postseason: NCAA Tucson Regional
  • 2025 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 2nd
  • Head Coach: Chip Hale
    • Overall Record: 113-77 (4th year)
    • Record at Arizona: Same
  • Preseason All-Conference Selections (2):
    • INF Mason White
    • OF Brendan Summerhill
Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-3)
  • 2024 Record: 42-19 (19-9 Big 12) | Big 12 Champions
  • 2024 Postseason: NCAA Stillwater Regional
  • 2025 Big 12 Preseason Poll: 1st
  • Head Coach: Josh Holliday
    • Overall Record: 449-241-2 (13th year)
    • Record at OSU: Same
  • Preseason All-Conference Selections (4):
    • OF Nolan Schubart (Preseason Player of the Year)
    • INF Colin Brueggemann
    • INF Aidan Meola
    • RHP Gabe Davis
Rice Owls (2-5)
  • 2024 Record: 23-36 (11-16 AAC)
  • 2024 Postseason: N/A
  • 2025 AAC Preseason Poll: 9th10th
  • Head Coach: Jose Cruz Jr.
    • Overall Record: 63-117 (4th year)
    • Record at Rice: Same
  • Preseason All-Conference Selections (1):
    • RHP Davion Hickson

ON DECK

The Vols return to Knoxville to begin a 10-game homestand with the first of back-to-back midweek games on Tuesday night against Radford at 6 p.m. UT hosts Xavier at 6 p.m. on Wednesday before taking on St. Bonaventure next weekend in the final non-conference series of the regular season.
 

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#9
#9
Please provide information on the Astros.Com. I want to watch all three games and have ESPN app, Comcast, Xfinity. I would like to be ready to go for Friday's game if possible. Thanks!
From the astros website itself.
All games can be streamed live on Astros.com and the Houston Astros YouTube channel.

In the past when Tennessee has played out there, I would either pull up the youtube app or go to astros.com on my laptop and plug in with hdmi.

@OrngeJuiceJones
 
#13
#13
This weekend will give the data needed to put the puzzle together for the toughest conference in America. Still things will change as players grow and get healthier. 🍊💪
Not sure this weekend will do that. Not that many teams playing in this tourney.
 
#16
#16
Do you know if it costs anything? Just go to the website and click on a link. Not on regular TV? Internet only? Thank you very much.
None will be on regular tv. Three selected games will be National on MLB Network. All will be on the Astros regional network. All will be streamed at Astros.com, Astros YouTube and Astros X feed. Stream feeds are free.
 
#18
#18
None will be on regular tv. Three selected games will be National on MLB Network. All will be on the Astros regional network. All will be streamed at Astros.com, Astros YouTube and Astros X feed. Stream feeds are free.
I saw our game against Arizona is on MLB network but on a delay. That youtube will have an HD stream. Looks good to me.
 
#20
#20
Stream it through YouTube TV on your phone and then cast it to your TV screen. I use Google Chromecast, but there are other devices that can do the same thing.

Alternatively, you can download the YouTube TV app to your firestick or smart TV and watch it that way as well.
 
#23
#23
Stream it through YouTube TV on your phone and then cast it to your TV screen. I use Google Chromecast, but there are other devices that can do the same thing.

Alternatively, you can download the YouTube TV app to your firestick or smart TV and watch it that way as well.
To clarify, it’s on the YouTube platform—not YouTubeTV. They are 2 completely different platforms (just didn’t want anyone to get that confused).
 
#24
#24
This weekend will determine where we need to be in the polls.
Agreed. This is where the experienced sophomores and upper classmen will hopefully shine. I think the freshmen will be challenged against legitimate Friday night starters—especially when scouting reports are available on their strengths/weaknesses. Fans have to remember that studs like Dylan Dreiling, Reese Chapman, Kavares Tears, Trey Lipscomb, etc received little to no playing time as true freshmen. Even CMO and Burke had limited playing time. They split a lot of time at DH IIRC.
My point is experience really helps when you‘re facing SEC quality pitching. Don’t get me wrong, I hope the freshmen continue to rake—I’m just not counting on it.
 
#25
#25
This weekend will determine where we need to be in the polls.

In your estimation, do the kids/coaches care about rankings, especially this early, as much as fans seem to care. Personally being #1 this early would add pressure to an already super pressure filled season following a team that won the whole thing last year? TIA.

GBO!!!
 

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