#1 Tennessee Volunteers (23-1) Overall (6-0) SEC
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Western Carolina Catamounts (11-13) Overall (0-0) SOCON
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After a series sweep on the road over previously top-ranked Ole Miss, newly appointed No. 1/1 Tennessee returns home for a midweek matchup against Western Carolina on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. The Vols are riding a 15-game win streak entering Wednesday's contest with the Catamounts, which is tied for the second longest in program history. A win on Wednesday would tie the program record for consecutive wins, which is 16 by the 1994 team.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
For the most updated gameday information related to Tennessee baseball, please visit our Gameday Central page by clicking
HERE. The baseball Gameday Central page contains info in regard to tickets, parking, stadium policies and more.
TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets and single-game tickets for all SEC contests are
SOLD OUT. Single-game tickets for Wednesday's game are also sold out, but tickets all remaining midweek home games can be purchased at
AllVols.com or by calling the Tennessee Athletic ticket office at 865-656-1200.
Single-game tickets for all games can also be purchased through Vivid Seats, the exclusive resale marketplace for Tennessee Athletics, by clicking
HERE.
In order to keep Lindsey Nelson Stadium as full as possible, we are encouraging season ticket holders who are unable to use their tickets for a game(s) to either transfer your tickets to someone else (
Instructions HERE).
BROADCAST INFO
Wednesday's game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app as Roger Hoover (PxP) and former MLB pitcher and Knoxville native Chad Bell (analyst) call the action.
The online broadcast can be accessed on any mobile device through WatchESPN. WatchESPN can be accessed through the ESPN App, or online at
espn.com/watch.
Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson and Vince Ferrara call the game on the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) as well as
UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
LHP
Zander Sechrist (2-0, 2.29 ERA) vs. RHP Zebby Matthews (0-4, 5.60 ERA)
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Tennessee leads, 24-7
In Knoxville: Tennessee leads, 17-4
In Cullowhee: Tennessee leads, 6-3
Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: W, 14-12 (4/13/21 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
The Vols have won each of the past seven meetings against the Catamounts, including a pair of victories last season, one in Knoxville and one in Cullowhee.
NOTABLE
Top-Ranked Vols
After earning their first-ever No. 1 ranking by any poll last week (Perfect Game), the Vols enter this week as college baseball's unanimous No. 1 ranked team after sweeping previously top-ranked Ole Miss last weekend in Oxford.
More Weekly Honors for the Big Orange
Following a dominant weekend by the pitching staff, two Tennessee hurlers earned weekly conference honors for their efforts. Sophomore right hander
Chase Dollander was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week after tossing 6.1 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts against one of the league's top lineups to secure the series win on Saturday night.
Sunday starter
Drew Beam earned SEC Freshman of the Week recognition after a dominant performance in the series finale, holding the Rebels to one run on three hits in 7.1 innings. Beam also tied a career high with six strikeouts in the game.
Vols Off to Historic Start
Tennessee's 23-1 record is the best through the first 24 games of a season in program history, besting the previous mark of 21-3 in 2001. The Vols are just the sixth team to make it through the first two weeks of SEC play unbeaten since the league went to a 30-game conference schedule in 1996.
Midweek Success
The Big Orange are a perfect 6-0 in midweek games this season and have posted a 45-7 overall record in such games under head coach
Tony Vitello (2018-pres.).
Another Weekend, Another Sweep
Tennessee recorded its fifth series sweep this season after taking all three games on the road at then No. 1 Ole Miss this past weekend. Since Vitello took over as head coach in 2018, the Vols have swept 17 weekend series (not including tournaments).
Series Sweeps by Year Under Vitello
2022: 5 | 2021: 5 | 2020: 2 | 2019: 3 | 2018: 2
OPPONENT SCOUT
Western Carolina Catamounts
- Record: 11-13 (0-0 SoCon)
- 2021 Postseason: N/A
- 2022 SoCon Preseason Poll: 3rd
- Head Coach: Bobby Moranda (15th year)
- Preseason Conference Honors:
- SS Pascanel Ferreras (1st team/POTY)
- SP Zebby Matthews (1st team)
- 2B Will Prater (1st team)
- DH Daniel Walsh (2nd team)
- Stat Leaders:
- Batting Avg: Seth Graves (.365)
- Runs: Zach Ketterman (29)
- Hits: Will Prater (31)
- Home Runs: Drew Needham (6)
- RBI: Pascanel Ferreras (20)
- Stolen Bases: Bryson Parks (11)
- Wins: Campbell/Corn (3)
- Saves: Zach Franklin (2)
- ERA (min. 10 IP): Zach Franklin (1.86)
- WHIP (min. 10 IP): Zach Franklin (1.03)
- Innings Pitched: Zebby Matthews (35.1)
- Strikeouts: Zebby Matthews (48)
ON DECK
Tennessee goes back on the road for another highly anticipated SEC series this weekend as the Vols head west for an in-state showdown with No. 3/9 Vanderbilt at Hawkins Field in Nashville. First pitch for Friday's series opener against the Commodores is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
