NO SIR EEE
The Sultan Of Swat
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Tennessee Volunteers
(20-1) Overall (3-0) SEC
@
Alabama Crimson Tide (21-1) Overall (3-0) SEC
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Another top-10 battle awaits No. 1/1 Tennessee as it heads to Tuscaloosa to square off against No. 10/12 Alabama for a three game series that begins on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This week's matchup will mark the Vols' first road series this season and feature a pair of teams that are off to 3-0 starts in SEC play and also enter Thursday's opener with just one loss apiece.
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 (5 GS, 3-0, 0.72 ERA)
UA: LHP Zane Adams (5 GS, 3-0, 3.00 ERA)
Game 2 – Friday (7 pm):
UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (5 GS, 2-0, 1.04 ERA)
UA: RHP Riley Quick (5 GS, 4-0, 1.33 ERA)
Game 3 – Saturday (2 pm):
UT: TBD
UA: RHP Bobby Alcock (5 GS, 3-0, 3.60 ERA)
Overall: Crimson Tide lead, 80-45
in Knoxville: Crimson Tide lead, 26-24
in Tuscaloosa: Crimson Tide lead, 48-19
at Neutral Sites: Crimson Tide lead, 6-2
Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 6-4
Last Meeting: L, 7-6 on March 17, 2024, in Tuscaloosa
With the SEC moving away from divisions this season, UT will be playing in Tuscaloosa for the second straight year after Alabama was designated as one of the Vols' two permanent yearly opponents.
Tennessee's program-record 20 consecutive victories to start the season came to an end on Tuesday night in a back-and-forth 7-6 extra-innings loss to ETSU. Prior to the loss, the Vols had won 22 straight games dating back to last season, which was one shy of the program-record 23 straight wins that was set in 2022.
Strong Starts to SEC Play for Both Teams
Both Tennessee and Alabama opened conference play with series sweeps last weekend. The Vols took all three from No. 6/7 Florida at home while the Crimson Tide swept Texas A&M on the road.
UT will be looking to avenge its only series loss from last season when it dropped two of three to Alabama on the road to open SEC play in 2024. The Big Orange went on to win the remainder of their series in league play en route to an SEC regular season title.
Weekly Honors for Phillips
Junior righthander Marcus Phillips was recognized with multiple weekly honors earlier this week following his stellar performance in UT's series-clinching victory over Florida last Saturday. Phillips was named the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Week as well as the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week after tossing a seven-inning complete-game shutout against the Gators to improve to 2-0 on the year.
SEC Success Under Vitello
During the six-plus seasons in which Tennessee has played SEC games under Vitello, the Vols are 112-71 in league play. In the six full seasons prior to Vitello taking over (2012-17), UT was 81-120 in SEC play.
UT is 86-37 in SEC regular season play since 2021, which is the best record in the league in that span, six games better than Arkansas (80-43). Including postseason games, the Vols are 100-42 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.
After last weekend's sweep of the Gators, the Vols have posted 17 series sweeps in conference play under Vitello: 2025 (1), 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.
The Vols return home for a midweek game against Queens on Tuesday before hitting the road again with a trip to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks next weekend.
(20-1) Overall (3-0) SEC
@
Alabama Crimson Tide (21-1) Overall (3-0) SEC
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Another top-10 battle awaits No. 1/1 Tennessee as it heads to Tuscaloosa to square off against No. 10/12 Alabama for a three game series that begins on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This week's matchup will mark the Vols' first road series this season and feature a pair of teams that are off to 3-0 starts in SEC play and also enter Thursday's opener with just one loss apiece.
BROADCAST INFO
Thursday's series opener will be televised on ESPNU with Dave Neal (PxP) and Lance Cormier (analyst) calling the action. Noah Reed (PxP) and Cormier (analyst) will have the call on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app for games two and three of the series.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 – Thursday (7:30 pm):UT: LHP Liam Doyle (5 GS, 3-0, 0.72 ERA)
UA: LHP Zane Adams (5 GS, 3-0, 3.00 ERA)
Game 2 – Friday (7 pm):
UT: RHP Marcus Phillips (5 GS, 2-0, 1.04 ERA)
UA: RHP Riley Quick (5 GS, 4-0, 1.33 ERA)
Game 3 – Saturday (2 pm):
UT: TBD
UA: RHP Bobby Alcock (5 GS, 3-0, 3.60 ERA)
SERIES HISTORY
Vols vs. Crimson TideOverall: Crimson Tide lead, 80-45
in Knoxville: Crimson Tide lead, 26-24
in Tuscaloosa: Crimson Tide lead, 48-19
at Neutral Sites: Crimson Tide lead, 6-2
Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 6-4
Last Meeting: L, 7-6 on March 17, 2024, in Tuscaloosa
With the SEC moving away from divisions this season, UT will be playing in Tuscaloosa for the second straight year after Alabama was designated as one of the Vols' two permanent yearly opponents.
NOTABLE
Win Streak Comes to a CloseTennessee's program-record 20 consecutive victories to start the season came to an end on Tuesday night in a back-and-forth 7-6 extra-innings loss to ETSU. Prior to the loss, the Vols had won 22 straight games dating back to last season, which was one shy of the program-record 23 straight wins that was set in 2022.
Strong Starts to SEC Play for Both Teams
Both Tennessee and Alabama opened conference play with series sweeps last weekend. The Vols took all three from No. 6/7 Florida at home while the Crimson Tide swept Texas A&M on the road.
UT will be looking to avenge its only series loss from last season when it dropped two of three to Alabama on the road to open SEC play in 2024. The Big Orange went on to win the remainder of their series in league play en route to an SEC regular season title.
Weekly Honors for Phillips
Junior righthander Marcus Phillips was recognized with multiple weekly honors earlier this week following his stellar performance in UT's series-clinching victory over Florida last Saturday. Phillips was named the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Week as well as the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week after tossing a seven-inning complete-game shutout against the Gators to improve to 2-0 on the year.
SEC Success Under Vitello
During the six-plus seasons in which Tennessee has played SEC games under Vitello, the Vols are 112-71 in league play. In the six full seasons prior to Vitello taking over (2012-17), UT was 81-120 in SEC play.
UT is 86-37 in SEC regular season play since 2021, which is the best record in the league in that span, six games better than Arkansas (80-43). Including postseason games, the Vols are 100-42 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.
After last weekend's sweep of the Gators, the Vols have posted 17 series sweeps in conference play under Vitello: 2025 (1), 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
#10/12 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-1, 3-0 SEC)- 2024 Record: 33-24 (13-17 SEC)
- 2024 Postseason: NCAA Tallahassee Regional (0-2)
- Highest Ranking: #10 (Baseball America)
- D1Baseball Ranking: #12
- 2025 SEC Preseason Poll: 13th
- Head Coach: Rob Vaughn
- Overall Record: 239-142 (8th year)
- Record at UA: 54-25 (2nd year)
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (3):
- SS Justin Lebron (1st Team)
- DH/UTL Will Hodo (2nd Team)
- SP Zane Adams (2nd Team)
ON DECK
The Vols return home for a midweek game against Queens on Tuesday before hitting the road again with a trip to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks next weekend.
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