No. 1 Tennessee looks to hold on to the top ranking in the country heading into conference tournament week. The Volunteers head to Starkville for their final regular-season series against Mississippi State.
By winning three of four games last week – including two of three against SEC foe Georgia – Tennessee reclaimed the top spot in the Baseball American Top 25 ranking. The Volunteers should be able to carry that No. 1 ranking into conference tournament week next week, as long as they put together a strong performance in their regular-season finale series this weekend at Mississippi State. That three-game set begins on Thursday.
How to Watch Tennessee vs. Mississippi State in College Baseball Today:
Game Date: May 19, 2022
Game Time:Â 7 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
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With last weekend’s wins, Tennessee improved its conference record to 22-5. That locked up the top spot in the SEC standings and the top seed in the conference tournament. The Volunteers are 46-7 on the season, the best record of any team in the nation.
Tennessee has gotten to that point in large part due to the strength of its pitching staff. The Vols boast a team ERA of 2.32, with no other team currently under 3.08.
Close Ben Joyce highlights the Tennessee staff. This year, Joyce has made 22 appearances, including his first start last week. The junior righty can get his fastball up to 105 MPH. He has a 2.08 ERA in 26 innings this season, with a WHIP of 0.88. He’s one of nine qualified pitchers on the staff with a WHIP under 1.00, with starters Zander Sechrist and Chase Dollander ranking first and second nationally with 0.74 and 0.76 marks, respectively.
This Mississippi State lineup will be a tough test for the Volunteers staff. The Bulldogs have scored the third-most runs in the SEC with 379 and have the fifth-best slugging percentage at .482. They’re coming off a 14-4 win over North Alabama on Tuesday, which saw them hit five doubles and a home run.
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