When the 2025 schedule came out, LSU fans circled this series. A matchup of the last two national champions in college baseball.
Both teams are national title contenders again this year and it should be a spicy atmosphere at Alex Box Stadium. If you took a poll of LSU fans, Tennessee’s Tony Vitello might be the most hated opposing coach out of all of the sports.
LSU is 34-8 overall, Tennessee is 34-7 overall and both teams 12-6 in league play.
Tale of the tape
Hitting
LSU: .328 batting average (2nd in the SEC)
Tennessee: .308 batting average (3rd in the SEC)
Pitching
LSU: 3.82 ERA (5th in the SEC)
Tennessee: 3.17 ERA (2nd in the SEC, 3rd in the nation)
Fielding
LSU: .978 fielding percentage (9th in the SEC)
Tennessee .970 fielding percentage (14th in the SEC)
Pitching matchups
Game 1, 6:30pm
LSU – So. LH Kade Anderson (6-1, 3.92 ERA, 57.1 IP, 13 BB, 91 SO)
Anderson has given up nearly as many home runs as walks, 12 home runs to 13 walks.
UT – Jr. LH Liam Doyle (7-1, 2.48 ERA, 58.0 IP, 17 BB, 104 SO)
Potential top five pick in this summer’s MLB draft. Leads the SEC with 104 strikeouts and 2nd in the league in opponent batting average at .154.
Game 2, 7:00pm
LSU – Jr. RH Anthony Eyanson (6-1, 3.52 ERA, 53.2 IP, 21 BB, 83 SO)
4th in the SEC in strikeouts.
UT – Jr. RH Marcus Phillips (2-3, 2.96 ERA, 48.2 IP, 17 BB, 62 SO)
Usually goes four or five innings. Did not allow an earned run last week against Kentucky. He’s allowed 30 stolen bases in 48.2 innings.
Game 3, 2:00pm
LSU – TBA
UT – TBA
About Tennessee
After winning a national championship in 2024, Tennessee started 2025 with a 20-0 record, before they were upset by East Tennessee State.
They were 9-1 in league play when they beat Texas A&M 10-0 in seven innings and also no-hit the Aggies that night.
But they haven’t been nearly as dominant since that game. After the no-hitting the Aggies, the Vols were swept in a doubleheader against A&M.
The next week, Tennessee took two of three from Kentucky, but last weekend they lost a series to Kentucky, scoring a total of three runs on nine hits in the final two games of the series in Knoxville. In game two of the series, Tennessee struck out a season high 15 times.
In that series, Kentucky stole 26 bases. Tennessee also committed four errors in the final two games of the series.
Offense
Tennessee is second in the SEC in home runs with 97. They have five players who have double figures in home runs.
Second baseman Gaven Kilen is Tennessee’s best hitter. The transfer from Louisville is hitting. 412 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs. He missed 12 games because of a pulled hamstring.
Related
He returned to the line-up as a designated hitter two weeks ago and he returned to second base last Tuesday in a 11-1 win over Lipscomb.
Center fielder Hunter Ensley is the leader of this team. A three-year starter who is hitting .342 with 8 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Watch out for third baseman Andrew Fischer. The Ole Miss transfer has hit 16 home runs, including one on Tuesday night. The 16 home runs are tied for second most ifn the SEC and he also is tied with A&M’s Jace Laviolette for walks in the SEC with 43.
Bullpen
Wichita State transfer Nate Snead has been the workhorse for Tennessee. The right-hander has appeared in 13 games, pitched in 34.2 innings and is 3-0, with a 3.37 ERA and a team-leading three saves. But opposing hitters are hitting .258.
Sophomore left-hander Dylan Loy has been the Vols most dominant reliever. He’s 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. Opposing hitters are only hitting .123.
LSU stats that need to improve
Jared Jones – In his last nine SEC games, Jones has struck out 14 times. And he’s only slugging .359 in SEC games, lowest percentage among LSU’s regular starters.
Steven Milam – Hitting .200 in SEC games, but he’s second on the team in RBIs with 15 in SEC play.
Luis Hernandez – 1 hit in his 19 at bats.