Tennessee baseball beats LSU in game one of Super Regional, Vols one win away from Omaha

Lindsey Nelson Stadium was rocking Saturday night for Knoxville’s opening game of the Super Regional between Tennessee and LSU.

And Vols fans got what they came for — a 4-2 Tennessee win.

Tennessee starting pitcher Chad Dallas was brilliant, as he threw a career-high 12 strikeouts against LSU’s lineup. Dallas had several pitches working, and LSU had no answer for the cutter. Dallas held LSU’s first four hitters to 0-12 on the night, and he finished the night with 6 innings, 5 hits and just 1 earned run.

The Vols offense wasn’t great, but a timely 3-run 6th inning lifted the Vols to victory. Jake Rucker had the hardest hit ball during the inning with a double down the left field line, and 3 other Vols batters walked, leading to the big inning. Jordan Beck added a RBI single during the big inning, too.

LSU starting pitcher Ma’Khail Hilliard was dominant for 5 innings, allowing just 1 hit and 1 earned run; however, Hilliard was inexplicably pulled by head coach Paul Mainieri in favor of left hander Javen Coleman in the 6th inning, and the Vols had the big inning off of Coleman.

The Super Regionals are a best 2-out-of-3 series, and Tennessee is now 1 win away from Omaha.

Rocky Top energy has spilled out of Lindsey Nelson stadium and into the streets!!#RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/0nnvx7iMpN

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 13, 2021

Kevin Duffey

A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.