No. 11 Vanderbilt Baseball has perhaps its most important weekend series approaching against No. 15 Tennessee from May 9-11. With both teams sitting at 14-10 in the SEC, there are serious SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament Regional host implications on the line. Not to mention, it’s also one of the biggest rivalries in the SEC, making this one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. 

For the first time since the 2023 season, the Commodores will enter the matchup ranked ahead of the Volunteers in the NCAA D1 Baseball poll. However, the Volunteers have shown a level of volatility this season, not all that different from Vanderbilt. After getting out to an 8-1 start in SEC play, Tennessee has since gone 6-9 in their last five series, raising some concerns for head coach Tony Vitello and his team.

Pitching

Taking down Tennessee ace Liam Doyle is the Commodores’ first step to winning the series. The projected first round draft pick has been electric on the mound this year, boasting a 2.39 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. His elite fastball is his most effective pitch, as it sits in the mid-90s (occasionally touching 98-99 mph) and comes out of a high release point. He’s thrown this fastball almost two-thirds of the time this season, and it has been one of the most untouchable heaters in college baseball. The rest of his pitch arsenal is varied, as he relies on an 82-85 mph slider and an upper-80s cutter and splitter. 

Last week against Auburn, Doyle was ejected from Game Two and served a two-game suspension for his actions by not pitching in the series finale against Auburn or against Indiana State on May 6. 

Fans from both sides could be in for a treat with Friday night’s pitching duel, featuring Vanderbilt’s JD Thompson and Doyle. Both rely heavily on the fastball and project as high picks in the 2025 MLB Draft. 

Tennessee Saturday starter Marcus Phillips has been a reliable piece to the Volunteers’ pitching staff. Holding a 3.02 ERA, Phillips has assumed a starting role since the beginning of the season. The righty relies on two primary pitches: the fastball and slider. He sits in the mid-90s with the fastball and has a nasty slider that usually sits in the mid-80s. 

The Volunteers’ third starter has changed week-to-week, but AJ Russell started the past two weekends. First-year Tegan Kuhns is also another option for Vitello and Co., but he was forced to fill in for Doyle in Tennessee’s first game against Auburn, which was suspended till the next day due to weather. Nevertheless, Tennessee’s pitching staff is deep, and its starters are experienced.  

Hitting

Tennessee has one of the best batting lineups in the SEC, featuring numerous players with 10+ home runs and batting averages over .300. Leadoff man Gavin Kilen is an immediate threat, as he is hitting a team-high .388 with 13 home runs. The shortstop was batting over .400 for most of the season and is a projected first-round draft pick this year. Kilen can easily hit the long ball, so expect Vanderbilt pitching coach Scott Brown to call some cautious pitches when he’s up to bat. 

Hunter Ensley bats in the cleanup spot, hitting .352 with 8 home runs this season. The hard-hitting redshirt senior has had a stellar last four games — hitting .466 — and will look to carry this momentum into the series against Vanderbilt. Dalton Bargo and Levi Clark are the Volunteers’ strongest batters in the middle of the order, as both are hitting over .300. The collection of all these consistent bats makes Tennessee one of the strongest offensive teams in the SEC. Given Vanderbilt’s volatile bullpen, it will help the Commodores if they can have their starters go deep into games to avoid some late rallies by the Volunteers. 

Significance of the series

To say this series is significant might be an understatement. Both teams are sitting at No. 5 in the conference standings — only one win behind Georgia and LSU — with the top four seeds earning double byes in the SEC Tournament. Playing one less game in the SEC Tournament will help save the pitching staff for whatever postseason games lie ahead. 

Similarly, with the strength of the SEC this year, earning two more conference wins will put either team in the top eight national seed conversation for the NCAA Tournament. This would mean Vanderbilt or Tennessee could host NCAA postseason games until Omaha, assuming they make it through each stage of the NCAA Tournament as favorites. As of right now, D1Baseball projects Vanderbilt to be a No. 8 seed and Tennessee a No. 9 seed, crafting a potential in-state showdown in super regionals.

Vanderbilt kicks off its weekend series against No. 15 Tennessee on May 7 at 4:30 p.m. CDT in Knoxville, Tennessee.