How it Happened: Tennessee drops 13-4 decision to Vanderbilt in opener at Hoover

Reese Chapman celebrates a home run at the SEC Tournament. Credit: UT Athletics

HOOVER, Ala. — The top-seeded team in the 2024 Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament dropped a lopsided affair Wednesday evening in their lid-lifter, falling to eighth-seeded Vanderbilt by a final score of 13-4 from the Hoover Met.

No. 1 Tennessee (46-11) now faces elimination in the second game on Thursday with the first pitch firing approximately 1:30 pm eastern time. The Vols will take on the winner of Wednesday’s nightcap between 4-seed Texas A&M and 5-seed Mississippi State while Vanderbilt (37-20) moves on to take on the winner of Wednesday’s nightcap during the final game on Thursday.

Nate Snead (8-2) is the losing pitcher on the day after allowing five hits and five runs in 2.2 innings of work in the start. Luke Guth (2-1) earned the victory on the mound after tossing one inning of relief in the fifth.

With the loss on Wednesday in Hoover, the Vols have only managed to win the opening game in Hoover (since the tournament has been played there) twice in 13 tries. Here’s how it all went down for the Vols on a loss to the Commodores.

Scoring Summary

Bot 2: Hunter Ensley’s RBI double brought in Dylan Dreiling from first base. Vols 1-0

Top 3: A Nate Snead wild pitch allowed a runner to score from third. Tied 1-1Top 3: Davis Diaz singled to left and drove in a run. Vandy 2-1
Top 3: Alan Espinal drilled a three-run home run to right-center. Vandy 5-1
Bot 4: Reese Chapman registered a three-run home run to right field. Vandy 6-4
Top 5: Colin Barczi RBI groundout. Vandy 7-4
Top 7: Alan Espinal sent a two-run shot over the right field wall. Vandy 9-4
Top 8: Jonathan Vastine towered a three-run homer to right. Vandy 12-4
Top 9: Matthew Polk tallied a solo home run to centerfield. Vandy 13-4

The Final Stats

2024 SEC Tournament Bracket

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SEC Tournament Schedule (all times Central)

Tuesday, May 21

Game 1: #11 LSU 9, #6 Georgia 1 | Final Stats
Game 2: #10 South Carolina 10, #7 Alabama 5 | Final Stats
Game 3 (4:30 p.m.) – #8 Vanderbilt 6, #9 Florida 3 | Final Stats
Game 4 (TBD) – #5 Mississippi State 2, #12 Ole Miss 1 | Final Stats

Wednesday, May 22

Game 5 (9:30 a.m.) – #11 LSU 11, #3 Kentucky 0 (8 inn) | Final Stats
Game 6 (TBD) – #10 South Carolina 6, #2 Arkansas 5 | Final Stats
Game 7 (4:30 p.m.) – #8 Vanderbilt 13, #1 Tennessee 4 | Final Stats
Game 8 (TBD) – #4 Texas A&M vs. Winner Game 4 [SEC Network]

Thursday, May 23

Game 9 (9:30 a.m.) – Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 [SEC Network]
Game 10 (TBD) – Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8 [SEC Network]
Game 11 (4:30 p.m.) – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 [SEC Network]
Game 12 (TBD) – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 [SEC Network]

Friday, May 24

Game 13 (3:00 p.m.) – Winner Game 9 vs. Loser Game 11 [SEC Network]
Game 14 (TBD) – Winner Game 10 vs. Loser 12 [SEC Network]

Saturday, May 25

Game 15 (Noon) – Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 11 [SEC Network]
Game 16 (TBD) – Winner Game 14 vs. Winner Game 12 [SEC Network]

Sunday, May 26

Game 17 (2 p.m.) – Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 16 [ESPN2]

Vols in the national polls this week

NCBWA – No. 1
USA Today – No. 1
Baseball America – No. 1
Perfect Game – No. 1
D1 Baseball – No. 1

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