Tag: Griffin Merritt

Griffin Merritt previews NCAA Tournament Hattiesburg Super Regional

Griffin Merritt previews the 2023 NCAA Tournament Hattiesburg Super Regional.

Southern Miss (44-18, 22-8 Sun Belt) will host Tennessee (41-19, 16-14 SEC), Saturday-Monday, in a NCAA Tournament Super Regional at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Both the Vols and Golden Eagles are No. 2 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA committee determined Southern Miss as the host school in super regional play.

Tennessee won the Clemson Regional, while Southern Miss advanced by winning the Auburn Regional.

Comparing Tennessee and Southern Miss’ baseball resumes ahead of NCAA Tournament Super Regional

Tennessee graduate student Griffin Merritt has appeared in 55 games, including 45 starts, in 2023, recording a .306 batting average, 18 home runs, 46 RBIs, 39 runs, 52 hits, 17 walks and two stolen bases.

Merritt transferred to Tennessee from Cincinnati ahead of the 2023 season.

Merritt met with media to preview the NCAA Tournament Hattiesburg Super Regional. His media availability can be watched below.

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Six Vols to be honored on senior day

Six Vols and two student-workers will be honored on senior day ahead of Tuesday’s Tennessee-Belmont baseball game.

No. 19 Tennessee (35-17, 14-13 SEC) will host Belmont (23-29, 8-17 MVC) on Tuesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

First pitch between the Vols and Bruins is slated for 5 p.m. EDT and the in-state contest can be watched on SEC Network+. Andy Brock (PxP) and Caylan Arnold (analyst) will be on the call.

Tennessee leads the all-time series versus Belmont, 13-4. The Vols were victorious, 18-0, in the last meeting on May 17, 2022 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

2023 Vols’ baseball: One interesting fact about every Tennessee player

Tuesday’s contest is the regular-season home finale for Tennessee.

Ahead of the Tennessee-Belmont game, six Vols and two student-workers will honored on senior day. A list of players and student-workers slated to be honored ahead of the Vols’ regular-season home finale are listed below.

Griffin Merritt hits walk-off home run in Mississippi State series opener

Griffin Merritt hits walk-off home run for Tennessee in Mississippi State series opener.

No. 16 Tennessee (28-14, 9-10 SEC) defeated Mississippi State, 8-7, Thursday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

It was the fifth consecutive victory for the Vols, who won the game on a walk-off home run by Griffin Merritt in the ninth inning.

Tennessee led the Bulldogs, 7-1, as Maui Ahuna hit an RBI double in the fifth inning that scored Christian Scott.

Mississippi State rallied to tie the game as Slate Alford hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to make it, 7-3. Colton Ledbetter hit a solo home run in the seventh inning before Luke Hancock had a two run double to pull the Bulldogs to within, 7-6.

Hunter Hines tied the game, 7-7, in the ninth inning before Merritt, who entered the game as a pinch hitter, ended the game.

Ahuna was 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, while Jared Dickey had three hits, one RBI and one run scored.

Chase Burns (4-3) pitched 1.2 innings of relief and gave up one run and one hit. He recorded four strikeouts.

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Tennessee run-rules Gators in series finale

Tennessee baseball run-rules Florida in the series finale.

No. 8 Tennessee (22-10, 5-7 SEC) defeated No. 3 Florida (27-6, 9-3 SEC), 14-2, in the rain Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee designated hitter Griffin Merritt went 3-for-4, recording, two home runs, three runs and six RBIs in the series finale against Florida.

He hit a walk-off home run in the eighth inning, ending the game due to a run-rule.

Drew Beam (4-1) started for Tennessee and pitched seven innings. He allowed two runs, four hits and one walk, while recording 10 strikeouts.

Florida won the series, 2-1. The Gators were victorious, 9-3, Friday in Game 2 versus Tennessee, while Florida won the series opener, 6-1, on Thursday.

PHOTOS: Vols win series finale versus Florida in the rain

2023 Tennessee baseball season preview: Griffin Merritt

2023 Tennessee baseball season preview: Griffin Merritt

Opening day for Tennessee baseball is slated for Feb. 17.

The Vols will play in the 2023 MLB Desert Invitational in Arizona Feb. 17-19. The MLB Desert Invitational field will consist of Tennessee, Arizona, Fresno State, Grand Canyon, Michigan State and San Diego.

Tennessee’s 2023 baseball schedule

The 2023 season will be Tennessee’s sixth under head coach Tony Vitello. Vitello has compiled a 191–77 (71–49 SEC) record as the Vols’ head coach.

Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference East division for the second consecutive season, the league regular-season and tournament championships in 2022.

The Vols were a No. 1 overall national seed in the NCAA Tournament, winning the Knoxville regional and advancing to the Knoxville super regional.

Tennessee was ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll for 10 consecutive weeks (March 28-May 30) during the 2022 season.

Ahead of the 2023 season, Vols Wire previews the upcoming campaign. Below are statistics for outfielder Griffin Merritt entering the 2023 season. Merritt transferred to Tennessee from Cincinnati following the 2022 campaign.