Liam Doyle is set to take the mound for Tennessee baseball as they face off against Texas in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, as announced by coach Tony Vitello. The match is scheduled for May 22 at approximately 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
This matchup is significant as Tennessee, the No. 8 seed with a 42-15 overall record, will contend against the top seed, Texas, which boasts a strong record of 42-11 this season. Notably, Tennessee did not face Texas during the regular season. The Longhorns are led by Jim Schlossnagle, who has previous coaching experience with Texas A&M, where he faced the Vols in the College World Series finals in 2024.
Tennessee’s offense showcased its strength in their opener against Alabama, delivering their most impressive performance of the season with a 15-10 victory. The Vols amassed 20 hits in this game, their highest in an SEC matchup this year, while coming back from a 6-5 deficit to score 10 consecutive runs.
Doyle, having an outstanding season, holds a record of 9-3 and a 2.72 ERA, including a remarkable 137 strikeouts over 79⅓ innings, leading the nation. He has been recognized as the SEC pitcher of the year. Supporting him on the roster are pitchers Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin, and Dylan Loy, who will be well-rested for this crucial game, as none of them participated in the Alabama contest. The Vols primarily utilized Marcus Phillips and AJ Russell in that game, with Phillips starting and completing four innings, while Russell contributed 3⅔ innings in relief.
With their strong lineup and recent performance, Tennessee is optimistic as they prepare to take on Texas in a highly anticipated matchup.