Vols fall to Southern Miss, 5-3, second game scheduled

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Tennessee’s baseball team fell to Southern Miss, 5-3, in the team’s first game in Super Regionals.

The second game, which decides if the Vol season is over, is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

This is a breaking update. Previous coverage is below.

Tennessee’s Andrew Lindsey got the win in Tennessee’s Clemson Regional opener over Charlotte.

However the Vols starter is off to a rocky start in Hattiesburg. Left Fielder Tate Parker tripled to centerfield off Lindsey driving in two runs. Hunter Ensley made a diving attempt but came up empty.

The Vols could manage nothing off Eagles starter Billy Oldham in the bottom of the 1st. Maui Ahuna and Jared Dickey strikeouts sandwiched a ground out by Ensley.

After giving up the triple, Andrew Lindsey settles down. A1-2-3 second inning for Lindsey, who now sits at 51 pitches after two innings.

Oldham sits the Vols down in order once again, picking up his third strikeout in the process. Score remain 2-0 Eagles after two innings in Hattiesburg.

With one out in the top of the 3rd, USM’s Dustin Dickerson just absolutely teed off on UT’s Andrew Lindsey. Dickerson blasted a shot to left center that was measured at 439 feet. he’s a guy UT pitching will have to pay attention to after hitting 4 home runs and knocking in 11 runs at the Auburn Regional last week. Eagles lead 3-0 heading to the bottom of the 3rd.

Zane Denton would ground out, Christian Scott would fly out to the warning track and Cal Starke would strikeout, the third for Oldham, to end the third inning. Eagles lead 3-0 after three at Pete Taylor Park.

In the top of the 4th, Andrew Lindsey had two outs and two strikes on USM’s Nick Monistere, but the freshman had other ideas taking Lindsey deep and off the scoreboard in left. The second HR given up by UT’s starting pitcher makes it 4-0 Golden Eagles.

In the bottom of the 4th, the Vols got their first hit of the day on a Hunter Ensley single. After Jared dickey flew out to right, Griffin Merritt was hit by a Billy Oldham pitch. That put two on for Christian Moore who would have his at bat interrupted by a weather delay. Lightning in the Hattiesburg area would force both teams off the field with the eagles leading 4-0 and Moore at bat with two aboard and two outs and a 2-2 count.

After an hour and a half delay the teams returned and it would take Oldham just two more pitches to strike out Christian Moore.

On to the 5th and a new pitcher for Tennessee. Camden Sewell entered the game and after striking out his first batter, he’d give up a double down the right field line to Dickerson. He would steal 3rd, but Sewell would get another strikeout to end the inning and the Southern Miss threat.

In the bottom of the 5th and with one out, Zane Denton would rope a single to center, but after only 13 minutes of resumed action, play would stop once again with the threat of inclement weather in the Hattiesburg area.

After another lengthy weather delay, Game-1 between Vols and Eagles suspended. Play will resume Sunday at Noon ET.

The first delay of the afternoon took place with UT threatening in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Vols had two on with two outs for Christian Moore before the game was halted with a 2-2 count due to lightning detected in the area. The total time of the delay was 1-hour, 35-minutes before action resumed.

However, play lasted just 13 minutes before the weather put a stop to things once again as more lightning was detected in the area. Following a nearly 4-hour delay, tournament officials decided to suspend play for the remainder of the day and restart action on Sunday.