re: 2026 #8 Diamond Dawgs (16-4, 1-1) | Game 21: #19 Tennessee - Sunday, 1PM

Rotation for this weekend:
Friday - Volchko
Saturday - Vigue
Sunday - Ishikawa

Wes said we may not see Kenny for long on Sunday as he works his way back but encouraging sign that he’s going to be starting. This also allows us to move Aoki and Scott back to middle relief rolls where they seem to do particularly well

Good start from Volchko

Running a lot tonight including baseball practice so can’t watch much more. Appreciate the updates! Big opening weekend to set the tone for the season.

Go Dawgs.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: 3 up, 3 down for the Dawgs. Kuhn has been perfect through 3.

Meanwhile, Volchko gets roughed up in the 3rd to the tune of 3 hits, a walk, and a hit batter on 30 pitches

2-0 Vols through 3

Volchko at 58 pitches, Kuhn at 30

Net positive inning for the Dawgs in the 4th

Volchko rebounds with an 8 pitch 3 up, 3 down

Dawgs offense finally shows signs of life as Phelps and Jaxson string together a couple of rope singles. But Oriach and Allen can’t drive them in.

2-0 Vols through 4

Volchko at 71 pitches, Kuhns at 53

Questionable move from Wes, leaves Volchko out to start the 6th - gives up a single and walk before finally getting the hook. Byrd comes on and does well to get a strike o it and a fielders choice but gives up a 2 out, 2 strike double to tie it.

Johnson draws a leadoff walk in the bottom half but the 7-8-9 hitters go down in succession.

4-4 through 6

I’m having a bad time right now.

Dawgs lose 4-7

Byrd gives up a 2 out, 2 strike solo shot in the 7th and the. 2 more solo HRs in the 8th

Dawgs manage to get on base in the 7th, 8th, and 9th but can’t convert any runs

Byrd is supposed to be one of our high leverage relievers. He still threw 6 Ks over 4 full innings of work, just gave up 3 solo shots in the process. No use burning Aoki or Scott down 3 runs.

Tennessee’s starter ended up a wash with Volchko but their reliever was just flat out better than ours.

Foley Field is also the smallest ball field in the SEC, so that long ball technique is only applicable at home.

Just got in from the game. Had to have it and we found a way to deliver. 10+ hits on the day which is a good thing but failed to convert on a lot of opportunity. Black got picked off at first, Jackson was caught stealing, and Hudson was thrown out at home. Vigie was really good, left at 79 pitches due to a cramp in his quad after 4.2 innings, Farley came on for one batter and got us through it.

Story of the game hs to be Caden Aoki out of the pen. After he entered, we only added 1 more run in the 6th and he still threw 4 scoreless innings to secure the W. Feels like it’s been a while since we saw our bullpen effectively win the game for us.

All in all, we’ve only used 4 pitchers over two games (same for Tennessee) so I’d expect some chess playing tomorrow, especially with Ishikawa likely going no more than 3-4 innings in the starting role.

Lot to clean up but we needed the win and we found a way.