Skip to main content
tennessee logo

AJ Russell starting for No. 6 Tennessee at No. 5 LSU on Sunday

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•04/27/25•

GrantRamey

AJ Russell, Tennessee
AJ Russell, Tennessee - © Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

AJ Russell will start for No. 6 Tennessee at No. 5 LSU Sunday afternoon in the series finale at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. The Vols and Tigers are schedule for a 3 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network.

Tennessee (35-8, 13-7 SEC) won 9-3 Saturday night, bouncing back from the 6-3 loss to LSU (35-9, 13-7) Friday night in the series opener.

Tony Vitello told reporters Saturday night that he didn’t know who would start for the Vols on Sunday afternoon.

“I don’t know that,” Vitello said. ” … I don’t know if we’re expecting to get five, six innings out of anyone. There’s also been 75 things that no one expected that have happened in this series. It’ll be a Sunday.”

AJ Russell has started three times in four appearances this season

Marcus Phillips went 6.2 innings Saturday night, giving up two runs on just three hits while striking out six and getting the win. Dylan Loy got the save after pitching the final 2.1 innings. Liam Doyle pitched 6.2 scoreless innings Friday night, giving up just one hit while striking out six. LSU scored six unearned runs in the ninth inning to rally for the 6-3 win.

Russell, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, has made three starts and appeared in four games this season. He has pitched just 5.2 innings over the four appearances, including a season-long 2.1 innings against Alabama State on April 8.

Russell last season pitched 14.1 innings over six appearances.

Vitello said before the Kentucky series last week that Russell would have a “hybrid” role moving forward during SEC weekends. 

“It’ll be relief,” Vitello added, “but I don’t have any intention of bringing him in right in the middle of an inning to start the whole deal. So probably starting an inning.”

AJ Russell pitched 1.2 innings against Kentucky last Saturday

Russell pitched one inning in his season debut against North Alabama on February 25 then didn’t pitch again until April 1 against Tennessee Tech, going one inning. He pitched 1.2 innings on Saturday against Kentucky, in his first SEC outing.

He had three strikeouts against North Alabama, two against Tennessee Tech  and two more against Alabama State. He gave up one hit against Tennessee Tech and Alabama State and walked one Kentucky batter last week.

“The next move would be to get up and down three times,” Vitello said before the Kentucky series, “if we were just training. But of course, we’re not in spring training, we’re in SEC ball. So it’s a delicate balance.

“… We got this side bar issue going on that’s unique, so maybe he gets some outs and still throws in the bullpen. He’s done that a couple different times. So again, it’ll be a little bit of a hybrid in that case too. He wants to help us win games. We want him to help us win games, but we do want to keep that.”

You may also like