AJ Russell scheduled to make second straight SEC start for Tennessee Baseball
AJ Russell is scheduled to start for Tennessee Baseball for a second straight weekend. The Vols on Thursday named their probable starters for the weekend series against Auburn, including Russell listed for Sunday’s series finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Russell made his first SEC start in the 12-2 loss at LSU on Sunday, throwing 37 pitches over 1.2 innings. He gave up two earned runs on three hits, with a walk and two strikeouts.
Tennessee (36-9, 13-8 SEC) hosts Auburn (31-14, 11-10) beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and Sunday’s game is a 1 p.m. ET start, with all three games on SEC Network+.
Liam Doyle, Marcus Phillips to start first two games of Auburn series
Liam Doyle is Friday’s probable starter and Marcus Phillips is set to go Saturday
Phillips went 6.2 innings Saturday at LSU, giving up two runs on just three hits while striking out six and getting the win. Doyle pitched 6.2 scoreless innings Friday, giving up just one hit while striking out six
Russell, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, has made four starts and appeared in five games this season. He has pitched just 5.2 innings over the first four appearances, including a season-long 2.1 innings against Alabama State on April 8.
Tony Vitello on AJ Russell: ‘He needs to go get us more outs than he got last weekend.’
He 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.
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Tennessee used eight pitchers in the eight-inning, run-rule loss at LSU on Sunday, after Russell got the first five outs.
Tony Vitello said after a 7-5 win over Northern Kentucky on Tuesday that Russell is feeling “good.”
“Health wise,” Vitello said, “I think if he’d go back in time, he’d be a little less feely, feeling things out there and a little more just go and get it. We’re kind of to that point in the year year, whatever we’re going to get, he’s going to be a part of it. And his leash is going to need to get a little longer. That’s more us than him. So he needs to go get us more outs than he got last weekend.
“And in what capacity, I think in my head, I kinda have an idea, but we’ve had some really good recent convos as a staff, and I value all those guy’s opinions. So we’ll make a decision when we need to. No need to rush.”
