The No. 1 ranked Tennessee Volunteers (19-0, 2-0 SEC) are off to a blazing start in the 2025 baseball season, keeping their perfect record intact with a dominant 10-0 victory over No. 7 Florida (16-4, 0-2 SEC) on Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The game ended in a run-rule decision after seven innings, thanks to a spectacular walk-off three-run homer by Reese Chapman, who sealed the deal in style. The Vols exploded for nine runs in the seventh inning to secure the series win.
Marcus Phillips, the towering 6-foot-4, 246-pound junior, delivered a masterful performance on the mound, pitching a complete game shutout. He struck out seven batters, allowed just five hits, and walked only one over 110 pitches, 76 of which were strikes. Phillips’ commanding presence kept the Gators’ offense in check all game long.
At the plate, Tennessee’s bats came alive, with Hunter Ensley, Manny Marin, and Reese Chapman each recording multiple hits. Chapman’s clutch home run in the seventh inning was the exclamation point on an already impressive performance.
The Vols will look to complete the series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. EDT (SEC Network+). A win would not only extend their current win streak to 22 games, dating back to 2024, but also solidify their dominance early in the season. Tennessee took the first game of the series on Friday with a 5-3 victory, and now they’re just one win away from another statement series win against a top-ranked opponent.
