Tennessee by the numbers: How the Volunt atlanta braves signed jersey eers became college baseball's latest powerhouse

June 10, 2022 By Edward Sutelan 0

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Since the sixth week of the college baseball season, Tennessee has been the unanimous No. 1 team in college baseball with only one brief exception in Week 12. The Volunteers reclaimed the consensus top spot in the 13th week, and haven't looked back.

At 56-7, the Volunteers havCody Bellinger en't just been the best team in baseball, they've been the latest powerhouse program. Tennessee hasn't lost since May 14, and only one team (Kentucky) has won a series against them all season.

Now, Tennessee finds itself in the super regionals against Notre Dame with a trip to the College World Series on the line. The Volunteers have never won a Division I Baseball title.

Just how dominant has Tennessee been? The Sporting News dives into the numbers behind its 2022 success.

Tennessee by the numbers

Manny Machado Getty Images

Run differential

As would be expected, the gap between the runs scored by Tennessee and runs allowed is wide. The Volunteers have scored 592 runs and allowed only 173 for a difference of 419 runs. The difference in team ERA vs. opponents' ERA is 2.38 (the best in baseball) to 8.99 (would rank 286-of-293 if by a single team).

On average, the Volunteers have outscored teams by 6.65 runs per game. There have only been 21 games — of nike atlanta braves jersey Matt Chapman Blue Jays Jerseys 63 total games — in which the Volunteers have won by three or fewer runs. By comparison, they've won by at least six runs in 32 games.

To put that 173 runs allowed number into further (astounding) context, Volunteer hitters have 150 home runs and 150 doubles. The top three Tennessee batters have driven in 209 runs alone. Seven batters havRobinson Canoe more than 173 at-bats. Third baseman Trey Lipscomb has 172 total bases.

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Bases empty

It's hard to score when teams can't get anyone on base. And that's been the case for teams facing the Volunteers.

Tennessee's pitching staff has combined to post a 0.98 WHIP, the lowest in college baseball. Next closest is Southern Miss that combined for a 1.14 WHIP. That WHIP is a product of the lowest walk rate in baseball at 2.5 walks per game and fewest hits allowed per game at 6.34.

But it goes further than that. The Volunteer pitching staff has also hit the fourth-fewest batters this season at 31.

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Volunteer firemen

Ben Joyce, nicknamed "The Volunteer Fireman," has captured the national attention with his blistering fastball that set a collegiate baseball record at 105.5 mph, the fastest ever recorded. While the rest of the bullpen might not have the same fire behind their fastball as Joyce, they know how to put out fires.

Tennessee has turned to six relievers to appear in at least 20 games this season. The highest ERA in that group is 2.63 from Camden Sewell, who has also pitched the most innings of any primary reliever at 48 in 24 appearances. Kirby Connell has an ERA of 1.45 in 37.1 innings, Mark McLaughlin has a 1.53 ERA in 29.1 innings, Will Mabrey has an ERA of 2.01 in 40.1 innings, Joyce has an ERA of 2.48 in 29 innings and Redmond Walsh has an ERA of 2.58 in 38.1 innings.

Each of those pitchers has at least 40 strikeouts, and Sewell and Mabrey are the only two relievers with opponents' batting averages above .200 (.224 and .220, respectively). McLaughlin, Tidwell, Joyce and Walsh are the only relievers with at least 10 walks (Walsh has 10, other three have 11).

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Tennessee smoked

The pitching staff has done enough this season for the Volunteers to win plenty of games. But the batters have also produced one of college baseball's best offenses. And it starts with the long ball.

This season, nine Tennessee batters have recorded at least 10 home runs, meaning they are the only team in Division I baseball that could field an entire starting lineup with batters that have hit double-digit home run totals. Maryland is the only team in college baseball that even has eight batters with at least 10.

The lineup collectively atlanta braves jersey for toddlers has hit 150 home runs, the most of any team in the sport. Just those nine batters alone have 130, which would be the third-most for any team in college baseball, behind only Maryland's 137.

The Volunteers also lead college baseball with a .607 team slugging percentage. The next highest slugging percentage in the sport by a team is Virginia Tech's .578, a difference of .029. Combined with their on-base percentage of .421, the Volunteers lead all college baseball with an OPS of 1.028.

All-time greatest team?

Everything about Tennessee's 2022 season speaks to the all-around dominance of the team. The Volunteers are the best pitching teamKeds in college baseball. They're the best hitt atlanta braves championship gear ing team in college baseball.

True powerhouse programs come around on occasion, most recently in 2017 and 2018 with Oregon State. But does Tennessee have a case for the best team ever?

Bas atlanta braves cooperstown jersey ed on Massey Ratings, the 2022 Volunteers are the best college baseball team since the ratings began in 1997. atlanta braves jersey mens They have a rating of 9.59, which is higher than the 2020 UCLA team at 9.36 — that team also did not finish a full season — and the 2017 Beavers at 9.35. Oregon State that season lost the College World Series, while the 2018 version, which has the fourth-highest Massey Rating, won the title the following year.

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