Two SEC foes do battle in the College Baseball World Series, can the Vols pull an upset?
Tennessee and LSU played this season in Baton Rouge with the home team Tigers taking two of three from the Vols, but now meet on a neutral field in Omaha, Nebraska in hopes of punching a ticket to the semifinals.
Both teams are elite across the board, but the matchup to watch is if Tennessee's offense can breakthrough against a potentially vulnerable LSU pitching staff. Let's check out the odds as we wait confirmation on starting pitchers.
Tennessee. vs LSU odds, run line and total
Tennessee vs. LSU prediction and pick
It's unclear if LSU will start Paul Skenes, the best pitcher in college baseball, in Game 1, and while he gives the Tigers an undeniable advantage if he's on the mound, the team's bullpen is a serious concern.
The Bayou Bengals have had relief trouble all season. The team's primary closer this season, Gavin Guidry, posted an ERA of 4.42 in the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Vols have plenty of options on the mound, like Andrew Lindsey, who had a 2.54 ERA in the regular season. The team may go to Chase Dollander in Game 1, and his 4.28 ERA looks concerning, but the team can go to one of the best relief arms in the nation, AJ Russell, who has a sub-1.00 in over 28 innings of work.
LSU has far more pop in the lineup, but Tennessee's offense is competitive, the team hung 14 runs in its lone win in Baton Rouge in April. The team is top 10 in slugging percentage and can put the pressure on non Skenes pitchers on the Tigers.
Ultimately, I don't see the difference this wide between the two teams and I'll take a shot on the underdog Vols to get it done with a standout pitching outing.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
