Tennessee
When will AJ Russell return for Tennessee baseball? Tony Vitello updates pitcher’s status
AJ Russell threw a bullpen Tuesday as the Tennessee baseball pitcher works back from injuries that have sidelined for nearly two months.
Vols coach Tony Vitello said the bullpen went well and the next step is to see how Russell feels Wednesday.
“In an ideal world, it is time to start strategizing when would he throw in a game for us,” Vitello said after No. 1 Tennessee run-ruled Belmont 10-0 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Russell has not pitched since March 23 against Ole Miss. He departed in the ninth inning with tightness in his forearm, the second time this season the sophomore pitcher departed with an injury issue. The sophomore has a 5.11 ERA in four appearances. He has 19 strikeouts in 12⅓ innings. He has allowed seven runs on 10 hits and eight walks.
Tennessee (43-10, 19-8 SEC) hosts South Carolina in the final regular-series starting Thursday (6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+).
When could AJ Russell return for Tennessee baseball?
The 6-foot-6 Russell has thrown off a mound a couple times recently. The next step is for Russell to throw to live hitters, if he feels good after the most recent bullpen session. That would be the final stamp of approval in Vitello’s eyes in order to get Russell back in the fold.
“Our guys want him back,” Vitello said. “I’d like to see him out there. So it is kind of where does it all meet? We are kind of to that point now where it’s time to decide what is the best way for him to get back out there.”
Russell left his second start of the season with side soreness, missed multiple weeks and returned for two outings before forearm tightness put him on the self again.
Vitello said Russell has had to stop, at times, in his work to return and had to “even kind of backpedal.” Tennessee’s staff has pitched well enough to allow Russell to take his time, Vitello noted.
“The one thing I can tell you with 100% conviction, everyone has to heart his future,” Vitello said. “The microscope of it or the shorter term of it is next year, where he will be the leader of a staff and be a huge part of it on the mound. Also we all know what he has shown, he can play for a long time.”
What is AJ Russell’s injury for Tennessee baseball?
Russell left his second start of the season against Albany on Feb. 23 with side soreness. He did not return until March 17 against Alabama, then was injured against a week later against Ole Miss.
Russell took over Tennessee’s Friday night starter spot as a sophomore. He struck out 10 in 4⅓ innings on Feb. 16 against Texas Tech, including getting the first eight outs of the game via strikeout. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk.
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The Franklin, Tennessee, native struck out four in three innings against Albany before leaving the game. He allowed three hits and walked one.
Russell started against Alabama in his return, striking out two and allowing one run on two hits in two innings. He struggled against Ole Miss in his last outing before departing with arm issues. He walked six, allowed two hits and surrendered four runs. He struck out three in three innings.
Russell was 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA in 30⅓ innings with 47 strikeouts as a freshman. He made 24 appearances with one start.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WCYB) — The Washington County, Tennessee Isaiah 117 House hosted a fundraiser event Tuesday to help support area children who are entering the foster care system.
The event took at Boones Creek Christian Church where organizers hope to raise around $20,000 to go towards funds for the house and raise awareness for the organization.
The organization which began in the Tri-Cities now has more than 60 houses in 13 states.
The group helps care for children who are entering foster care while they are waiting on their foster placement.
“We feel like we have an obligation to continue to do this for the generations to come, for the children who haven’t been born yet,” Washington County Isaiah 1:17 House Support Coordinator Katie Wilt said. “We know they are going to need us. We wish they didn’t but we know that they are, so part of this luncheon is to fundraise to make sure that we are able to sustain the care and the hope for the children of the future.”
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To view the Isaiah 117 website, click here.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee have wrapped up a yearlong, statewide America 250 tour that spotlighted Tennessee’s role in the nation’s history.
The tour, themed “Tennessee: The Original Frontier”, highlighted people, places and events tied to Tennessee’s contributions to America. Over the past year, Lee visited all 95 counties as part of the effort to commemorate the milestone with Tennesseans across the state.
Over the past year, Maria and I have traveled from Mountain City to Memphis, and we’ve been reminded that our state’s greatest strength is its people,” Lee said. “As America prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence, Tennesseans can take pride in the Volunteer Spirit carried forward in the individuals, communities, and stories that have helped shape our nation from the very beginning.
The tour concluded in Van Buren County at the same venue where Lee held his first gubernatorial campaign event in 2017, returning to the place where his statewide journey began.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Even though it only needed one win to make the Women’s College World Series finals, Tennessee softball managed its pitching staff in expectation of playing two games.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols (49-12) were eliminated from the WCWS in the semifinals by taking back-to-back losses to No. 2 seed Texas (51-12) at Devon Park on June 1, ending their season. They lost the first game 5-2 and the second game 4-0.
Tennessee used each of its top three pitchers in the games, starting Erin Nuwer (15-1, 1.04 ERA) in Game 1 and Karlyn Pickens (15-8, 1.70 ERA) in Game 2. Sage Mardjetko (16-3, 1.45 ERA) also pitched in Game 1.
“Knowing what could be on the horizon, I think you almost have to plan for the possibility of two games,” Tennessee coach Karen Weekly said. “You’re hoping to go out there and win it in one.”
Nuwer pitched the first two innings of Game 1, long enough to get through Texas’ full batting order once. Mardjetko then relieved Nuwer. Weekly said she made that decision because of how well Mardjetko did against Texas in the Lady Vols’ WCWS opening win against the Longhorns on May 28.
In that game, Mardjetko pitched four scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and two walks with a strikeout. She didn’t have the same success in the semifinals, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks in 2⅓ innings.
“Sage did such a good job against them the other day,” Weekly said. “So, we got exactly what we wanted out of Erin. We wanted her to get us one time through the lineup without any damage, and she did, and then hand it over to Sage.”
At the start of the fifth inning, Pickens began warming up in the bullpen. Mardjetko didn’t get pulled until later in the inning, after giving up a home run, a double, a walk and two singles that amounted to three runs. However, instead of putting Pickens in, Weekly elected to go back to Nuwer.
“Just staying ready,” Pickens said of her bullpen activity. “Never know when you might go into a game. Yeah, that’s my job. It’s not my job to decide when I go in, so just stay ready.”
Weekly said she was planning on putting Pickens in if Tennessee took the lead which never happened. Pickens instead started Game 2, pitching the entire game and allowing four runs, seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts in six innings.
“You kind of have to balance how many bullets are you going to use in Game 1 if you get to Game 2?” Weekly said. “You want to get to Game 2 and have a good plan with your pitching staff. I felt like we got to Game 2 with a good plan. We got to Game 2 with a rested Karlyn, and pitching wasn’t so much the problem today. We just didn’t mount an offensive threat.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
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