KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A hot-hitting East Tennessee State team aims to continue its strong start when it visits in-state foe Tennessee for a nonconference baseball game Tuesday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Buccaneers (9-2) bring a five-game winning streak into the matchup, having just swept a four-game series from Quinnipiac, including a 16-5 victory Sunday. The Volunteers (8-3) are coming off a series win over Virginia Tech, capped by a 3-1 victory Sunday.

East Tennessee State’s offense has been potent, averaging over nine runs per game during its current streak. A key catalyst is utility player Tristan Curless, who went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs in Sunday’s rout. For the season, Curless is batting .357 with two homers and six RBIs, and also contributed a scoreless inning of relief with three strikeouts in the same game.

Tennessee will counter with left-hander Evan Blanco, who delivered a strong start against Virginia Tech. Blanco (1-0) allowed two hits and one earned run over 5 1/3 innings, striking out six. His performance anchored a dominant pitching effort where Volunteers hurlers combined for 11 strikeouts.

The Buccaneers’ recent surge includes a 10-inning, 4-3 win over Quinnipiac on Saturday and an 8-2 victory Friday. Their last loss was 8-5 to Appalachian State on Feb. 25.

Tennessee’s season has featured series wins over Nicholls State and Kent State, along with a road victory at Arizona State on Feb. 28. The Volunteers dropped their series opener to UCLA 12-5 on Feb. 27.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, this contest projects to be a high-scoring affair, with a predicted final score of East Tennessee State 8, Tennessee 7.

Following Tuesday’s game, Tennessee hosts Oakland on Wednesday. East Tennessee State travels to James Madison for a three-game series starting Friday.