KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Volunteers, fresh off a series win over Missouri, return to nonconference play Tuesday when they host the South Carolina Upstate Spartans at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EDT under cloudy skies with temperatures around 60 degrees.

Tennessee (17-7) enters with momentum after taking two of three from the Tigers in Southeastern Conference action, capped by a 7-1 victory Sunday. Left-hander Evan Blanco was dominant in that win, tossing 7 2/3 innings while allowing just one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts. The junior has been a key part of the Vols’ rotation, posting a 2.45 ERA with 27 strikeouts over 22 innings in his last four starts.

The Volunteers’ offense, which averages 7.5 runs per game, is led by a deep lineup that saw Garrett Wright homer and drive in two in the series finale.

South Carolina Upstate (12-13) arrives after a tough weekend on the road, dropping two of three at Longwood in a series that featured three one-run games, including an 11-12 loss on Sunday. The Spartans’ offense has shown potency, scoring five or more runs in eight of their last ten contests.

A player to watch for the Spartans is outfielder Trey Bentley. He is coming off a powerful performance Sunday, going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs in the narrow loss. Over his last five games, Bentley has driven in six runs.

On the mound, the Spartans will look to stabilize after a weekend where their bullpen was taxed, while Tennessee is expected to utilize its deep pitching staff in a midweek starter-by-committee approach.

The all-time series is tied 1-1, with the teams splitting a pair of meetings in 2023. According to Interstat’s game simulator, Tuesday’s contest projects to be another close one, with a predicted final score of Tennessee 6, South Carolina Upstate 5.

This game concludes a five-game homestand for the Volunteers, who travel to face rival Vanderbilt in a pivotal SEC series starting Friday. The Spartans continue a stretch of road games before opening a Big South Conference series at home against UNC Asheville on Friday.