Feb. 16, 2017

2017 Schedule

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Baseball Time in Tennessee is just one day away! To count down to the start of the 2017 season, UTSports.com profiled a player each day on the Vols' 2017 squad. The countdown began Jan. 18 and ends today as UT's season opener against Memphis starts tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET at FedEx Park.

TENNESSEE BASEBALL'S NO. 1

2006-07 | Brian Bibee
1980 | Jimmy Boring
1976 | Zan Brooks
1998-99 | Amos Burdine
1990 | Greg Chignoli
1987 | Chris Cioffi
1997 | Michael Cosgrove
2000-04 | Brandon Crowe
1994-96 | R.A. Dickey
1989 | Hector Garcia
1984-86 | Bobby Gaylor
1966-67 | Tom Giles
1991-93 | Ricky Hawkins
1969-71 | Steve Hembree
1972-75 | Condredge Holloway
1982-83 | Curtis Johnson
2015-17 | Brodie Leftridge
2012-14 | Will Maddox
1970 | Roger McKinney (Away)
2008-10 | P.J. Polk
1978-79 | Jimmy Streater
2011 | Andrew Toles
1977 | Bruce Walker (Home)

Need to Know

Later this week, Tennessee will travel to Memphis to open their 2017 season with a three-game set (Feb. 17-19) against the University of Memphis at FedEx Park, home of the Tigers. The Big Orange then heads west during their second week of the season for a single-game matchup at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, Calif. (Feb. 22) before travelling to San Diego to participate in the Tony Gwynn Classic on Feb. 24-26.

Following the four-game stint in California, the Volunteers will return to Knoxville for their first home series of the season on March 3-5. The series also signifies the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and UT.

The Orange & White open their 2017 Southeastern Conference schedule with the South Carolina Gamecocks in Knoxville on March 17-19, marking the second consecutive year for UT to begin conference play at home. Tennessee later plays host to SEC rivals Georgia (March 31-April 2), Auburn (April 13-15) and Arkansas (May 4-6) before closing out regular season play against Missouri (May 18-20) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

This year, the Volunteers' SEC road schedule includes trips to Mississippi State (March 24-26), Florida (April 7-9), Texas A&M (April 21-23), Vanderbilt (April 28-30) and Kentucky (May 12-14).

On the season, the Volunteers, led by Head Coach Dave Serrano and his staff, are scheduled to play 15 of their 55 regular season games against five 2016 NCAA postseason participants, including 2016 SEC Tournament Champion Texas A&M.

Countdown to Baseball: 1 Day

In total, 23 Vols have worn the Orange and White No. 1 jersey in UT history including junior outfielder Brodie Leftridge.

As a sophomore, Leftridge played in 40 games (22 starts), hitting .302 with four doubles, four triples and six RBI. His four triples ranked tied for seventh in the SEC. He hit .364 (4-for-11) over the Vols' three-game regular-season finale at Georgia, including a team-leading four runs scored, to help UT clinch its third consecutive SEC Baseball Tournament bid with the series win.

Appearing in 28 games his freshman season, Leftridge hit .219 with three doubles, two triples, one home run, four RBI and nine runs scored. In 2015, he recorded his first collegiate multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple, during the 12-10 victory at UC Irvine (Feb. 28). His first collegiate home run came later in the season on April 21 as part of a 14-7 win over ETSU.

Leftridge ended the 2015 summer season after playing in 26 games for the Alaska Baseball League Champion Anchorage Bucs. He finished with 14 hits, six RBI, eight stolen bases, seven runs scored and a .212 batting average.

The Baltimore, Md., native played for St. John's College High School in Chevy Chase, Washington DC. He graduated as a three-year letter winner and was considered a Top-50 outfielder in the country within the 2014-15 class according to Perfect Game. The same organization ranked him a Top-200 overall prospect, the No. 4 overall prospect in Maryland and the No. 2 outfielder in the state.