Jan. 27, 2017

2017 Schedule

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Baseball Time in Tennessee is just 21 days away! To count down to the start of the 2017 season, UTSports.com will profile a player each day on the Vols' 2017 squad. The countdown continues today at No. 21 – introducing freshman Cal Gobbell - and will run up until UT’s season opener on February 17 against Memphis at FedEx Park.

TENNESSEE BASEBALL'S NO. 21

1984 (Away) | Dennis Bakenhaster
1990 (Away) | Harold Baker
2011-13 | Ethan Bennett
2014 | Trevor Bettencourt
1987 | Brad Blizzard
1974-77 | Brad Bradshaw
1974 (Away) | Ricky Burnett
2015-Present | Dominick Cammarata
2008 | Blake Forsythe
2017 | Cal Gobbell
1979-80 | Greg Hammer
1965 | John Hammett
1997 | Jack Keene
1967 | Mike Lawler
2007 | Chad Maddox
2003-04 | Todd Martin
1966 | Jeff Meizlik
1988-89 (Away) | John Neal
1981 | Greg Oldacre
1998-2000 | Kurt Scott
1985-86 | Joey Seaver
2009 | Andy Schuford
1970-71 (Home) | Wayne Spain
2001-02 | Matt Sternberg
1971 (Away) | Greg Stooksberry
1982-83 | Larry Tinsley
1972-73 (Home) | Bobby Tucker
2006 | Brian Van Kirk
2010 | Alan Walden
1973 (Away) | Mark Wylie
1969-70 (Away) | Jimmy Young

Need to Know

In February, 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: 21 Days

This season, freshman outfielder and Savannah, Tennessee native Cal Gobbell becomes the 31st Vol to wear No. 21 in Tennessee history.

The four-year letterwinner from Hardin County High School in both baseball and football, Gobbell comes to Rocky Top fresh off of a stellar senior high school campaign where he hit .440. In 2016, he was named a Rawlings Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and earned All-District honors in 2014-15 with the Tigers.

Entering his senior year at Hardin County, Gobbell was listed as the No. 4 outfielder and No. 15 overall player in the state of Tennessee and was tabbed a Top 150 outfielder in the nation by Perfect Game reports.