Redmond Walsh, Trey Lipscomb Closing in on Program, Single-Season Records

Vols Baseball Redmond Walsh, Trey Lipscomb Closing in on Program, Single-Season Records

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– A pair of Tennessee Baseball Volunteers are closing in on longstanding program and single-season records at the University of Tennessee.

If you've kept up with Tennessee baseball the past five or so years, you know the name Redmond Walsh.

In his super-senior season on Rocky Top, Walsh has retained his role as an elite closer for Tennessee in their historic season. And in that role, Walsh is closing in on history himself.

The Louisville, Tennessee, native earned his sixth save of the season in Tennessee's 5-2 series-opening win over Georgia in Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Walsh entered the game in a two-out, runner on third situation in the bottom of the eighth, with UT leading by two runs. Walsh did what he does best, deliver a strikeout to strand the Bulldog and keep the healthy lead. The super-senior would then sit the heart of Georgia's lineup down to end the game and get the save.

Walsh's save marked his sixth of the year and 22nd of his career, putting the lefty one save away from tying all-time great VFL Todd Helton for the program record of 23 saves. Walsh has been the go-to guy in those spots the majority of his Tennessee career, especially the past two seasons.

This season, Walsh has five SEC saves, and his six total saves rank sixth-best in the SEC. Walsh has also put together great game three outings against Florida and Kentucky, particularly helping force game three to go to extra innings in Gainesville that ultimately resulted in Tennessee making SEC and school history. Walsh is not the only individual on Tennessee's roster nearing history. Senior third baseman Trey Lipscomb is within five home runs of setting the single-season program record held by Sonny Cortez's 1998 season. Cortez recorded 24 homers in '98, and Lipscomb's solo homer in game one against Georgia brought his season total to 20.

Lipscomb is the first Vol to reach the 20-homer mark since VFL Cody Hawn hit 22 in 2009.

Lipscomb's senior season is a perfect example of how waiting your turn at a great program pays off. The Frederick, Maryland, native joined Tennessee in 2019 as a true freshman when the program was beginning to show improvements under (then) second-year head coach Tony Vitello. Lipscomb logged a mere 14 at-bats and recorded one hit. Lipscomb saw more consistent work as a sophomore, logging seven hits on 26 at-bats in 11 games before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 virus. Last year, Lipscomb could not find a spot in Tennessee's star-studded lineup, as Jake Rucker was a staple in the Vols' starting nine at third base.

But this year, it's a different story for Lipscomb. A story that may end in history for the Vol veteran that waited his turn, something that freshmen on the 2022 team are noticing.

"His story is very cool," Vols freshman DH Blake Burke said after the Georgia game regarding Lipscomb. "He sat all of the last three years and didn't have a hit in the SEC last year. Now, he's going crazy."

Crazy, indeed. Lipscomb leads the SEC in home runs and RBIs with 20 and 70, respectively. The senior has hit a homer in 40 percent of games played this season and is second in the SEC in slugging percentage. If Lipscomb continues to hit homers at the same rate, he will break Cortez's record in the next 13 games, which will be in the thick of the NCAA Regionals or Super Regionals.

Lipscomb and Walsh are just two examples of what has been a stellar season for Tennessee. The Vols currently sit atop the conference at 44-6 (21-4 SEC) and are two conference wins away from winning the league outright for the first time since 1995.

Tennessee can also win one game and have Arkansas lose one. The Razorbacks begin their weekend series against Vanderbilt on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network(+). Therefore, with some help, the Vols can achieve a series win over the Bulldogs and an SEC win on Friday. Game two between Tennessee and Georgia is set for 5:30 p.m. ET in Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The SEC Network will have the stream. 

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Photo and video credit: UT Athletics Baseball Communications