**Tennessee Prepares for Crucial Matchup Against Wake Forest**

Tennessee looks to be in a favorable position for Monday night's pivotal game. The Volunteers have an array of fresh pitchers ready to support starter AJ Russell. The bullpen includes Tegan Kuhns, Tanner Franklin, Brayden Krenzel, Dylan Loy, Austin Breedlove, and Andrew Behnke. In case of necessity, Nate Snead and potentially Liam Doyle might also take the mound. Despite expecting an all-out effort from Wake Forest, Tennessee remains the more talented team, has the advantage of having played one fewer game in the regional, and benefits from playing on home turf.

The Volunteers' pathway to victory is straightforward: disciplined, error-free baseball. However, consistency has been an issue throughout the season. Lately, Tennessee has shown a marked improvement, particularly over the last two weeks, compared to their performance in April and early May. Their offense has picked up momentum as the season progresses. A critical factor in the upcoming game will be the performance of the available pitchers.

Wake Forest poses a formidable challenge with a commendable offense. The Demon Deacons have worked an impressive 363 walks, placing them fourth in the nation. Their on-base percentage stands at a strong .431, ranking sixth nationally. Additionally, the team can hit for power, boasting a slugging percentage of .532 and ranking 13th in the country. With five players hitting 10 or more home runs this season, they hold the 11th spot nationally in home runs.

Even though Wake Forest's bullpen is robust, only Josh Gunther is anticipated to be unavailable against Tennessee. Their strategy will likely involve a full-squad effort to challenge Tennessee. However, they aren’t overly aggressive on the base paths, ranking outside the top 100 nationally with 70 stolen bases.

Defensively, Wake Forest's pitching has been solid but not exemplary, marked by a 4.76 team ERA and a 1.41 WHIP, placing them 49th and 50th nationally, respectively. While the pitching staff was not at its best in the first two Regional games, their performance against Cincinnati and Tennessee on Sunday was commendable given the circumstances.

As the stage is set for this critical contest, Tennessee hopes to advance to the Super Regional by leveraging their home advantage and improved late-season performance.