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• Ex-Vols set pace through minor leagues
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Every time Jeff Lockwood steps to the plate for an at-bat, you hear the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme song on the loudspeakers.

It speaks volumes about the personality of the University of Tennessee sophomore first baseman/pitcher.

He's just a good ol' boy from Halls who "beats all you ever saw."

Now he gets a chance to reunite with his lifelong best friend when UT plays host to Austin Peay at 3 p.m. today at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Trey Lucas, starting catcher for the Governors, and Lockwood grew up running all over the hills of East Tennessee.

They hunt together. They fish together. They hang out together whenever they can.

Today, they compete against each other.

The Vols (3-1) will try to gain momentum going into a key weekend trip to Houston for games against Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma in the Minute Maid Classic.

"It's going to be really exciting seeing him come in here," Lockwood said of his former Halls High School teammate. "We grew up together from kindergarten to the end of high school.

"We've known each other our whole lives and probably talk about two or three times a week. We've been talking about this game for a long time."

Make that trash talking.

"The first day we got our schedule for this season, we called each other and we've been trash talking ever since," Lucas said. "It's been going on for months now.

"It's exciting. This is probably the first time we've played against each other since we were 12 or 13 in summer ball."

Lucas and Lockwood went on to lead the Red Devils to four District 3-AAA titles and two state-tournament appearances.

That's where their paths strayed. Lockwood was a UT commitment and Lucas found his way to Clarksville.

As freshmen last season, they had their share of success.

Lucas started 26 games and hit .313 with four home runs and 22 RBIs. Lockwood earned Freshman All-America status, batting .315 with four home runs and 34 RBIs. He also went 2-2 with eight saves and a 4.44 ERA on the mound.

Both are waiting to hit their stride in 2008. Lucas is 1-for-8 in the early going and Lockwood has started only once this season and is 0-for-5 at the plate.

Lockwood earned his ninth career save Monday against Furman, striking out three and walking three in a roller-coaster ninth-inning appearance against the Paladins.

"Hopefully he won't have any more days like that (Monday)," UT pitching coach Fred Corral said. "When he trusts his stuff, he's going to be special. It's just a matter of him forgetting the past."

This summer, Lucas and Lockwood have set up a deal to play together for the Brainerd Blue Thunder of the Northwoods League in Minnesota.

"We're both outdoorsmen and we'll have a chance to do some of that up there," Lockwood said. "But we're going up there to get better at baseball."

A couple of good ol' boys just doing the best they can.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.