SCORE: Tennessee 10, Nicholls 0 | FINAL (8 inn. – Run-Rule)

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No. 14 Tennessee baseball is set to host the Nicholls Colonels Friday in Knoxville as the 2026 season gets underway.

First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium will be at 4:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

SEC Network + will have the broadcast for all three games of the series.

For a full preview of the series, including Tennessee’s pitching plan for all three games, click HERE.

Friday serves as Opening Day for the 2026 season, the first in the post-Tony Vitello era, as the former head man for the Vols left last fall to become the San Francisco Giants manager. Vitello is the first person to ever become a head manager in the MLB with no big league coaching experience.

Vitello recently shared his thoughts on this year’s Tennessee’s team and spring training as he readies his Giants squad for the 2026 season.

With Vitello gone, the Josh Elander era – or ElandEra – is underway. There’s no better time for it to begin, as Friday’s game marks the first in the newly renovated Lindsey Nelson Stadium. After years of work, LNS has become one of the SEC’s best parks. Check out all the changes below.

RENOVATIONS: Tennessee Athletics Brings Magnificent Changes to Lindsey Nelson Stadium Ahead of 2026 Baseball Season

RENOVATIONS LOOK: Tour of Tennessee Baseball’s Lindsey Nelson Stadium Renovations

Tennessee enters 2026 returning a few key contributors from a year ago, including sophomores Levi Clark, Jay Abernathy, Manny Marin, Chris Newstrom and senior Reese Chapman, all of who begin the season in the starting lineup.

Additionally, Stone Lawless and Ariel Antigua, who were fringe contributors for the 2025 team, begin the season as starters. Lawless figures to serve as Tennessee’s top catcher while Antigua will have the opportunity to be an every-day starter if he can be more effective at the plate.

Beyond the returners, transfers Henry Ford and Blaine Brown are expected to be two of Tennessee’s top bats. By way of Virginia, Ford was Tennessee’s prized transfer portal land in the offseason. He begins the season as the leadoff hitter. Do not be surprised if Ford hits 20+ home runs.

The same can be said for Brown, who was at Rice in 2025. Brown opens the season as the DH and in the two-hole.

While there are plenty of familiar faces offensively, the pitching staff includes just four returners: Brandon Arvidson, Tegan Kuhns, Brayden Krenzel and Nic Abraham.

Kuhns is the opening day starter, Krenzel is a top relief arm, Abraham is a top midweek option with upside and Arvidson could be Tennessee’s best pitcher on the staff. The redshirt-junior begins the season banged up and won’t start this weekend, but he may become a part of the rotation as the season progresses.

For a full preview of the season, included projected accolades, pitching and lineup breakdowns, click the links below.

SEASON PREVIEW: Tennessee Baseball 2026 Season Preview: Accolades, Predictions

PITCHING PREVIEW

LINEUP PREVIEW

Opponent Scout

• 2025 Record: 17-32 (10-20 SLC)
• 2025 Postseason: N/A
• 2026 Southland Conference Preseason Poll: N/A
• Head Coach: Brent Haring
  • Overall Record: 17-32 (2^nd year)
  • Record at Nicholls: Same
• Preseason All-Conference Selections: N/A

Info courtesy UT Athletics

Prediction: Vols sweep

Tennessee will easily handle Nicholls. The important thing to watch is the depth pecking order in the bullpen and which reserves the coaching staff favors more than others.

Injury/Availability Notes

• UTL Blake Grimmer is dealing with lower back soreness and will be out for the season-opening series.
• C/OF Garrett Wright had wrist surgery recently and figures to miss at least the first week of the season.
• Tennessee is going to ‘take it slow’ with LHP Brandon Arvidson. He may pitch this weekend, but he WILL NOT start. Arvidson is dealing with arm soreness and has suffered some setbacks leading up to the season.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee HC Josh Elander Said In Final Preseason Press Conference

For all of RTI’s preseason baseball coverage, click here.

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast previewing the 2026 season, click HERE.

VIDEO: Tennessee HC Josh Elander, UT Players Preview Vols’ Upcoming 2026 Season

Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

3B Henry Ford (R)

DH Blaine Brown (L)

1B Levi Clark (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

C Stone Lawless (R)

SS Manny Marin (R)

CF Jay Abernathy (L)

2B Ariel Antigua (R)

LF Chris Newstrom (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Some new and familiar faces in the Tennessee lineup. True sophomores Clark, Abernathy, Marin and Newstrom all receive opening day nods.
• Chapman also begins the season as the starter in right field, where he was all of last year.
• Stone Lawless figures to serve as the top catcher this season after operating as the number two option there a year ago.
• Ford and Brown were Tennessee’s prized transfers offensively. Expect them to lead the way in most hitting categories and be lineup staples.
• Ariel Antigua has had a tremendous offseason and gets the opening day opportunity. Antigua, Marin and Newstrom are Tennessee’s top middle infielders.
• Tyler Myatt is Tennessee’s top option on the bench. Grimmer and Wright would be in that conversation, too, if they were healthy.

NICHOLLS STARTING NINE: 

2B Keegan Giger (R)

DH Greyson Shafer (R)

1B Caston Thompson (R)

RF Nico Rijo-Berger (R)

LF Casey Artigues (R)

3B Carter Jenkins (R)

SS Jaxon Milan (R)

C Clayton Pourciau (R)

CF Karson Irvin (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols So. RHP Tegan Kuhns

vs.

Colonels Fr. RHP Nuno Parache

Pitching notes:

• The uber-talented Kuhns gets the opening day nod. His freshman season ended on a low note, but his upside is through the roof. Kuhns has All-SEC potential and is one of Tennessee’s X-factors in his draft-eligible sophomore season.
• Bo Rhudy, Brady Frederick, Cam Appenzeller, Mark Hindy and Brandon Arvidson, if able to go, are the top bullpen options.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Icy whites (NOW WITH NAME PLATES)

Nicholls: Red tops, white pants

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*NOTES*

• There IS a run-rule in effect. If Tennessee leads by 10 or more runs in M7 or later, the game is over.
• VFL Jared Dickey is throwing out the first pitch.
• Announced attendance: 6,977 – a new LNS record.

---

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Keegan Giger strikes out swinging.

• 4-pitch at-bat. Kuhns gets him swinging on a 97 mph fast ball.

-Greyson Shafer strikes out swinging.

• Another 97 mph fastball for strike three.

-Caston Thompson pops up to SS in shallow left field.

• 13-pitch, 1-2-3 inning for Kuhns. Great start.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Henry Ford flies out to RF.

-Blaine Brown lines a single up the middle.

• 1st of many hits for Brown this season and the first of the season for UT.

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Reese Chapman drives an RBI double to right field.

• Brown scores all the way from first.

-Stone Lawless flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Colonels 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Nico Rijo-Berger grounds out to 2B.

• Great play by Ariel Antigua. Expect a lot of that as he continues to start.

-Casey Artigues flies out to LF.

-Carter Jenkins grounds out to 3B.

• 11-pitch, 1-2-3 inning. Kuhns at 24 pitches with 6 up, 6 down.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Manny Marin grounds out to SS.

-Jay Abernathy flies out to CF in right-center.

• To the warning track, almost the first homer of the year.

-Ariel Antigua hit by pitch.

-Chris Newstrom strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Colonels 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Jaxon Milam grounds out to SS.

• Nice play by Manny.

-Clayton Pourciau strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Karson Irvin singles down the LF line.

-Keegan Giger strikes out swinging.

• Kuhns at 38 pitches through three.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Henry Ford drops a single into center field.

-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Levi Clark pops up to 3B.

-Reese Chapman drills an RBI double off the right-center wall to score Ford.

• 111 mph off the bat for Chapman.

-Stone Lawless slaps an RBI double to right field.

• Right fielder (Nico Rijo-Berger) misjudged it, leading to the ball flying over his head. Chapman comes home.

-Manny Marin draws a four-pitch walk.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging to strand a pair.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Colonels 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Greyson Shafer grounds out to 3B.

-Caston Thompson grounds out to SS.

-Nico Rijo-Berber smacks a single to left field.

-Casey Artigues lines out to 1B.

• Great play by Levi Clark. A rocket low to the ground is back-hand nabbed by Clark to make the play.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Ariel Antigua flies out to LF.

• Hard-hit by Antigua right to the left fielder.

-Chris Newstrom reaches on a fielding error by P.

• Parache failed to corral the bouncer just right of the mound.

Newstrom advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Henry Ford launches a two-run homer over the batter’s eye. Newstrom scores. (WATCH HOMER)

• Monster shot. First homer of Tennessee’s and Ford’s season.
• 406 feet, 106 mph

-Blaine Brown singles through the left side.

-Levi Clark flies out to RF.

-Reese Chapman reaches on catcher’s interference, Brown to second.

-Stone Lawless lines out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Colonels 0

5th Inning: 

T5

-Carter Jenkins grounds out to SS.

-Jaxon Milam strikes out swinging after a 7-pitch at-bat.

-Clayton Pourciau is walked on four pitches.

Pourciau advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Karson Irvin strikes out swinging.

• Not the sharpest inning from Kuhns but he strands a runner with a strikeout. Kuhns is at 65 pitches (40 strikes).

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Peyton Lacy on to pitch for Parache*

-Manny Marin legs out a double to left-center.

• Shortstop tried to make leaping catch but it ricocheted off his glove into left field. Marin barely reaches second on the slide.

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to P. Marin to third.

-Ariel Antigua sends an RBI groundout to 3B. Marin scores.

-Chris Newstrom works a walk.

-Henry Ford grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Colonels 0

6th Inning: 

T6

-Keegan Giger flies out to LF.

-Greyson Shafer grounds out to 3B.

-Caston Thompson strikes out looking.

• First 1-2-3 inning for Kuhns since the 2nd inning.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Dalton Hill on to pitch for Lacy*

-Blaine Brown grounds out to 2B.

-Levi Clark works a walk.

-Reese Chapman reaches on catcher’s interference. Clark to second.

-Stone Lawless flies out to CF.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Colonels 0

7th Inning: 

T7

-Nico Rijo-Berger flies out to CF.

-Casey Artigues strikes out looking.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Nic Abraham on to pitch for Kuhns*

–– TEGAN KUHNS FINAL LINE: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 54 strikes on 86 total pitches –– 

• Career-high in IP, Ks and total pitches for Kuhns.

-Carter Jenkins pops up to 1B on Abraham’s first pitch.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Jay Abernathy works a leadoff walk.

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Cole Poirrier on to pitch for Hill*

Abernathy advances to second on a passed ball.

-Ariel Antigua ropes an RBI double down the LF line. Abernathy scores.

-Chris Newstrom flies out to CF. Antigua advances to third, scores on a throwing error by SS.

-Henry Ford works a walk.

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Kaul Perkins on to pitch for Poirrier*

-Blaine Brown flies out to LF in deep left field.

Ford advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Levi Clark lines out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 8, Colonels 0

8th Inning: 

T8

-Jaxon Milam pops up to 2B in shallow right field.

-Clayton Pourciau flies out to CF.

Karson Irvin strikes out looking on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Karson Trichel on to pitch for Perkins*

*Logan Mock to C for Clayton Pourciau*

*Tyler Myatt pinch-hitting for Reese Chapman*

-Tyler Myatt rips a solo homer to right center.

• First of Myatt’s season, 2nd for Tennessee.
• 108 mph, 418 feet.

-Stone Lawless ends the game with a solo homer to left field.

• First of Lawless’ season and 3rd for Tennessee. Wins the game via run rule.
• 105 mph, 373 feet.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 10, Colonels 0

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 10, Nicholls Colonels 0 (8 inn. – Run-Rule)