SCORE: Tennessee 5, Kent State 9 | FINAL

The Rocky Top Insider team mourns the tragic loss of long-time Tennessee athletics beat writer Wes Rucker.

If you are able and hoping to help the Rucker family, HERE is how.

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No. 13 Tennessee baseball (5-1) is set to host the Kent State Golden Flashes (4-2) Sunday in a game three rubber match to decide the weekend series. This is Tennessee’s first rubber match of the young season.

First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 1:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

Tennessee defeated Kent State Friday night in a 4-3 thriller. Tyler Myatt crushed a 434-foot pinch-hit walk off homer in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Vols. To watch Myatt’s walk-off homer, click HERE.

Tegan Kuhns allowed only one hit in 5.2 innings of work but walked three batters and hit three. Brayden Krenzel and Mark Hindy provided very useful relief outings, and Brady Frederick got a pair of crucial ground balls in the ninth after Bo Rhudy allowed three hits to blow the lead.

Saturday, the Vols’ offense struggled in a 2-1 defeat, the first of the 2026 season. UT went 5-32 at the plate including an abysmal 0-15 with runners on. Despite strong outings from Landon Mack and Brandon Arvidson on the mound, a Henry Ford leadoff homer in the opening frame was the only run Tennessee could muster in its first loss of 2026.

Kent State is the toughest competition Tennessee has faced to date, and the Golden Flashes have showed why. Tennessee and Kent State have each scored 5 runs so far in the series.

For full recaps of games one and two, click the links below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Local Natives Play Hero As Tennessee Baseball Walks Off Kent State

GAME TWO RECAP: Poor Offensive Effort Sinks Tennessee Baseball in First Loss of Season

Tennessee opened the 2026 season with a series sweep over Nicholls last weekend, out-scoring the Colonels 27-3 across the three contests. The Vols followed it up with a stress-free 10-3 midweek win over UNC Asheville.

Blaine Brown has been the story for the Vols this young season. The sophomore slugger has been phenomenal at the plate, already with three home runs, and also logged a 1-2-3 inning with three Ks as the opener in Tuesday’s game vs. UNC Asheville.

The 2026 season is the first in the post-Tony Vitello era, as the former UT head man 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 this weekend’s series 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

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: 38-18 (23-7 MAC)
  • 2025 Postseason: N/A
  • 2026 MAC Preseason Poll: 2^nd
  • Head Coach: Jeff Duncan
    • Overall Record: 389-243 (13^th year)
    • Record at Kent State: Same
  • Preseason All-Conference Selections: N/A
  • The Golden Flashes won the MAC regular season title in 2025 before being upset in the conference tournament by Miami (OH).
  • Kent State swept Southeastern Louisiana opening weekend before giving LSU a run for their money in a midweek loss this week.

Info courtesy UT Athletics

Prediction: Vols win the series

Kent State has given the Vols fits this series, as Tennessee’s offense has struggled. Despite mustering just 12 hits on the weekend, Tennessee rides great pitching and enough offense to win a Sunday rubber match.

Injury/Availability Notes

• Reese Chapman is BACK in the lineup after being OUT of the lineup for Saturday’s game with an illness.
• UTL Blake Grimmer is dealing with lower back soreness and is yet to make his season debut. TBD if he plays this weekend but is not in the starting lineup Friday.
• C/OF Garrett Wright had wrist surgery recently and figures to miss the Kent State series.
• Brandon Arvidson made his season debut Saturday after being held out in the first five games of the season with arm soreness.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee Baseball HC Josh Elander Said After First Loss of Season

For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.

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

VIDEO: Josh Elander Recaps Vols’ Series-Evening Loss to Kent State

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

CF Jay Abernathy (L)

3B Henry Ford (R)

LF Blaine Brown (L)

1B Levi Clark (R)

RF Reese Chapman (L)

DH Tyler Myatt (L)

C Stone Lawless (R)

SS Manny Marin (R)

2B Finley Bates (R)

Lineup Notes:

• Reese Chapman is back in the lineup after missing Saturday with an illness.
• Finley Bates gets his first start as a Vol, occupying second base.
• NO Ariel Antigua or Chris Newstrom as Elander looks to get the bats going. Both infielders have struggled at the plate.
• Myatt at DH for the second straight day. Brown in left again.
• Jay Abernathy is LEADING OFF for the first time this season. Ford moves to the two-hole.

KENT STATE STARTING NINE: 

2B Grady Mee (R)

RF Sawyer Solitaria (R)

SS Luke Matthews (R)

C Ripken Reese (R)

CF Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe (R)

1B Hunter Klotz (L)

DH Brody Williams (R)

3B Brady Marshall (R)

LF Max Humphrey (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Sr. LHP Evan Blanco (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 app., 1 starts, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, .250 opp. batting avg.)

vs.

Golden Flashes So. RHP Ben Rabatin (0-0, 4.91 ERA, 1 app., 1 start, 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 Er, 2 BB, 2 K, .333 opp. batting avg.)

Pitching notes:

• Blanco gets the series finale start for the second straight week.
  • He wasn’t perfect last week but solid.
  • Tennessee has a full bullpen aside from Brayden Krenzel and Brandon Arvidson. Krenzel maybe could throw.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Creams

Kent State: Light blue shirts and pants with navy hats

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*NOTES*

• Run-rule is NOT in effect all weekend.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Grady Mee is walked on four pitches.

Mee steals second. Throw wasn’t close.

Mee advances to third on a passed ball.

-Sawyer Solitaria strikes out swinging.

-Luke Matthews reaches on a fielding error by SS, RBI. Mee scores.

Matthews steals second.

-Ripken Reese grounds out to 3B.

• Nice nab by Levi Clark. Ball skipped right into his glove just in time.

-Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe strikes out swinging on three pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Jay Abernathy lines out to 2B.

-Henry Ford ropes a double down the left-field line.

• 114 mph off the bat.

-Blaine Brown grounds out to 2B. Ford to third.

• Was on a 3-0 count.

Henry Ford tagged out at home, 2-1.

• Tried to come home on a wild pitch. Was tagged out fairly easily by Rabatin.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Golden Flashes 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Hunter Klotz strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Brody Williams strikes out swinging.

-Brady Marshall strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Levi Clark HBP.

-Reese Chapman works a walk.

Runners advance on a wild pitch.

• Rabatin can’t get a feel. Cold likely affecting him.

-Tyler Myatt is walked on four pitches.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Stone Lawless.

-Stone Lawless grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Clark scores. Chapman scores. Myatt out at second.

-Manny Marin grounds out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Golden Flashes 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Max Humphrey works a walk.

Humphrey picked off 1-3-6. Caught stealing.

-Grady Mee strikes out looking.

-Sawyer Solitaria slaps a double to right-center.

-Luke Matthews is walked on four pitches.

-Ripken Reese strikes out swinging on three pitches, out at first C to 1B.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Finley Bates strikes out swinging.

-Jay Abernathy legs out a bunt single to 3B.

• Bang bang play. No review.

Abernathy advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Henry Ford drives an RBI single through the left-side. Abernathy scores.

-Blaine Brown flies out to LF.

Ford steals second.

-Levi Clark strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Golden Flashes 1

4th Inning: 

T4

-Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe flies out to RF.

-Hunter Klotz doubles to left field.

• Brown dove for it but came up empty handed.

-Brody Williams is walked on four pitches.

-Brody Marshall grounds out to P. Runners advance to second and third.

-Max Humphrey knocks a two-run double to right-center.

-Grady Mee strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Reese Chapman grounds out to SS up the middle.

• Hit into the shift.

-Tyler Myatt strikes out swinging.

-Stone Lawless flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Golden Flashes 3

5th Inning: 

T5

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ethan Baiotto (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Blanco*

–FINAL LINE for Evan Blanco: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 45 strikes on 79 total pitches–

-Sawyer Solitaria works a leadoff walk.

-Luke Matthews HBP. Solitaria to second.

-Ripken Reese is walked.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe

*Pitching change: So. RHP Nic Abraham (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Baiotto*

-Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe is plunked to bring in a run, RBI HBP. Solitaria scores.

• First pitch Abraham threw hit him.

-Hunter Klotz strikes out looking.

-Brody Williams grounds into an RBI 6-4 fielder’s choice. Rienstra-Kiracofe out at second. Reese to third. Matthews scores.

• Thought Marin and Bates could’ve worked with more urgency there to try and turn two. Lackadaisical.

Reese scores on a throwing error by C. Williams advances to second on the error.

• Williams attempted to steal second and Stone’s throw went into the outfield, allowing Reese to easily score.

-Brady Marshall grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Manny Marin flies out to LF.

-Finley Bates slaps a single to right field.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Evan Holewinski (0-0, 0.00 ERA) on to pitch for Rabatin*

-Jay Abernathy singles to center. Bates to second.

-Henry Ford singles to left field. Runners advance.

• Bases loaded with one out for Blaine Brown.

-Blaine Brown sends a sac fly to CF. Bates scores. Ford and Abernathy score on a throwing error by SS.

• Disastrous play by Luke Matthews. All runners tagged up on the sac fly. Trying to get Ford at second, Matthews fires the throw all the way to the right-field wall, allowing Ford and Abernathy to score.
• Exactly what Tennessee needed. Big break.

-Levi Clark flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Golden Flashes 6

6th Inning: 

T6

*Jr. RHP Brady Frederick (1-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Abraham*

-Max Humphrey grounds out to 2B.

-Grady Mee singles to left-center.

Mee steals second.

-Sawyer Solitaria strikes out swinging.

-Luke Matthews pops up to 1B.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Reese Chapman grounds out to SS.

-Tyler Myatt strikes out looking.

-Stone Lawless drops a single into center.

-Manny Marin strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Golden Flashes 6

7th Inning: 

T7

-Ripken Reese singles to left field.

• Not the best effort from Blaine Brown. May have been able to make the play.

-Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe flies out to LF.

*Bo Rhudy is warming up in the bullpen*

-Hunter Klotz strikes out looking.

-Brody Williams strikes out looking.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Finley Bates flies out to RF.

-Jay Abernathy flies out to LF.

-Henry Ford flies out to RF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Golden Flashes 6

8th Inning: 

T8

Kent State challenging ruling of HBP/strikeout. Ruling is he was hit but swung anyway for a strikeout. Kent State is saying it’s just a foul ball.

-Brady Marshall strikes out swinging.

• Call upheld.

-Max Humphrey strikes out swinging.

-Grady Mee singles to 3B.

-Sawyer Solitaria HBP.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Brayden Krenzel (0-0, 3.00 ERA) on to pitch for Frederick*

-Luke Matthews HBP.

• Bases loaded with no outs for Ripken Reese.

Mee scores on a wild pitch. Other runners advance.

• Pitch went behind the batter. Krenzel completely lost control on it.

-Ripken Reese is walked on four pitches.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe.

-Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe smacks a two-run single to right field. Reese to third.

• Chapman dove for it but came up empty-handed.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bo Rhudy (0-0, 6.75 ERA) on to pitch for Krenzel*

Rienstra-Kiracofe steals second.

-Hunter Klotz pops up to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Blaine Brown lines out to 2B.

-Levi Clark lines out to SS.

• Amazing diving catch by Luke Matthews.

-Reese Chapman flies out to CF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Golden Flashes 9

9th Inning: 

T9

-Brody Williams strikes out swinging.

-Brady Marshall grounds out to 3B.

-Max Humphrey fouls out to C.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

-Tyler Myatt grounds out to SS.

-Stone Lawless flies out to RF.

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 5, Golden Flashes 9

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 5, Kent State Golden Flashes 9