SCORE: Tennessee 6, Texas 13 | FINAL (Tennessee wins series 2-1)

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***

Tennessee baseball (34-17, 13-13 SEC) is set to host the No. 4 Texas Longhorns (36-12, 15-10 SEC) Sunday in game three of a three-game series.

First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

For a full preview of the series, including first-pitch times, pitching matchups and a prediction, click HERE.

Tennessee enters Sunday having already won the series with a 5-1 win Friday and 14-9 win Saturday. Tegan Kuhns tossed 7.0 scoreless innings and struck out an incredible 15 batters in game one before UT’s offense tallied 17 hits and six homers in a series-clinching win, much to Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle’s son’s chagrin.

Trent Grindlinger had four hits while Evan Blanco was very good in 7.0 innings of work.

Read recaps of both wins below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Tegan Kuhns Dazzles As Tennessee Baseball Takes Series Opener Over Texas

GAME TWO RECAP: Tennessee Baseball’s Offense Explodes In Series-Clinching Win Versus Texas

Tennessee is on a four-game win streak including the most impressive series win of the season. The Vols came into the weekend needing at least two more wins to make the NCAA Tournament and three to feel safe without a doubt.

UT accomplished the feat and significantly improved its RPI in the process. Now, it’s more likely Tennessee hosts than misses the tournament. At 13 SEC wins, Tennessee could win out and potentially become a Top-16 seed.

BRACKETOLOGY: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Latest NCAA Tournament Field of 64 Projections

That starts Sunday against Texas. But Tennessee faces a tall task given the lack of reliable arms.

Landon Mack, who was projected to start on the mound for Tennessee Sunday, was ruled out with right arm soreness. In his place, freshman LHP Taylor Tracey will start.

Kuhns, Blanco and top two relievers Brandon Arvidson and Cam Appenzeller are already spent for the weekend. Sunday will be a bullpen game for the Vols. Expect Bo Rhudy, Nic Abraham, Chandler Day, Will Haas and maybe Brayden Krenzel along with some others to see action.

SCRATCHED: Tennessee Baseball Scratches Landon Mack From Sunday Start Against Texas

MACK UPDATE: What Josh Elander Said About Landon Mack’s Injury, Tennessee’s Pitching Plan Sunday

Last weekend, Tennessee suffered a disappointing series loss to Kentucky, losing games one and two in uncompetitive fashion before hanging on to win a series finale, 10-9.

Offensive struggles plagued the Vols more than anything in the first two losses in Lexington, but starting pitching struggled as well. After head coach Josh Elander opted to change the order of the starting pitching rotation, Kuhns and Blanco struggled on new days, allowing 12 runs in 11 combined innings.

But this weekend, in the same roles, Kuhns delivered a career-best performance while Blanco bounced back after a three-run first to allow five in seven innings.

Arvidson did his job out of the bullpen Friday before Appenzeller, albeit far from perfect, looked better Saturday than in his past few outings. The freshman gave up four runs in 2.0 innings but was able to finish the game.

Opponent Scout

Texas entered the weekend tied for second place in the SEC standings with a 15-8 conference record. The Longhorns lone SEC series loss came against rival Texas A&M last month.

Head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s second Texas team has series wins over Auburn, Oklahoma and Mississippi State. All three teams were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the series. The Longhorns lone sweep of the season was against the Sooners.

A top five team, Texas looked to be a near lock for a top eight national seed but now needs a series-salvaging win to stay in a good spot.

• 2025 Record: 44-14 (22-8 SEC)
• 2025 Postseason: NCAA Austin Regional (2-2)
• 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 2^nd  
• Head Coach: Jim Schlossnagle
  • Overall Record: 1,026-479 (25^th year)
  • Record at Texas: 80-24 (2^nd year)
• Preseason All-Conference Selections (3):
  • SP Dylan Volantis (1^st Team) | C Carson Tinney (2^nd Team) | 2B Ethan Mendoza (2^nd Team)

SERIES HISTORY:

• Overall: Tennessee leads, 5-2
• In Knoxville: 2-0
• In Austin: No Meetings
• At Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-2
• Last Meeting: May 9, 2026 (W, 14-9)

Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics

Prediction

Texas wins the series finale.

I did not see Tennessee winning the series. We’ve seen the high upside from Tennessee at times this season, and we saw it again Friday and Saturday, specifically offensively on Saturday.

The Vols can win the series finale. With the way the Vols hit in game two, Tennessee could have success against a Texas starting pitcher that hasn’t been great this year and is also dealing with some soreness.

But with Mack out and Tennessee needing to rely on multiple unreliable bullpen arms Sunday, Texas salvages the series.

POLLS:

• D1 Baseball: Unranked
• USA Today Coaches Poll: Unranked
• Baseball America: Unranked
• Perfect Game: Unranked
• NCBWA: Unranked

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

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing the Alabama series, click HERE.

WATCH: Josh Elander Breaks Down Series-Clinching Victory Over Texas

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

TEXAS STARTING NINE: 

RF Aiden Robbins (R)

C Carson Tinney (R)

LF Anthony Pack Jr. (L)

3B Temo Becerra (R)

SS Adrian Rodriguez (S)

1B Casey Borba (R)

DH Ethan Mendoza (R)

2B Jayden Duplantier (R)

CF Maddox Monsour (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Fr. LHP Taylor Tracey (1-0, 1.45 ERA, 14 app., 4 starts, 18.2 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 12 BB, 28 K, 4 XBH, .152 opp. batting avg., 1.18 WHIP)

vs.

Longhorns Sr. RHP Ruger Riojas (5-2, 3.71 ERA, 12 app., 12 starts, 1 CG, 60.2 IP, 55 H, 25 R, 25 ER, 12 BB, 96 K, 26 XBH, .236 opp. batting avg., 1.10 WHIP)

Pitching Notes:

• Tracey’s first SEC start comes as a result of Mack’s absence due to injury. This is Tracey’s third SEC appearance of the year. He has pitched 1.1 innings in SEC play.
  • He pitched 0.2 innings vs. Kentucky and 0.2 innings vs. Ole Miss. He’s given up two hits, two walks and three unearned runs while striking out two in those two appearances.
• Riojas was supposed to start Saturday coming into the weekend but was moved to Sunday due to soreness. Schlossnagle wanted to give him an extra day, but he’s good to go.
  • Riojas has some really good performances this year (1 R in 5.0 IP vs. MS State, 1 R in 5.0 IP vs. Alabama, 0 R in 7.0 IP vs. Oklahoma, 1 R in 5.1 IP vs. Auburn) but has also had struggles (8 H, 6 R in 3.0 IP vs. SC, 5 H, 5 R in 5.0 IP vs. Texas A&M, 8 H, 5 R in 3.0 IP vs. Vanderbilt)
  • With his soreness, it could be a good day for Tennessee at the plate. Anything is possible with this team.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Sunday creams with black hats

Texas: White shirts and pants with burnt orange caps

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*NOTES*

• The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Texas leads by 10 or more runs at the end of the seventh inning or later, the game is over.

---

GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Aiden Robbins flies out to RF.

-Carson Tinney fouls out to 1B.

-Anthony Pack Jr. works a walk.

-Temo Becerra is walked. Pack Jr. to second.

Pack Jr. steals third.

-Adrian Rodriguez ropes a three-run homer to right field.

• Into the UT bullpen
• Good first two batters for Tracey. Now he’s struggling.

-Casey Borba hammers a solo homer to left field.

• Back-to-back jacks for Texas. Tracey getting shelled.

-Ethan Mendoza works a walk.

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Chandler Day (0-0, 7.36 ERA) in to pitch for Tracey*

-Jayden Duplantier flies out to RF just short of the track.

–FINAL LINE for Taylor Tracey: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 36 pitches (17 strikes)–

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Garrett Wright knocks a leadoff, stand-up double to left-center.

-Blake Grimmer works a walk.

• 9-pitch at-bat

-Henry Ford drops a single into right-center.

• First hit of the weekend
• 2B Duplantier tried to make a basket catch in right-center but dropped it. Ball was in the air a long time.
• Bases loaded with no outs for Trent Grindlinger

-Trent Grindlinger flies out to LF.

• Shallow enough to hold Wright at third
• Bases loaded with one out for Levi Clark

-Levi Clark reaches on a fielder’s choice to P. Wright out at home, 1-2.

• Nice play by Riojas to flip the ball home after the soft contact from Clark.
• Bases loaded with two outs for Reese Chapman

-Reese Chapman crushes a grand slam to right field.

• On Senior Day
• 9th HR of the season
• 356 feet, 106 mph

-Manny Marin flies out to LF at the warning track.

• 25-pitch inning for Riojas

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Longhorns 4

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Maddox Monsour grounds out to 2B.

-Aiden Robbins grounds out to P.

-Carson Tinney strikes out swinging.

• Really nice 1-2-3 inning from Day on 12 pitches.

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Stone Lawless strikes out looking.

-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.

• Really bad strike three call as Blaine did not go around for strike three. Didn’t come close to going around on a pitch in the dirt.
• Would’ve been ball three.

-Garrett Wright grounds out to 2B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Longhorns 4

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Anthony Pack Jr. crushes a solo homer to right field.

• Almost cleared the video board. Hit the top of it.

-Temo Becerra lines a double to left field.

• Blaine Brown dove for the ball but came up empty handed

-Adrian Rodriguez drives a single to center field. Becerra to third.

• All three balls this inning have been hard hit.

-Casey Borba sends a sac fly to RF in right-center. Becerra scores.

-Ethan Mendoza fouls out to 1B.

-Jayden Duplantier reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Rodriguez out at second, 6-4.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.

-Henry Ford strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Trent Grindlinger works an eight-pitch walk.

• Fouled off four pitches.

-Levi Clark lines out to 1B.

• Ball was roped, likely going foul. But Borba was standing there to make the nab on the line.
• 100 mph off the bat

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Longhorns 6

4th Inning: 

T4

Career and season-high 31 pitches for Chandler Day

-Maddox Monsour strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Aiden Robbins singles through the left side.

-Carson Tinney strikes out swinging.

• 8-pitch at-bat

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Will Haas (0-0, 6.75 ERA) in to pitch for Day*

• 3rd SEC appearance (Kentucky, Ole Miss). Allowed 2 H and 1 R in 1.2 innings
• Elander doesn’t want Day to face Pack Jr. again, who hit a nuke the last time against Day

-Anthony Pack Jr. grounds out to 3B.

• Good zip on the throw from Ford and good job by Levi to catch it close to the ground. Tough play.

–FINAL LINE for Chandler Day: 3 IP (career-high), 4 H, 2 ER, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 29 strikes on career-high 42 pitches–

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Reese Chapman flies out to CF.

-Manny Marin flies out to RF.

-Stone Lawless HBP.

• First pitch of the at-bat. Grazed his arm
• Texas CHALLENGED the ruling and the play stood. Lawless was hit.

-Blaine Brown flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Longhorns 6

5th Inning: 

T5

-Temo Becerra works a walk.

-Adrian Rodriguez singles through the right side. Becerra to second.

-Casey Borba grounds out to 3B. Runners advance to second and third.

-Ethan Mendoza reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice to SS. Rodriguez out at third, 6-5. Becerra scores.

• Good decision by Manny to go to third.

-Jayden Duplantier grounds out to P on a bunt,

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Pitching change: RHP Thomas Burns (0-0, 5.19 ERA) in to pitch for Riojas*

-Garrett Wright strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Blake Grimmer ropes a double to right field.

-Henry Ford strikes out swinging.

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging.

• Really nice inning from Burns to strike out the side.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 4, Longhorns 7

6th Inning: 

T6

*Pitching change: So. RHP Brayden Krenzel (2-3, 6.60 ERA) in to pitch for Haas*

-Maddox Monsour strikes out looking on three pitches.

-Aiden Robbins out at first 1B to P.

• Great diving stop by Levi Clark.

-Carson Tinney works a walk.

Tinney steals second.

-Anthony Pack Jr. works a walk.

Tinney steals third.

-Temo Becerra chops an RBI single through the left side. Pack Jr. to second.

Runners advance on a wild pitch.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bo Rhudy (1-1, 3.68 ERA) in to pitch for Krenzel*

• Mid-count. 3-0 count to Adrian Rodriguez.

Rodriguez intentionally walked.

• Bases loaded with two outs for Casey Borba.

-Casey Borba hammers a grand slam to left field.

-Ethan Mendoza flies out to CF in right-center.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Levi Clark is walked.

-Reese Chapman drills a two-run homer to right field.

• 12-pitch at-bat
• 406 feet, 106 mph
• Chapman’s 10th HR of the season

-Manny Marin singles to SS.

*Pitching change: LHP Haiden Leffew (3-1, 3.31 ERA) in to pitch for Burns*

-Stone Lawless strikes out swinging.

-Blaine Brown strikes out looking on three pitches.

-Garrett Wright grounds out to 3B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Longhorns 12

7th Inning: 

T7

-Jayden Duplantier flies out to CF.

• Good running catch by Garrett Wright

-Maddox Monsour strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Aiden Robbins strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Blake Grimmer flies out to LF.

-Henry Ford strikes out swinging.

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Longhorns 12

8th Inning: 

T8

-Carson Tinney flies out to RF.

-Anthony Park Jr. lines a double down the right-field line.

Park Jr. caught stealing third, 2-5.

• Tennessee CHALLENGED the ruling and the play was OVERTURNED. Park Jr. is out.
• Still, a bad effort from Ford. He put the glove on the dirt and didn’t move. Got lucky Park Jr. hit the glove actually.

-Temo Becerra works a walk.

• 10-pitch at-bat

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Mark Hindy (2-0, 9.00 ERA) in to pitch for Rhudy*

-Adrian Rodriguez flies out to LF.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Levi Clark smokes a double to left field.

-Reese Chapman flies out to LF.

-Manny Marin flies out to CF. Clark to third.

*Nate Eisfelder pinch-hitting for Stone Lawless*

-Nate Eisfelder strikes out looking.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Longhorns 12

9th Inning: 

T9

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Ethan Baiotto (3-0, 5.49 ERA) in to pitch for Hindy*

*Wright to C*

*Jay Abernathy to CF for Eisfelder*

-Tyler Borba is walked on four pitches.

-Ethan Mendoza is walked. Borba to second.

• 8 balls, 1 strike so far for Baiotto

-Jayden Duplantier grounds out to 3B, sac bunt. Baserunners advance.

*Ashton Larson pinch-hitting for Maddox Monsour*

-Ashton Larson sends an RBI groundout to SS. Mendoza to third. Borba scores.

-Aiden Robbins strikes out swinging.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

*Duplantier to CF*

*Callum Early to 2B for Larson*

*Pitching change: RHP Sam Cozart (6-0, 1.70 ERA) in to pitch for Leffew*

-Blaine Brown flies out to CF.

-Garrett Wright strikes out looking.

*Tyler Myatt pinch-hitting for Blake Grimmer*

-Tyler Myatt works a walk.

-Henry Ford flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 6, Longhorns 13

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Texas Longhorns 13 (Tennessee wins series 2-1)