SCORE: Tennessee 9, Oklahoma 7 | FINAL

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Tennessee baseball (35-18, 13-14 SEC) is set to battle the Oklahoma Sooners (31-18, 13-14 SEC) Thursday in game one of a three-game series in Oklahoma City.

First pitch at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

SEC Network + will stream all three games of the series. For a full preview of the series, including pitching matchups and a prediction, click HERE.

Tennessee enters Thursday’s contest coming off an impressive series win over then-ranked No. 4 Texas last weekend in Knoxville.

The Vols used a career-best Tegan Kuhns outing to claim game one before the offense exploded with 17 hits in a 14-9 game two victory. Kuhns struck out a career-high 15 batters in 7.0 shutout innings to guide Tennessee to a 5-1 series-opening win.

Due to a weak Tennessee bullpen, Texas handily won game three, 13-6.

Read takeaways of last weekend’s series below.

TAKEAWAYS: Four Takeaways From Tennessee Baseball’s Series Victory Over Texas

The series win all but locks Tennessee into the NCAA Tournament. At 13 wins in the league, the Vols need just one win this weekend at Oklahoma to unquestionably lock themselves into the tournament. Thirteen conference victories should do the trick, but there’s a chance Tennessee could need one or two wins in Hoover next week at the SEC Tournament if Oklahoma sweeps UT.

BRACKETOLOGY: Where Tennessee Baseball Lands In Last Bracketology Updates Of Regular Season

This weekend’s series will serve as a true road series despite being played in Oklahoma City. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers AAA affiliate, the Oklahoma City Comets.

“Oklahoma Athletics and the Oklahoma City Comets have long had a great working relationship, dating back to Bedlam games and Big 12 tournaments at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark,” Oklahoma said in a statement. “The opportunity presented itself in the offseason for us to play a Southeastern Conference series in Oklahoma City this season and we were thrilled to showcase the SEC in OKC and give more fans the opportunity to see our program.

“It will be an enjoyable weekend for both teams, and gives two great baseball programs the chance to play in front of a large crowd in a Triple-A ballpark.”

It’s a 9,000-seat stadium, so the crowds will likely be sparse compared to the size of the stadium. The stadium is 325 feet down the lines and 400 feet to centerfield.

While the series is technically at a neutral site, it still counts as a home series for Oklahoma and a road series for Tennessee, which is important for how it will be valued in the RPI.

HOOVER: Where Tennessee Projects To Land In SEC Baseball Tournament With Week Remaining

Arguably the biggest storyline for Tennessee entering the series is the health of starting pitcher Landon Mack. Mack missed last Sunday’s series finale against Texas due to right arm soreness, marking the first series he hadn’t started a game in all year.

Mack’s absence was felt, as Tennessee’s already shallow bullpen was required to get 27 outs, and it struggled mightily in doing so against the Longhorns. Tennessee needs Mack healthy if it wants to go deep in the SEC Tournament or win a regional.

INJURY UPDATE: Tennessee HC Josh Elander Updates Landon Mack’s Injury Status Before Oklahoma Series

Mack is day-to-day as of Thursday, and Tennessee listed its Sunday starting pitcher as ‘TBD.’ Kuhns will start game one, and the reliable Evan Blanco will handle game two duties on Friday.

Top reliever Brandon Arvidson would be the obvious choice to start game three, but Tennessee may want to use him if the Vols have a narrow lead late in games one or two.

A similar strategy would apply to freshman reliever Cam Appenzeller, though his recent struggles could lend head coach Josh Elander to go elsewhere out of the pen in a big moment Thursday or Friday, opening up a starting opportunity Saturday if he hasn’t thrown.

Opponent Scout

When Oklahoma swept Missouri in mid-April, the Sooners were 10-8 in SEC play and in the thick of a hunt for a regional host bid. But since, Oklahoma has dropped three consecutive series against Auburn, Florida and Arkansas to enter the weekend with a 13-14 SEC record.

Like Tennessee, the Sooners are looking to pick up one win this weekend to clinch an NCAA Tournament appearance. A sweep for either team would give them a fighting chance to host a regional.

The Sooners have swept just one opponent (Missouri) while being swept by only one opponent (Texas) this season. A sweep either way would be a big surprise.

• 2025 Record: 38-22 (14-16 SEC)
• 2025 Postseason: NCAA Chapel Hill Regional (3-2)
• 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 14^th  
• Head Coach: Skip Johnson
  • Overall Record: 298-193 (9^th year)
  • Record at OU: Same
• Preseason All-Conference Selections (0):

SERIES HISTORY:

• Overall: Sooners lead, 3-1
• In Knoxville: N/A
• In Norman: N/A
• At Neutral Sites: Sooners lead, 3-1
• Last Meeting: Feb. 17, 2024 (L, 5-1 in 10 Inn. – Arlington, Texas)

Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics

Prediction:

Tennessee wins two-of-three.

The Vols have been playing better than Oklahoma, who has its series in each of the past three weekends.

The series being at a neutral site is interesting. Of course, Oklahoma fans will have the majority, but it won’t have the same vibes as a college ballpark at home in a series opener.

Kuhns has been pitching so well outside the trip to Lexington that I’m taking Tennessee in game one. Saturday worries me greatly because of the pitching, but I’ll say the Vols have the series wrapped by then. This is a bet on Tennessee’s offense, Kuhns and Blanco.

I have not forgotten the performance at Kentucky, but if you take a holistic view of Tennessee baseball since the start of the Mississippi State series, Tennessee has been playing well. Offensively, it’s a much different – and better – team than it was in March.

POLLS:

• D1 Baseball: Unranked
• USA Today Coaches Poll: Unranked
• Baseball America: No. 24
• 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 Texas series, click HERE.

WATCH: Josh Elander Talks Midweek Win Over Belmont, Updates Landon Mack’s Status

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

OKLAHOMA STARTING NINE: 

CF Jason Walk (S)

3B Camden Johnson (L)

1B Deiten Lachance (R)

SS Jaxon Willits (S)

LF Trey Gambill (L)

C Brendan Brock (R)

RF Dasan Harris (L)

DH Drew Dickerson (R)

2B Kyle Branch (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols So. RHP Tegan Kuhns (4-4, 3.13 ERA, 13 app., 12 starts, 1 CG, 72.0 IP, 64 H, 27 R, 25 ER, 13 BB, 95 K, 23 XBH, .231 opp. batting avg., 1.07 WHIP)

vs.

Sooners Jr. LHP Cameron Johnson (6-1, 3.53 ERA, 13 app., 13 starts, 51.0 IP, 35 H, 26 R, 20 ER, 37 BB, 67 K, 7 XBH, 9 HBP, .191 opp. batting avg., 1.41 WHIP)

Pitching Notes:

• Kuhns is coming off a career-best outing, striking out 15 in 7.0 shutout innings. Kuhns has been unbelievable since the Vanderbilt series outside one start (at Kentucky). He’ll look to build off last week’s show-stopping outing in a big series opener against the Sooners.
• Johnson left early against Florida with injury two weeks ago but pitched last week, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks in 2.1 IP on 61 pitches.
  • Johnson has walked a lot of batters this year. Walked five in 5.2 shutout innings vs. Auburn and walked four and gave up four runs before recording an out vs. Vanderbilt. Walked SIX in 1.1 IP vs. LSU and SEVEN in 2.1 IP vs. Texas A&M
  • Does own some strong outings: 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB in 5.1 IP vs. Mizzou, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB in 5.0 IP vs. Texas
  • If command is an issue, it could be a big day for Tennessee’s offense. A true wildcard pitcher for OU.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Orange tops, grey pants

Oklahoma: White pinstripes

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*NOTES*

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

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Garrett Wright strikes out swinging

-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging

-Henry Ford walks

-Trent Grindlinger walks

-Reese Chapman strikes out looking

END HALF INNING

B1

-Jason Walk homers to left field

-Camden Johnson reaches on a bunt single

• Well-placed bunt down the third base line, Lawless’ throw is not in time

-Deiten Lachance singles to center, Johnson moves to third

-Jaxon Willits reaches on fielder’s choice to second, Lachance out at second, Johnson scores

-Trey Gambill grounds out to first, Willits moves to second

-Brendan Brock strikes out looking

END INNING

Score: Vols 0, Sooners 2

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Levi Clark flies out to right

-Manny Marin walks

-Blaine Brown reaches on fielder’s choice to shortstop, Marin out at second

-Stone Lawless strikes out swinging

END HALF INNING

B2

-Dasan Harris doubles to right field

Harris steals third (call reviewed, stands)

Harris attempts to score on a would-be wild pitch, Lawless tags him out

-Drew Dickerson walks

-Kyle Branch strikes out looking

-Jason Walk singles up the middle, Dickerson moves to third

-Camden Johnson singles to left, Dickerson scores, Walk thrown out at third

END INNING

Score: Vols 0, Sooners 3

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Garrett Wright singles to right, advances to third on error

-Blake Grimmer doubles to left, Wright scores

-Henry Ford walks

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out looking

-Reese Chapman doubles to right-center, Grimmer scores, Ford to third

Oklahoma mound meeting

-Levi Clark walks to load the bases

-Manny Marin hits a sac-fly to right, Ford scores, Chapman to third

-Blaine Brown singles up the middle, Chapman scores, Clark to third

*Nick Wesloski in to pitch for Johnson

-Stone Lawless flies out to center

END HALF INNING

B3

-Deiten Lachance homers to left

-Jaxon Willits singles to right field

• Play should’ve been made by Blake Grimmer, changed from error to hit

-Trey Gambill strikes out looking

Willits steals second

Willits thrown out trying to steal third

-Brendan Brock singles to right field

-Dasan Harris grounds out to second

END INNING

Score: Vols 4, Sooners 4

4th Inning: 

T4

-Garrett Wright flies out to center

-Blake Grimmer grounds out to first

-Henry Ford flies out to right

END HALF INNING

B4

-Drew Dickerson strikes out looking

-Kyle Branch singles to right field

Branch advances to third on an errant pickoff throw to first

-Jason Walk hits sac-fly to center, Branch scores

-Camden Johnson singles to center

Tennessee mound visit

Johnson steals second

-Deiten Lachance flies out to left

END INNING

Score: Vols 4, Sooners 5

5th Inning: 

T5

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out looking

-Reese Chapman walks

-Levi Clark two-run home run to left field

-Manny Marin struck out swinging

-Blaine Brown walks

Oklahoma mound meeting

-Stone Lawless strikes out swinging

END HALF INNING

B5

-Jaxon Willits flies out to center

-Trey Gambill flies out to center

-Brendan Brock singles to center

Brock steals second

-Dasan Harris walks

-Drew Dickerson strikes out swinging

END INNING

Score: Vols 6, Sooners 5

6th Inning: 

T6

-Garret Wright strikes out looking

-Blake Grimmer walks

-Henry Ford hits two-run home run to left field, Grimmer scores

*Isaac Williams in to pitch for Wesloski

-Trent Grindlinger lines out to first

-Reese Chapman grounds out to second

END HALF INNING

B6

*Cameron Appenzeller in to pitch for Kuhns

-Kyle Branch grounds out to second

-Jason Walk flies out to right

-Camden Johnson reaches on fielding error on Blake Grimmer at second

-Deiten Lachance flies out to center

END INNING

Score: Vols 8, Sooners 5

7th Inning: 

T7

-Levi Clark pops out to second

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging

-Blaine Brown walks

-Stone Lawless strikes out looking

END HALF INNING

B7

-Jaxon Willits singles to right

-Trey Gambill singles up the middle, Willits thrown out at third, Gambill advances to second on the throw

-Brendan Brock strikes out looking

-Dasan Harris grounds out to third

END INNING

Score: Vols 8, Sooners 5

8th Inning: 

T8

-Garrett Wright grounds out to catcher

-Blake Grimmer grounds out to second

-Henry Ford strikes out looking

END HALF INNING

B8

-Drew Dickerson single to right

Dickerson to second on balk

-Kyle Branch two-run home run to left, Dickerson scores

-Jason Walk strikes out swinging

-Camden Johnson grounds out to third

*Bo Rhudy in to pitch for Appenzeller

-Deiten Lachance walks

-Jaxon Willits strikes out swinging

END INNING

Score: Vols 8, Sooners 7

9th Inning: 

T9

-Trent Grindlinger reaches on fielding error by shortstop

*Jay Abernathy pinch-running for Grindlinger

*Nate Smithburg in to pitch for Williams

-Reese Chapman hit by pitch, Abernathy to second

*Mason Bixby in to pitch for Smithburg

-Levi Clark flies out to center, Abernathy to third

-Manny Marin singles up the middle, Abernathy scores, Chapman to third

*Jason Bodin in to pitch for Bixby

-Blaine Brown walks

-Stone Lawless strikes out

-Garrett Wright strikes out

END HALF INNING

B9

*Ariel Antigua in at second for Grimmer

-Trey Gambill grounds out to second

-Brendan Brock strikes out swinging

-Dasan Harris doubles down the left field line

*Connor Larkin pinch-hitting for Dickerson

-Connor Larkin strike out swinging

END INNING

Score: Vols 9, Sooners 7

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 9, Oklahoma Sooners 7