Tennessee baseball’s offense was its kryptonite for much of the 2026 season. But as the Vols ready for the start of postseason play this week, their offense has perhaps become their biggest strength.
Josh Elander’s first Tennessee team capped off the regular season with a series victory over Oklahoma when they won two of three games. The Vols scored 25 and 27 runs in their final two series of the season, respectively. They were the second and third highest marks that Tennessee reached during SEC play.
Tennessee’s top offensive series in SEC play came against Alabama in late April meaning that its three best offensive series came in the final month of the season.
The Vols averaged just 5.8 runs per game in their first five SEC series. Those numbers are a bit inflated by a 16-inning game against Vanderbilt and a 12-inning game against LSU. Tennessee’s fifth SEC series of the year against Mississippi State, when it scored 19 runs, is when its offense began turning the corner.
But over the final five SEC series, Tennessee’s offense averaged 7.5 runs per game despite its worst offensive series of the season coming against Kentucky during that stretch.
Tennessee has done it with a balanced offensive approach. Five different Volunteers hit seven-plus home runs in SEC play. That doesn’t include Trent Grindlinger who emerged as an every day starter beginning with the Mississippi State series.
Grindlinger posted a team-best .322 batting average and .398 on-base percentage during SEC play while also hitting five home runs and four doubles.
Reese Chapman, Blake Grimmer and Levi Clark all brought Tennessee a good blend of contact and power hitting while Henry Ford and Blaine Brown each brought pop and impressive hot streaks.
While Tennessee still has plenty of pitching concerns, especially with its bullpen, its offense is hitting its stride at the right time.
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Total Runs Scored By SEC Series
Georgia – 16
Missouri – 15
Vanderbilt – 22 (35 innings)
LSU – 15 (30 innings)
Mississippi State – 19
Ole Miss – 18
Alabama – 29
Kentucky – 14
Texas – 25
Oklahoma – 27
