CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tennessee baseball’s topsy-turvy season came to a close with a 5-4 loss against VCU on Saturday afternoon. The Vols fell behind in the middle innings and never recovered in their season-ending loss.
The Vols went 0-2 in a regional for the first time in program history as their five-year stretch of making a super regional came to a close. Here’s how it happened in the loss against VCU.
Reese Chapman Opens Scoring After Missed Early Opportunities
A day after hitting one-for-10 in-scoring position, Tennessee again struggled to capitalize on early scoring opportunities. Garrett Wright led off the game with a hit-by pitch and reached third on a two-out Trent Grindlinger single. But Levi Clark popped out to end the threat.
The Vols used a two-out rally to load the bases in the second inning but again failed to capitalize as Blake Grimmer struck out swinging to end the threat.
But Tennessee kept its runners from reaching scoring position in the third inning and that’s when they opened the scoring. Grindlinger singled and then Reese Chapman blasted a 2-2 pitch 362 feet to left field for a two-out, two-run homer.
Tegan Kuhns Struggles In Short Outing
Tegan Kuhns kept VCU off the scoreboard through two innings but things quickly went sideways after that. After Chapman gave Tennessee the lead, Trent Adelman led off the bottom of the third inning with a no-doubt homer to left field. The Rams got two more baserunners in the third inning but Kuhns stranded them with a strikeout.
Things really went sideways in the fourth inning. Nick Flores doubled to lead off the inning then Kuhns hit Nate Kirkpatrick. Tennessee trainer Jeff Wood came out to check on Kuhns, who was sick according to GoVols247’s Ben McKee.
But following the extended mound meeting, Kuhns balked which allowed both runners to advance. It proved important as VCU scored runs on a RBI ground out and sac fly to take the lead.
Kuhns did not come back out to pitch for the fifth inning, exiting after throwing 70 pitches and allowing three runs in four innings pitched.
More From RTI: Why Tennessee Baseball Was The Road Team Against VCU
Tennessee’s Offense Lays Another Egg
Chapman’s previously mentioned home run proved to be a blip on the radar instead of a breakout as the Vols’ offense struggled to create any momentum.
Tennessee scored a third run on a Stone Lawless solo homer in the sixth inning and then another thanks to singles from Levi Clark and Reese Chapman before Lawless drove Clark home with a sac fly.
The Vols had a chance when VCU went to top reliever Zachary Peters in the seventh inning. Garrett Wright led off the inning with a double, putting a runner in-scoring position for the heart of Tennessee’s lineup. But after getting ahead 3-0, Blake Grimmer struck out. Then both Henry Ford and Trent Grindlinger popped out to strand Wright on second.
Tennessee finished the game 0-for-7 with runners in-scoring position against VCU and 1-for-17 with runners in-scoring position in the regional.
Questionable Bullpen Decisions Prove Costly
Tennessee attempted to bridge its pitching to Cam Appenzeller after Kuhns exited the game after just four innings.
Struggling right-handed reliever Brady Frederick came in to pitch the fifth inning but was’t able to make it through. VCU loaded the bases with a single and two walks before Kirkpatrick ran Frederick from the game with a two-RBI double down the left field line.
Mark Hindy then relieved Frederick and ended up getting out of the inning when VCU was caught stealing home. Hindy came out for the sixth inning and got one out while allowing one baserunner.
Appenzeller came in after that and was fantastic, retiring all eight batters he faced. But it was too little too late as the Vols’ offense was unable to make up the deficit.
Box Score
Up Next
Tennessee’s season comes to an end with an 0-2 showing in the Chapel Hill Regional. The transfer portal officially opens on Monday.
