Tennessee baseball totaled just six hits but found a way to get the job done, defeating Wright State 4-3 on a ninth inning walk-off hit from Manny Marin. There were a handful of defining moments that made the difference in the one-run game.
Here’s a look at three of them with head coach Josh Elander’s thoughts on all three with additional thoughts from Tennessee players.
More From RTI: Everything Tennessee HC Josh Elander Said Following Walk-Off Win Over Wright State
‘No BS’ In The Sixth Inning
Wright State had runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth inning. With their nine-hole hitter up, the Raiders tried to steal a run. They put on a double steal, getting Cy Turner stuck in a run down between first and second while Patrick Fultz tried to swipe home.
But Tennessee was on top of it. Jay Abernathy gunned Fultz down and Stone Lawless delivered the tag in time to save the run.
“It’s something that we practice all the time,” Abernathy said. “First and third. We say it’s no BS, so we have our meter going up just being able to know that something silly is going to happen. We’re all on high alert. So, the fact that we executed it didn’t surprise me at all. Honestly, just added more confidence going into it.”
Elander said that Tennessee has changed some of its verbiage and teaching around the scenario this year. With how defensive miscues have cost the Vols in their four losses this season, making the play was particularly gratifying.
“They did a really good job executing,” Elander said. “Not only playing catch, but the rundown, and that was a big out and a turning point in the game.”
Textbook defense to get out of the jam!
#GBO // #OTH pic.twitter.com/4VuVRS7LtU
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) March 7, 2026
Josh Elander Gets Away With A ‘Reckless’ Send
Tennessee’s offense was struggling when a Jay Abernathy walk gave the Vols a two-out baserunner in the seventh inning. When Abernathy reached first, coach Ross Kivett told Abernathy that he was going home on anything in the gap.
Henry Ford roped a liner over right fielder Cy Turner’s head that one hopped the wall. Turner played it perfectly but Elander sent his fastest runner home, laughing about the decision postgame.
“We always talk about being aggressive, not reckless,” Elander said. “That was clearly reckless by me, to be honest. But just at the point of the game, like Jay (Abernathy) bailed me out. He can change the game with his speed, but I thought at that point, sometimes with two outs you have to just trust your guys and have them make a play, and Jay did a phenomenal job. We’ll always be aggressive with two outs over there, but that was big because again, I think it let our guys kind of relax a little bit. We got away with one there, though, for sure.”
Fortunately for Tennessee, the cutoff man slipped and his throw was off line allowing Abernathy to evade the tag and score the game tying run.
Henry comes through again and we’re tied!
#GBO // #OTH pic.twitter.com/1EGJnMU3Nk
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) March 7, 2026
The Winner
With a runner on second and no-one out in the ninth inning, everyone inside Lindsey Nelson Stadium expected Manny Marin to lay down a sac bunt. When Marin showed a bunt, the corner infielders crashed and the middle infielders moved to cover first and third, respectively.
On the second pitch, Marin pulled back and slapped the ball into center field to walk it off.
“Usually, in that situation, you have to move the guy to third base, but if they’re gonna leave the middle of the field open, and the guys are under control and don’t try to take too big of a swing – there’s so much surface area – all they have to do is basically just make contact with it,” Elander said. “We talked about it. We got the look, and Manny pulled it back, executed exactly how he’s coached to do, and then great job by him not trying to do too much. The middle of the field’s open, and he gets the pitch and drives it through. It was a good moment for Manny.”
MANNY BEING MANNY!
VOLS WALK IT OFF!
#GBO // #OTH pic.twitter.com/ATybfHirsI
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) March 7, 2026
