SCORE: Tennessee 4, USC Upstate 2 | FINAL

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No. 21 Tennessee baseball (17-7, 3-3 SEC) is set to host the USC Upstate Spartans (12-13, 3-3 Big South) Tuesday in a midweek contest in Knoxville.

First pitch in Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 6:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.

Tennessee enters Tuesday’s contest coming off a crucial series win over Missouri.

The Vols dropped game one in a disappointing 8-4 loss, where Mizzou tallied 12 hits (2 homers). Tegan Kuhns was far from sharp in 3.0 innings of work, while Brady Frederick and Brandon Arvidson allowed devastating multi-RBI hits out of the bullpen.

Tennessee bounced back with wins on Saturday and Sunday to claim the series. Cam Appenzeller was brilliant in 4.2 innings of relief work to lead the Vols to a 4-2 win in game two before Evan Blanco was shut-down dominant in a career-high 7.2 innings.

Offensively, the Vols were much more balanced on the weekend, with Stone Lawless and Levi Clark leading the way with five combined hits on Saturday and Sunday.

Read recaps of all three games below.

GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Surrenders Eight Runs in Series-Opening Loss to Missouri

GAME TWO RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Evens Missouri Series With Narrow Game Two Victory

GAME THREE RECAP: Evan Blanco Shines as Tennessee Baseball Wins Series Against Missouri

Tennessee desperately needed the Missouri series win after dropping a heartbreaker last Sunday to Georgia in a series rubber match.

With the Sunday win over the Tigers, Tennessee got back to .500 in SEC play and snapped a pair of troubling streaks. The series win ended a six-series losing streak in SEC regular-season play dating back to last year. Additionally, the Vols had lost seven straight rubber matches until Sunday.

The majority of Tennessee’s struggles in the last year and change have come at home, too, as Sunday’s win gave UT its first SEC home series win since mid-March of 2025, when the Vols swept Florida to open conference play.

More From RTI: Former Tennessee Baseball Pitcher Garrett Crochet Poised to Make MLB History on Opening Day

Tennessee will use Tuesday’s midweek matchup with USC Upstate as a tune-up before a road weekend series against Vanderbilt. Tennessee is 5-1 in its last two series in Nashville and will aim to keep the winning streak alive.

Opponent Scout

USC Upstate is a quality Big South team. The Spartans were picked to finish second in the league’s Preseason Poll after winning the regular season last year. Clemson and Kentucky each handed Upstate a loss in the 2025 Clemson Regional, ending the Spartans’ season.

Upstate is coming off a series loss to Longwood. The Spartans were also swept by Texas, where they came close in game two but were run-ruled in games one and three. Upstate also owns a midweek losses to South Carolina and Georgia, series losses to Georgia Southern and South Alabama and a series win over High Point.

• 2025 Record: 36-25 (19-5 Big South)
• 2025 Postseason: NCAA Clemson Regional (0-2)
• 2026 Big South Preseason Poll: 2^nd
• Head Coach: Kane Sweeney
  • Overall Record: 48-38 (2^nd year)
  • Record at Upstate: Same
• Preseason All-Conference Selections (5):
  • OF Henry Zenor, C Preston Lucas, DH Johnny Sweeney, SP Chris Torres, RP Max Bianchini

Info in italics courtesy UT Athletics

Prediction: Tennessee wins very comfortably (7-9 runs)

While USC Upstate was picked to finish second in their league, the Big South isn’t a great baseball conference, and the Spartans have struggled so far.

Tennessee wins easily.

Injury/Availability Notes

• Garrett Wright is still working his way back to 100 percent from his hamate bone surgery, so it will be a bit before he catches.
• Ariel Antigua is managing a banged up shoulder but hasn’t been unavailable.

TRANSCRIPT: Everything Tennessee Baseball HC Josh Elander Said After Series Rubber Match Win Over Missouri

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

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast previewing the 2026 season, click HERE.

VIDEO: Josh Elander Recaps Tennessee Baseball Series Win Over Missouri

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

Lineup Notes:

• Henry Ford is battling illness

USC UPSTATE STARTING NINE: 

CF Henry Zenor (L)

DH Tyler Lange (R)

1B Johnny Sweeney (L)

SS Maloy Heaghney (R)

C Preston Lucas (L)

3B Jake Armsey (R)

LF Trey Bentley (B)

RF Kenan Bowman (R)

2B Gage Griggs (R)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Fr. LHP Taylor Tracey (0-0, 1.54 ERA, 6 app., 3 starts, 11.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 19 K, 1 XBH, .146 opp. batting avg., .77 WHIP)

vs.

Spartans Jr. RHP Nathan Hook (5 APP, 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 5 app., 0 starts, 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 XBH, .313 opp. batting avg., 2.40 WHIP)

Pitching notes:

• Tracey has become Tennessee’s midweek starter and has done very well. Pitched 8.1 innings across his last three midweek starts and has gave up 1 run on 4 hits total.
  • Tracey likely has a 3.0-inning max before other arms get opportunities.
• Hook has mostly gotten weekend innings for USC Upstate this season. Hasn’t gotten more than three outs in a contest.
  • His first start will likely be an opener role as Upstate uses the midweek as a bullpen game.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Icy Whites

USC Upstate: Road gray pants, black jerseys, black hats with green brims

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*NOTES*

• Run-rule not in effect.

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Henry Zenor walked.

-Tyler Lang walked.

• Meeting at the mound

-Johnny Sweeney flies out to center, Zenor to third.

-Maloy Heaghney walked, bases loaded.

-Preston Lucas fielder’s choice to second (5U [infield was shifted]), Zenor scores

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Brady Frederick on to pitch for Tracey*

-Jake Armsey strikes out.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Blake Grimmer grounds out to second.

-Blaine Brown singles up the middle.

-Reese Chapman flies out to center.

-Stone Lawless walks.

-Garrett Wright grounds into fielder’s choice (6-4).

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Trey Bentley strikes out.

-Kenan Bowman strikes out.

-Gage Griggs walks.

• Griggs thrown out by Trent Grindlinger in an attempt to steal second

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Manny Marin strikes out.

-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to third.

-Levi Clark walks.

-Ariel Antigua pops out to right field.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Henry Zenor grounds out to first.

-Tyler Lang grounds out to second.

• Nice play by Blake Grimmer to field and throw, and Brady Frederick to cover first.

-Johnny Sweeney doubles to right.

-Maloy Heaghney strikes out.

END OF TOP HALF

B3

*Pitching change: Jr. LHP Jack Gibson on to pitch for Hook*

-Blake Grimmer flies out to center.

-Blaine Brown strikes out.

-Reese Chapman singles to right.

-Stone Lawless singles to left-center, Chapman to third, Lawless to second on throw.

• Meeting at the mound

-Garrett Wright grounds to short, throw is to third and Lawless is ruled out after review (Call on the field was safe).

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

4th Inning: 

T4

*Pitching change: So. RHP Nic Abraham on to pitch for Frederick*

-Preston Lucas grounds out to second.

-Jake Armsey singles to right.

-Trey Bentley grounds out to short.

-Kenan Bowman strikes out.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Manny Marin singles to left

-Trent Grindlinger grounds into double play (6-4-3).

-Levi Clark lines out to third.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

5th Inning: 

T5

-Gage Griggs grounds out to short.

-Henry Zenor grounds out to second.

-Tyler Lang strikes out.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

*Pitching change: Sr. RHP Reece Hemmerling on to pitch for Gibson*

-Ariel Antigua strikes out.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to left field.

-Blaine Brown strikes out.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Johnny Sweeney flies out to left field.

-Maloy Heaghney flies out to right field.

-Preston Lucas flies out to right field.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Reese Chapman grounds out to second.

-Stone Lawless lines out to third.

-Garrett Wright grounds out to second.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Spartans 1

7th Inning: 

T7

-Jake Armsey singles to left field.

-Trey Bentley singles into center.

• Meeting at the mound

-Kenan Bowman bunts foul with two strikes.

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bo Rhudy on to pitch for Abraham*

-Gage Griggs strikes out.

-Henry Zenor pops out to second base.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Max Eichenberger on to pitch for Hemmerling*

-Manny Marin lines out to right.

-Trent Grindlinger walks.

• Grindlinger advances to second on a wild pitch
• Jay Abernathy enters as a pinch runner for Grindlinger
• Meeting at the mound

-Levi Clark grounds to short, Abernathy caught in a pickle, but everyone is safe

• Tyler Myatt pinch-hits for Ariel Antigua

*Pitching change: Fr. RHP Andrew Kummer on to pitch for Eichenberger*

-Tyler Myatt singles to right field (one hopped off the wall, but everyone had to hold up to see if it would be caught)

-Blake Grimmer strikes out.

-Blaine Brown singles to right-center, Abernathy and Clark score, Myatt advances to third.

-Reese Chapman flies out to center.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Spartans 1

8th Inning: 

T8

• Defensive subs: Chris Newstrom in for Tyler Myatt at third, Levi Clark to catcher, Jay Abernathy to second, Blake Grimmer to first

-Tyler Lang flies out to left.

-Johnny Sweeney flies out to center.

-Maloy Heaghney flies out to right.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

*Pitching change: So. RHP Cayden Mackey on to pitch for Kummer*

-Stone Lawless grounds out to second.

-Garrett Wright flies out to center (warning track power).

-Manny Marin pops out to first.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Spartans 1

9th Inning: 

T9

-Preston Lucas doubles down the left field line.

-Jake Armsey strikes out.

-Trey Bentley doubles to down the right field line, Lucas scores.

• Clayton Campidilli pinch-hits for Kenan Bowman.
• Past ball moves Bentley to third.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Brayden Krenzel on to pitch for Rhudy*

-Clayton Campidilli walks.

• Alex Ritzer pinch runs for Campidilli

-Gage Griggs pops out to first on bunt attempt.

• Ritzer steals second uncontested

-Henry Zenor strikes out.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

-Jay Abernathy bunts to third and is thrown out.

-Levi Clark walks.

-Chris Newstrom grounds into fielder’s choice to third.

-Blake Grimmer hits a two-run home run to walk it off.

Score: Vols 4, Spartans 2

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 4, USC Upstate 2