SCORE: Tennessee 13, Ole Miss 5 | FINAL (Ole Miss wins series 2-1)
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Tennessee baseball (25-14, 7-10 SEC) is set to battle the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels (29-11, 10-7 SEC) Sunday in game three of a three-game series in Knoxville.
First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 1:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
For a full preview of the series, including first pitch times, broadcast details and a prediction, click HERE.
Tennessee enters Sunday’s contest having already dropped the series. Ole Miss won game one 7-4 before blowing game two open late to achieve an 8-1 series-clinching victory.
The Vols’ offense has struggled through two games after tallying nine or more hits in all three wins against Mississippi State last weekend in Starkville.
Additionally, freshman phenom reliever Cam Appenzeller turned in a season-worst performance in game two as Tennessee’s bullpen fell apart late. Landon Mack struggled, too, in a Friday start, allowing seven runs in 5.1 innings.
Tennessee was no-hit through 5.1 innings Saturday until Garrett Wright reached on an infield single. Trent Grindlinger provided Tennessee’s second and final hit with a solo homer in the ninth.
Read recaps of both of Tennessee’s losses so far this weekend below.
GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Drops Series Opener Against Ole Miss
GAME TWO RECAP: Tennessee Baseball’s Offense Lifeless As Ole Miss Secures Series Victory
The Vols will look to bounce back Sunday and salvage the series. Brandon Arvidson and Bo Rhudy have not thrown this weekend and are ready to follow starter Evan Blanco out of the bullpen, giving Tennessee plenty of pitching depth in the finale.
But Ole Miss’ starter has had a good year, meaning it could be another lower-scoring affair in Knoxville.
More From RTI: Four Takeaways From Tennessee Baseball Sweeping Mississippi State
Tennessee’s series sweep at Mississippi State last weekend saw the Vols get back on track after back-to-back heartbreaking series losses to LSU and Vanderbilt.
The story was Tennessee’s offense coming to life. The Vols’ bats got hot in the Magnolia State, totaling 33 hits. The bottom of the lineup produced, while Garrett Wright and Trent Grindlinger were remarkably consistent.
Starting pitching was also elite, leading to fewer bullpen arms being needed to finish games. Tegan Kuhns was especially great, shoving in a 6.0-inning start, the best of his career.
It was a complete effort. Tennessee played complementary, clean baseball all weekend and was rewarded with three wins.
But the Vols have been unable to keep the ball rolling. Friday’s loss to the Rebels put an end to a five-game winning streak, and if Tennessee loses Sunday to Ole Miss, UT is essentially back where it started before the MSU series.
If Tennessee can win the series finale, a 4-2 record over the past two weekends is still a positive outcome.
Opponent Scout
Entering the sixth weekend of SEC play, there were nine teams with either a 7-8 or 8-7 record in conference play. Ole Miss was 8-7 entering the weekend while Tennessee is 7-8. The result of this weekend could have major implications down the stretch.
SEC play has been up-and-down for the Rebels. They opened conference play with a series loss against Texas before taking two of three against Kentucky. Mississippi State swept Ole Miss in Starkville but since then, the Rebels have won five of six.
Ole Miss took two of three games against Florida in Gainesville before sweeping LSU at home last weekend.
- 2025 Record: 43-21 (16-14 SEC)
- 2025 Postseason: NCAA Oxford Regional (3-2)
- 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 10th
- Head Coach: Mike Bianco
- Overall Record: 1,076-646-1 (29th year)
- Record at UM: 976-575-1 (26th year)
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (2):
- SP Hunter Elliott (1st team), 1B Will Furniss (2nd team)
SERIES HISTORY:
- Overall: Ole Miss leads, 54-47-1
- In Knoxville: Ole Miss leads, 25-21
- In Oxford: Ole Miss leads, 26-25-1
- At Neutral Sites: Ole Miss leads, 3-1
- Last 10 Meetings: UT leads, 7-3
- Last Meeting: April 13, 2025 (W, 10-8 in Oxford)
Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics
Prediction: Tennessee wins the series finale
If Tennessee’s offense can do anything today, the Vols should win. I trust Evan Blanco, Arvidson and Rhudy.
But the Vols have reverted back to struggling at the plate. The home struggles have been particularly troubling, as UT really underwhelmed against LSU two weeks ago in Knoxville.
It’s been a disappointing weekend, and the fact Tegan Kuhns’ Saturday performance didn’t result in a Tennessee win is a tough pill to swallow.
But a 4-2 record over the course of the Mississippi State and Ole Miss series is a win. Take care of business Sunday and salvage the series.
Injury/Availability Notes
- Tennessee was able to get Stone Lawless back in action Saturday as he caught the ninth. He is available to DH or pinch-hit this weekend but he will not start.
- It will be interesting to see how Elander manages the Clark-Wright-Lawless catcher situation once Stone is back to 100%. Grindlinger is not moving out of the lineup barring a slump.
- Chris Newstrom did NOT travel with the team to Starkville due to an internal issue. He is BACK in the fold this weekend.
- Ariel Antigua is managing a banged up shoulder but he hasn’t been unavailable.
- VolQuest’s Eric Cain reported freshman INF Evan Hankins is OUT for the season with a knee injury he suffered in warm ups ahead of game two at Vanderbilt.
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Josh Elander Said After Ole Miss Two Hit Tennessee Baseball
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing the Mississippi State series sweep to get the season back on track, click HERE.
VIDEO: Tennessee Baseball HC Josh Elander Talks Series-Clinching Loss to Ole Miss
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
CF Garrett Wright (R)
3B Henry Ford (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
DH Trent Grindlinger (R)
2B Blake Grimmer (L)
SS Manny Marin (R)
LF Blaine Brown (L)
C Stone Lawless (R)
1B Levi Clark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- 4 catcher lineup as Stone gets his first start since getting hit in the face in game three vs. Vanderbilt.
- Only the 2nd game of the season Levi hasn’t caught Blanco. Clark still in the lineup at 1B.
- Grimmer goes to second, NO Jay Abernathy for the first time in a while.
- Blaine moves further down the lineup to the 7-hole. Ford and Chapman swap places.
- Grimmer and Grindlinger swap spots in the order, too
OLE MISS STARTING NINE:
3B Judd Utermark (R)
RF Tristan Bissetta (L)
DH Collin Reuter (L)
1B Will Furniss (L)
CF Hayden Frederico (S)
2B Dom Decker (L)
LF Topher Jones (R)
C Austin Fawley (R)
SS Owen Paino (L)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Sr. LHP Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA, 9 app., 9 starts, 49.0 IP, 36 H, 24 R, 20 ER, 18 BB, 58 K, 17 XBH, .200 opp. batting avg., 1.10 WHIP)
vs.
Rebels So. RHP Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA, 9 app., 3 starts, 2 SV, 31.1 IP, 24 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 5 BB, 37 K, 6 XBH, .209 opp. batting avg., 0.93 WHIP)
Pitching Notes:
- Blanco has been amazing outside one outing in SEC play. His early-season command issues have gone away and he’s been a major plus for Tennessee. Numbers-wise, Tennessee’s best arm in league play.
- Arvidson and Rhudy are ready to follow Blanco. Ole Miss’ starter is good, but Tennessee has the pitching advantage Sunday.
- Rabe entered the season as a reliever and was in that role until the last few weeks. Has had a really strong season.
- Worst outing was two weeks ago vs. Florida (7 H, 3 R in 4.2 IP)
- Was great last week vs. LSU (6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K)
- Dealt 2.2 scoreless innings of relief against Southern Miss AND Kentucky.
- Hasn’t issued multiple walks in any outing. Not a high strikeout guy either.
- Highest pitch count is 75 and 6.0 is most IP (both last week)
Uniforms
Tennessee: Creams
Ole Miss: Red tops, white pants with camo hats
*NOTES*
- Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Ole Miss leads by 10 or more runs at the end of the seventh inning or later, the game is over.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Judd Utermark flies out to LF.
-Tristan Bissetta grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Collin Reuter strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Garrett Wright grounds out 2B.
-Henry Ford singles to SS.
- Slow roller that the pitcher couldn’t corral.
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.
-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Rebels 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Will Furniss flies out to LF.
-Hayden Federico grounds out to 3B.
-Dom Decker flies out to CF.
- 5-pitch inning. 6 up, 6 down for Blanco
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.
-Manny Marin lines out to 3B.
-Blaine Brown grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Rebels 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Topher Jones singles to left field.
- First baserunner for Ole Miss.
- Went over Blaine’s head. May have been able to catch it had he gotten a better read off the bat, but still was able to cleanly field off the wall to prevent a double.
-Austin Fawley strikes out looking.
-Owen Paino strikes out swinging.
- 3 Ks, one baserunner first time thru the lineup for Blanco.
-Judd Utermark singles up the middle. Jones to second.
- Shift was on but still got through. Grimmer tried to make the play and the ball ricocheted off his glove into the outfield after Grimmer dove for it.
- Should’ve been Manny’s play to make. He may have made it but not 100% certainty.
-Tristan Bissetta slaps an RBI single to right field. Jones singles. Utermark to third.
Bissetta steals second.
-Collin Reuter works a walk.
- Bases loaded with two outs for Will Furniss
-Will Furniss flies out to RF.
- BIG out there from Blanco.
- 30-pitch inning for Blanco. Threw 10 pitches in the first, 5 in the second. 30 in the third.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Stone Lawless singles to right-center.
- First at-bat since coming back from injury. BIG ovation in LNS.
-Levi Clark hammers a two-run homer to left-center.
- No doubter.
- 5th HR of the season.
- 425 feet, 106 mph
-Garrett Wright grounds out to 2B.
-Henry Ford singles through the left side.
- Got under Utermark’s glove.
-Reese Chapman rips a double to right field. Ford to third.
- Roped through the right side of the infield. Tennessee seeing the ball very well this inning.
-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging.
-Blake Grimmer ropes a three-run homer to right field.
- 8th HR of the season for Grimmer
- Tennessee has absolutely jumped talented Ole Miss starter Taylor Rabe this inning. Big time frame.
- 353 feet, 106 mph
-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Rebels 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Hayden Federico flies out to CF.
-Dom Decker singles to right-center.
-Topher Jones strikes out swinging.
-Austin Fawley strikes out swinging.
- Nice bounce back inning from Blanco. 22 pitches brings him up to 68.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
*Pitching change: So. RHP JP Robertson (2-1, 3.15 ERA) in to pitch for Rabe*
-Blaine Brown works a walk.
-Stone Lawless strikes out swinging.
-Levi Clark crushes a two-run homer over the batter’s eye in center.
- 6th HR of the season for Clark.
- 2nd HR of the game.
- 438 feet, 110 mph
- First multi-homer game of Clark’s career
-Garrett Wright flies out to CF.
-Henry Ford drives a double off the left-center wall.
- 3-3 day for Ford
-Reese Chapman strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 7, Rebels 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Owen Paino flies out to CF.
-Judd Utermark singles to left field.
-Tristan Bissetta doubles off the left-center wall. Utermark to third.
- Looked like Blaine could’ve made a better attempt at making the play. Leapt for it after he had stopped running toward it, but it went behind him and hit the wall. Awkward looking play as Brown then fell to the ground.
- If Brown had kept running toward the ball, he likely could’ve caught it. Instead, he stops running then makes a leap for it. Another ugly looking play in the outfield from Brown.
-Collin Reuter strikes out swinging.
-Will Furniss drops a two-run single to left-center.
- Ruled a base-hit because no Vol touched it. The ball was in the air for a very long time.
- Manny was running towards the outfield looking for it over his head. Wright and Brown in the area, too. Manny ultimately the closest but unable to make the catch.
- Ugly defensive mistake allows two runs to score. Brutal, brutal play as it would’ve ended the inning.
- Brown and Wright playing pretty far back. Neither took a charge. Manny was the one trying to make a play, but was a tough play to make for Marin. Looked like Wright’s play to make.
-Hayden Federico lines out to CF.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to SS.
-Blake Grimmer bounces a single up the middle.
- Hit off the mound. Hard-hit
-Manny Marin pops up to 2B.
-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 7, Rebels 3
6th Inning:
T6
-Dom Decker flies out to RF.
-Topher Jones strikes out looking.
-Austin Fawley strikes out looking.
- Really nice 1-2-3 frame from Blanco that will likely end his day.
- Blanco at a season and career-high 110 pitches (prev. high 107 @ UGA)
- Outing is much better than numbers indicate due to the two-run single allowed in the 5th
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Pitching change: LHP Wil Libbert (2-2, 7.31 ERA) in to pitch for Robertson*
-Stone Lawless grounds out to 3B.
-Levi Clark drills a double to right-center.
- What a day for Levi Clark. 3-3 day with two homers and a double, 4 RBI
- 5th career three-hit game for Levi. First this season.
- All of Clark’s hits have come on the first pitch of the at-bat
-Garrett Wright strikes out looking.
-Henry Ford grounds out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 7, Rebels 3
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: R-Jr. LHP Brandon Arvidson (1-0, 4.05 ERA) in to pitch for Blanco*
–FINAL LINE for Evan Blanco: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 110 pitches (72 strikes)–
-Owen Paino works a walk.
-Judd Utermark flies out to RF.
-Tristan Bissetta cranks a two-run homer to right-center.
- 3rd homer for Bissetta this weekend. One in each game. Four total extra-base hits
-Collin Reuter strikes out swinging.
-Will Furniss strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Trent Grindlinger flies out to LF.
-Blake Grimmer smokes a solo homer to right field.
- Off the foul pole.
- 2nd HR of the game. Vols’ 4th of the game (Clark and Grimmer 2 each)
- First time Tennessee has had multiple players hit multiple homers in the same game
- 9th HR of the season for Grimmer
- 2nd multi HR game of the season and career for Grimmer
- 370 feet, 103 mph
-Manny Marin works a walk.
-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.
- Brown is 0-10 with 4 K and 2 BB this weekend
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Rebels 5
8th Inning:
T8
*Jay Abernathy to CF for Blaine Brown*
*Wright to LF*
-Hayden Federico strikes out looking.
-Dom Decker flies out to RF.
-Topher Jones lines a single to left field.
-Austin Fawley strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Pitching change: Landon Koenig (2-0, 3.60 ERA) in to pitch for Libbert*
-Stone Lawless works a walk.
-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.
-Garrett Wright slaps a single through the right side. Lawless to second.
- Beat the shift. Good piece of hitting.
-Henry Ford powers a three-run homer to left field.
- Ford’s 12th HR of the season
- FIRST 4-hit day for ANY Vol this year
- Ford 4-5 with 3 RBI, 2B, HR. Triple away from the cycle.
- Tennessee’s 5th HR of the game.
- 427 feet, 106 mph. Vols homers have been mashed today.
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Trent Grindlinger works a walk.
*Pitching change: RHP Landon Waters (0-1, 0.64 ERA) in to pitch for Koenig*
-Blake Grimmer obliterates a two-run homer to right field.
- Grimmer’s THIRD homer of the day. Ties multiple Vols with the single-game program record.
- Last 3 homer day for Tennessee was Christian Moore in game three at Kentucky (April 21, 2024)
- Grimmer’s 10th HR of the season
- UT’s SIXTH homer of the game, most in a game this season
-Manny Marin flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 13, Rebels 5
9th Inning:
T9
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Bo Rhudy (1-1, 2.45 ERA) in to pitch for Arvidson*
*Ariel Antigua to 2B for Levi Clark*
*Grimmer to 1B*
*Luke Romine pinch-hitting for Owen Paino*
-Romine singles to right field.
*Kelven Perrera pinch-hitting for Judd Utermark*
-Kelven Perrera pops up to SS in shallow left field.
-Tristan Bissetta pops up to 2B.
*Tate Sirmans pinch-hitting for Collin Reuter*
-Collin Reuter strikes out looking.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 13, Rebels 5
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 13, Ole Miss Rebels 5 (Ole Miss wins series 2-1)
