SCORE: Tennessee 8, Alabama 12 | FINAL (Alabama leads series 1-0)
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Tennessee baseball (27-14, 8-10 SEC) is set to battle the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide (28-14, 9-9 SEC) Friday in game one of a three-game series in Knoxville.
First pitch at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
For a full preview of the series, including first pitch times, broadcast details and a prediction, click HERE.
Tennessee enters the weekend needing a series win. The Vols dropped last week’s series to Ole Miss at home, losing games one and two before salvaging the weekend with a dominant 13-5 victory Sunday.
Tennessee followed up its one-win weekend with a run-rule midweek victory against Lipscomb.
Alabama and Tennessee are in a glut of 10 SEC teams that have 8, 9 or 10 wins. This series is massive as Tennessee continues to improve its chances of reaching the NCAA Tournament. If the Vols drop this series, next week’s three-game series with Kentucky essentially becomes a must-win.
BRACKETOLOGY: Where Tennessee Baseball Is Projected To Land In Latest Bracketology Updates
Opponent Scout
When Alabama defeated Oklahoma in a three-game series three weekends ago, they improved to 9-3 in SEC play and looked like a true SEC title contender this season.
But things have gone sideways since then. Arkansas swept Alabama in Tuscaloosa two weeks ago before Texas took two of three over the Crimson Tide in Austin. Both of those teams are better SEC opponents but it is still not a strong showing.
Alabama also dropped its midweek matchup against UAB, 11-2, earlier this week. The Crimson Tide’s offense has been particularly shaky, scoring just six runs in their last four games.
- 2025 Record: 41-18 (16-14 SEC)
- 2025 Postseason: NCAA Hattiesburg Regional (0-2)
- 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 12th
- Head Coach: Rob Vaughn
- Overall Record: 285-173 (9th year)
- Record at UA: 102-56 (3rd year)
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (1):
- SS Justin LeBron (1st Team)
SERIES HISTORY
- Overall: Alabama leads, 81-48
- In Knoxville: Alabama leads, 26-24
- In Tuscaloosa: Alabama leads, 49-21
- At Neutral Sites: Alabama leads, 6-3
- Last 10 Meetings: Tennessee leads, 6-4
- Last Meeting: May 21, 2025 (W, 15-10 in Hoover, Ala.)
Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics
Prediction: Tennessee wins two of three. Games one and three as Landon Mack bounces back.
Pitching advantage carries UT to a series finale win after a close loss in game two.
Injury/Availability Notes
- 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.
- Stone Lawless made his return to action last weekend after missing two series with a facial injury
TRANSCRIPT: What Tennessee HC Josh Elander Said Following Lipscomb Game, Previewing Alabama
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing the Ole Miss series, click HERE.
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)
2B Blake Grimmer (L)
DH Trent Grindlinger (R)
C Stone Lawless (R)
LF Blaine Brown (L)
SS Manny Marin (R)
1B Levi Clark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Same 9 Tennessee used in its last SEC game, just different order.
- Brown stays in seven hole, Manny down to eight
- Grimmer moves up to cleanup, Grindlinger to five hole.
- Lawless gets the catcher start and occupies the six hole
ALABAMA STARTING NINE:
SS Justin Lebron (R)
2B Brennan Holt (L)
RF Brady Neal (L)
CF Bryce Fowler (L)
DH Eric Hines (R)
C John Lemm (L)
3B Jason Torres (R)
1B Luke Vaughn (R)
LF Justin Osterhouse (LF)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols RHP Landon Mack (3-3, 4.39 ERA, 10 app., 10 starts)
vs.
Crimson Tide RHP Tyler Fay (6-3, 4.50 ERA, 10 app., 10 starts)
Pitching Notes:
- Mack will look to bounce back after a slightly below average outing two weeks ago and his worst of the season last week
Uniforms
Tennessee: Icy Whites
Alabama: Crimson tops and hats, grey pants
*NOTES*
- Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Alabama leads by 10 or more runs at the end of the seventh inning or later, the game is over.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
-Justin Lebron works a leadoff walk.
-Brennan Holt flies out to CF.
-Brady Neal works a walk. LeBron to second.
-Bryce Fowler smacks an RBI double to right center off the wall. Lebron scores. Neal to third.
-Eric Hines strikes out looking.
-John Lemm works a walk.
- Bases loaded with two outs for Jason Torres
-Jason Torres flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Garrett Wright drills a solo homer to the left field porches.
- 4th HR of the season
- 365 feet, 97 mph
-Henry Ford doubles to left-center.
-Reese Chapman out at first 1B to P. Ford to third.
-Blake Grimmer sends an RBI single up the middle. Ford scores.
-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to second base. Grimmer advances to second.
-Stone Lawless walks.
-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.
Score: Vols 2, Crimson Tide 1
2nd Inning:
T2
-Luke Vaughn fouls out to 1B.
*Peyton Steele pinch-hitting for Justin Osterhouse*
-Steele strikes out swinging.
-Justin Lebron singles to SS
- Play was reviewed, was initially ruled out. He is SADE
-Brennan Holt singles to right field.
- Runners on first and second with two outs for Brady Neal.
Lebron steals third.
-Justin Lebron scores on a balk. Holt to second.
-Brady Neal HBP.
- Runners on first and second for Bryce Fowler.
-Bryce Fowler reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Neal out at second, 6U.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Manny Marin strikes out looking.
-Levi Clark flies out to CF.
-Garrett Wright knocks a solo homer to right field.
- 2nd HR of the game
- 5th HR of the season for Wright
- 343 feet, 97 mph
- Oppo shot that just gets out. Not into the bullpen.
-Henry Ford strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Crimson Tide 2
3rd Inning:
T3
-Eric Hines singles to left field.
-John Lemm works a walk. Hines to second.
-Jason Torres grounds out to P on a sac bunt. Runners advance.
-Luke Vaughn HBP in the head.
- Scary moment. Stumbled back towards Bama’s dugout and falls down. He will not be returning.
*Andrew Purdy pinch-running for Vaughn*
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Cam Appenzeller in to pitch for Mack*
-Peyton Steele drives a bases-clearing double off the center-field wall, out at third, 8-6-2-5.
- Went over Wright and off the wall. Manny’s throw was solid home but Stone couldn’t make the catch to tag Purdy. Three runs score. Steele out trying to make it to third on the throw.
-Justin Lebron flies out to CF.
–FINAL LINE for Landon Mack: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 1 XBH, 40 strikes on 71 pitches–
- Mack’s command was off from the jump. Consecutive bad outings.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
*Purdy to 1B*
-Reese Chapman works a walk.
-Blake Grimmer flies out to CF.
-Trent Grindlinger grounds out to 3B. Chapman to second.
-Stone Lawless grounds out to 3B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Crimson Tide 5
4th Inning:
T4
-Brennan Holt works a walk.
-Brady Neal strikes out looking.
Holt advances to second on a balk.
-Bryce Fowler delivers an RBI double to right-center. Holt scores.
-Eric Hines grounds out to 3B. Fowler to third.
- Nice scoop by Levi, throw was low.
-John Lemm flies out to RF at the warning track.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.
-Manny Marin HBP.
-Levi Clark singles to left-center. Marin to third.
-Garrett Wright reaches on an RBI fielding error by SS. Clark to second, Marin scores.
- Looked like he was going to ground into a double play but Lebron lost it during the exchange.
-Henry Ford grounds out to SS. Runners advance.
-Reese Chapman grounds out to SS.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 6
5th Inning:
T5
-Jason Torres flies out to RF.
-Andrew Purdy singles through the right side.
-Peyton Steele grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. Purdy out at second.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.
-Trent Grindlinger singles through the right side.
-Stone Lawless strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Blaine Brown flies out to CF at the warning track.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Crimson Tide 6
6th Inning:
T6
-Justin Lebron strikes out looking.
-Brennan Holt strikes out swinging
-Brady Neal walks.
-Bryce Fowler walks. Neal advances to second.
-Eric Hines bashes a three-run homer to left field.
- No doubter, over the porches.
*Pitching change: RHP Brayden Krenzel in to pitch for Appenzeller*
-John Lemm walks.
-Jason Torres grounds into a 6-4 fielder’s choice.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Pitching change: RHP Sam Mitchell in to pitch for Fay*
-Manny Marin grounds out to SS.
-Levi Clark is walked.
-Garrett Wright flies out to RF.
-Henry Ford slaps a two-run homer to center field off the batter’s eye.
- 13th HR of the season for Ford
- 405 feet, 104 mph
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Crimson Tide 9
7th Inning:
T7
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Mark Hindy (2-0, 6.75 ERA) in to pitch for Krenzel*
-Andrew Purdy flies out to LF.
-Peyton Steele is walked on four pitches.
-Justin Lebron HBP. Steele to second.
-Brennan Holt HBP.
- 0-0 pitch.
- Bases loaded with one out for Brady Neal
*Pitching change: RHP Brady Frederick in to pitch for Hindy*
-Brady Neal RBI HBP.
- First pitch from Frederick
-Bryce Fowler works an RBI walk.
- 13-pitch at-bat. Marathon
*Pitching change: So. RHP Nic Abraham in to pitch for Frederick*
-Eric Hines RBI HBP.
- Things continue to devolve.
-John Lemm flies out to LF.
-Jason Torres grounds into a 6-4 fielder’s choice.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.
-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging.
-Stone Lawless works a walk.
-Blaine Brown rips a double to right-center. Lawless to third.
-Manny Marin smacks a two-run single to right-center, advances to second on the throw.
*Pitching change: LHP Matthew Heiberger in to pitch for Mitchell*
-Levi Clark flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Crimson Tide 12
8th Inning:
T8
-Andrew Purdy flies out to LF.
- Wild play from Blaine Brown. Over ran it but is able to make a crossbody catch along the foul line.
-Peyton Steele grounds out to 3B.
-Justin Lebron flies out to RF.
- Good 1-2-3 frame from Abraham
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Garrett Wright flies out to CF at the warning track.
-Henry Ford lines out to 3B.
-Reese Chapman singles to 3B.
-Blake Grimmer flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Crimson Tide 12
9th Inning:
T9
-Brennan Holt singles up the middle.
-Brady Neal flies out to LF in foul territory.
- Right next to the wall. Nice play by Blaine.
-Bryce Fowler doubles to center. Holt to third.
*Pitching change: RHP Sawyer Deering (0-0, 8.44 ERA) in to pitch for Abraham*
-Eric Hines reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS. Fowler to third. Holt out at home, 6-2.
-John Lemm grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
*Pitching change: RHP Hagan Banks in to pitch for Heiberger*
-Trent Grindlinger singles through the right side.
-Stone Lawless strikes out looking.
-Blaine Brown flies out to RF in right-center.
Grindlinger advances to second on a wild pitch.
-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 8, Crimson Tide 12
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 8, Alabama Crimson Tide 12 (Alabama leads series 1-0)
