SCORE: Tennessee 3, ECU 7 | FINAL (14 inn.)

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***

No. 23 Tennessee baseball (38-20, 15-15 SEC) is set to battle the East Carolina Pirates (36-22-1, 37-10 American) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in game one of the Chapel Hill Regional. The game serves as the NCAA Tournament opener for both squads.

Tennessee is the two-seed in the regional. ECU is the three-seed.

First pitch at Boshamer Stadium is at 12 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Tennessee enters the NCAA Tournament coming off a 1-1 stretch in Hoover at the SEC Tournament. The Vols handled South Carolina in the first round before falling to Arkansas, 8-4, in round two.

Tennessee finished the regular season playing its best baseball of the season, particularly offensively. Ever since the Mississippi State series opener on April 10, Tennessee’s offense has mostly looked drastically different.

Garrett Wright, Blake Grimmer, Reese Chapman, Henry Ford Levi Clark and Trent Grindlinger have become a strong group to lead while Manny Marin and Blaine Brown have shown capabilities to have big days at the plate.

TOUGH PATH: Trust The Numbers? Analytics Say That Tennessee Baseball Has The Toughest Chalk Path to the NCAA Championship

Tennessee’s struggles have shifted to its pitching. Aside from ace Tegan Kuhns, starter Evan Blanco and trusted reliever Brandon Arvidson, the Vols’ staff has been shaky down the stretch.

Freshman Cam Appenzeller was Tennessee’s best pitcher through the first five weeks of SEC play but hit a wall. Fortunately for Tennessee, he recorded his best outing since the Mississippi State series in a 5.0-inning start in Hoover.

Still, the Vols have little bullpen depth. Brayden Krenzel, Mark Hindy and Brady Frederick have all proven to be untrustworthy while Chandler Day and Will Haas are true freshmen being asked to pitch important innings.

Day has been up-and-down, but Haas is pitching his best. Tennessee will need him to continue to pitch at a high level.

BULLPEN TRUST RANKINGS: Tennessee Baseball 2026 Bullpen Power Rankings: Which Relievers Are Most Trustworthy?

The most important storyline for Tennessee’s pitching staff is the health of starter Landon Mack. Mack hasn’t pitched since the Kentucky series as he deals with right arm soreness. He is day-to-day, and it remains to be seen if he will be ready to go in the Chapel Hill Regional.

Without Mack, Tennessee will have to piece together its pitching if it plays a third or fourth game this weekend.

MACK UPDATE: What Is Landon Mack’s Status Entering Regional? Josh Elander Provides Injury Update

Tennessee isn’t starting its ace in game one of the regional, as lefty Evan Blanco will get the ball against ECU. Head coach Josh Elander is choosing to save his ace for a potential Saturday night showdown against host and fifth overall seed North Carolina.

It’s not a risky move as Blanco has been great this season, but he is coming off his worst stretch of the season. The Vols are certainly more likely to win any game with Kuhns on the mound over Blanco.

STARTING PITCHER: Tennessee Baseball Announces Starting Pitcher Against East Carolina

If Tennessee beats ECU, the Vols will face the winner of 1-seed North Carolina and 4-seed VCU. If Tennessee loses, the Vols will face the loser of that game in an elimination game Saturday day.

Tennessee is looking to make its sixth straight Super Regional this weekend. The Vols have experience playing an NCAA Regional in Chapel Hill, as the Vols fell to UNC in the 2019 regional under then second-year coach Tony Vitello.

RETURN: Tennessee Baseball Returns To Chapel Hill Seven Years After Resurgent 2019 Season

Opponent Scout

• 36-22-1 (17-10 American) record
• Tied for the American regular season championship and won tournament championship
• No. 40 RPI
• Went 1-1-1 in series against North Carolina, went 1-2 in series against Coastal Carolina, went 1-1 against Duke and 0-2 against NC State

Strengths 

The Pirates rank 21st nationally in ERA and boast an incredibly balanced pitching staff. East Carolina’s bullpen is stout. Five relievers have thrown over 29 innings and have an ERA south of 3.50.

The Pirates have a balanced offense with five separate players with a batting average over .300 and four players with double-digit extra-base hits.

East Carolina has won six of its last seven games. The Pirates swept Florida Atlantic to close the regular season before winning the American Conference Tournament Championship.

Weaknesses

East Carolina does not hit for power. The Pirates rank 136th nationally with 56 home runs with no players who have totaled double-digit homers. East Carolina hits more doubles but still nationally ranks 110th in slugging.

ECU is not aggressive on the base paths, ranking slightly above Tennessee with 42 stolen bases. The mark ranks 254th nationally.

On the pitching side, East Carolina does not have a true ace. Ethan Norby leads the Pirates with 83.2 innings pitched this season but threw 41 pitches on Friday and 99 pitches on Sunday at the American Conference Tournament.

LHP Ryan Towers (3.04 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 53.1 IP) will pitch against Tennessee and has had a stellar finish to the year. He’s allowed three earned runs in 31.2 innings pitched (0.86 ERA) over his last six appearances.

Prediction:

Tennessee wins.

It’ll be a close game, but Evan Blanco bounces back and UT’s offense does enough in a narrow win, 6-4.

POLLS:

• D1 Baseball: No. 23 (NR)
• USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 25 (NR)
• Baseball America: No. 20 (up four)
• Perfect Game: No. 25 (NR)
• NCBWA: No. 24 (NR)

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

For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing Tennessee’s run in Hoover and previewing the Chapel Hill regional, click HERE.

WATCH: Josh Elander Previews Chapel Hill Regional

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

TENNESSEE STARTING NINE: 

EAST CAROLINA STARTING NINE: 

CF Grady Lenahan (R)

RF Jack Herring (S)

2B Braden Burress (R)

LF Davin Whitaker (L)

3B Colby Wallace (R)

DH Michael Kalinich (L)

1B Austin Irby (L)

C Walker Barron (R)

SS Nick Parham (L)

Pitching Matchup:

Vols Sr. LHP Evan Blanco (7-4, 4.94 ERA, 7 app., 4 starts, 15 app., 15 starts, 82.0 IP, 73 H, 49 R, 45 ER, 29 BB, 97 K, 32 XBH (17 HR), .232 opp. batting avg., 1.24 WHIP)

vs.

Pirates R-Jr. LHP Ryan Towers (7-3, 3.04 ERA, 15 app., 13 starts, 53.1 IP, 43 H, 26 R, 18 ER, 20 BB, 42 K, 11 XBH, .219 opp. batting avg., 1.18 WHIP)

Pitching Notes:

• Blanco is looking to bounce back after a rough 3.0 inning outing vs. Arkansas in the SEC Tournament (7 H, 5 R, 3 HR). Blanco has gotten off to poor starts in his past three contests, allowing at least three runs in the first inning in all three outings.
  • Behind Blanco, Tennessee will look to Brandon Arvidson, Cam Appenzeller and Bo Rhudy to be its most reliable bullpen arms.
• A Loyola Marymount transfer, Towers mostly threw short outings early in the year but has gotten much better. Has allowed just three earned runs in his last six outings dating back to April 19. Towers has a 0.86 ERA over that stretch.
  • Per ECU’s coach on a Sports Talk 99.1 interview, he said the fastball “will not blow you away” (88-90 mph) and that he has a breaking ball, cutter-slider and changeup.
  • Towers last pitched on May 22 meaning he is rested.

Uniforms

Tennessee: Orange Tops, White Pants

East Carolina: Black tops, white pants with yellow accents

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*NOTES*

• Tennessee is the HOME team
• There is NO run-rule in the NCAA Tournament

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GAME THREAD

1st Inning: 

T1

-Grady Lenahan flies out to LF.

Pitch com issue for Evan Blanco. Fixed it in a couple minutes.

-Jack Herring grounds out to 2B.

-Braden Burress grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B1

-Garrett Wright flies out to LF.

• Hard-hit ball to the left-center wall but Davin Whitaker made a really nice running catch, crashed into the wall in the process.
• 378 feet, 105 mph off the bat from Wright

-Blake Grimmer flies out to CF.

-Henry Ford grounds out to SS.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Pirates 0

2nd Inning: 

T2

-Davin Whitaker flies out to LF.

-Colby Wallace strikes out swinging.

-Michael Kalinich strikes out swinging.

• 6 up, 6 down for Blanco on 27 pitches

END OF TOP HALF

B2

-Trent Grindlinger flies out to LF.

-Levi Clark flies out to RF.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 2B.

• Still no baserunners for either side. Towers at 14(!) pitches.
• 7 pitches in first, 7 in the second.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Pirates 0

3rd Inning: 

T3

-Austin Irby singles through the left side.

• Beat the shift. No one in the six hole.
• First baserunner of the game.

-Walker Barron flies out to CF.

-Nick Parham singles through the left side. Irby to second.

• Went under Manny’s glove as he tried to back-hand it. Ball was hit hard.

-Grady Lenaham grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.

• Just what Tennessee needed as Blanco escapes the jam

END OF TOP HALF

B3

-Manny Marin lines out to RF.

-Blaine Brown strikes out looking.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out looking.

• 1-2-3 but Tennessee made Towers work a little more. 16-pitch inning.
• At 30 through three. Still no baserunners for Tennessee.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 0, Pirates 0

4th Inning: 

T4

-Jack Herring pops up to SS.

-Braden Burress singles through the left side.

-Davin Whitaker strikes out swinging.

-Colby Wallace flies out to CF.

END OF TOP HALF

B4

-Garrett Wright flies out to CF.

-Blake Grimmer hammers a solo homer to right field.

• 13th HR of the season.
• 383 feet, 108 mph

-Henry Ford works a walk.

-Trent Grindlinger singles through the left side. Ford to second.

• 8-pitch at-bat. Fouled off four. Great AB as Grindlinger wins the battle.

-Levi Clark grounds into a 5-3 double play. Ford out at third, force out. Clark out at first.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Pirates 0

5th Inning: 

T5

-Michael Kalinich flies out to LF.

-Austin Irby doubles off the right-field wall.

• Went over Reese’s head. A play he could have potentially made.

-Walker Barron flies out to RF. Irby to third.

-Nick Parham smacks an RBI single up the middle.

• Harder contact off Blanco this inning.

-Grady Lenahan reaches on a fielder’s choice to 2B. Parham out at second, 4U.

END OF TOP HALF

B5

-Reese Chapman doubles down the right-field line.

*Pitching change: RHP Joseph Webb (6-5, 3.67 ERA) in to pitch for Towers*

• Quick hook for Towers. Only gave up three hits and one runs in four innings.

-Manny Marin grounds out to P, sac bunt. Chapman to third.

-Blaine Brown lines into a 4-5 double play.

• Hit right to the second baseman who was playing in. Burress then fires to third to catch Chapman coming back to the bag. Bang bang play, and a really great one by ECU.
• Sends the stadium into a frenzy.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Pirates 1

6th Inning: 

T6

-Jack Herring grounds out to 2B.

-Braden Burress reaches on a fielding error by 3B.

• Tricky hopper that Ford should have charged. Let it eat him up a bit resulting in the error.

Burress steals second.

• Tennessee CHALLENGED the ruling, arguing that Manny applied the tag before Burress touched the bag.
• After a LONG review, the play STOOD.

-Davin Whitaker ropes a single to right field. Burress out at home, 9-2.

• Flat out phenomenal throw by Reese. What a dot.
• Great catch and tag by Wright, too. It was very close and Chapman and Wright had to execute perfectly. They did.
• Play was reviewed and the call STOOD. Burress is out.

Whitaker advances to second on a passed ball.

-Colby Wallace lines out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B6

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Garrett Wright strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.

• Strike three was a ball in the dirt.
• 5 up, 5 down for ECU reliever Joseph Webb. Only 14 pitches

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Pirates 1

7th Inning: 

T7

-Michael Kalinich singles to 2B.

• Hard-hit ball that Grimmer stopped.
• With plenty of time, was still unable to pick it up and make the throw. Thought it could’ve been ruled an error.

-Austin Irby grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.

-Walker Barron strikes out swinging.

• Blanco faces the minimum thanks to a second crucial double play Tennessee’s defense has turned.
• Blanco at 9y pitches through seven. 7 H 1 R. A very good start.

END OF TOP HALF

B7

-Henry Ford works a leadoff walk.

Ford advances to second on a wild pitch.

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging.

Ford advances to third on a wild pitch.

*Pitching change: LHP Ethan Norby (7-3, 4.20 ERA) in to pitch for Webb*

• Mid-count 2-0.
• Norby is ECU’s ace. Pirates pulling out all the stops to try and win this one.

-Levi Clark strikes out looking.

• Hard from where I’m sitting but strike three looked high. Levi didn’t like the call.
• Norby with three straight strikes coming to get Clark.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.

• Four-pitch at-bat.
• Norby loses it after striking out Chapman going back to the dugout. Truly an electric moment for ECU fans.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Pirates 1

8th Inning: 

T8

*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Brandon Arvidson (1-0, 4.25 ERA) in to pitch for Blanco*

–Evan Blanco FINAL LINE: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 56 strikes on 97 pitches–

-Nick Parham grounds out to 1B unassisted.

• Slow roller down the foul line that Levi fielded. Wasn’t going to get beat Parham to the bag so he dove and applied the tag while Parham was diving for first.
• Excellent defensive play. The play was REVIEWED and the call was CONFIRMED.

-Grady Lenahan flies out to LF.

-Jack Herring works a walk.

-Braden Burress grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B8

-Manny Marin grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Blaine Brown strikes out swinging.

-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 1, Pirates 1

9th Inning: 

T9

-Davin Whitaker powers a solo homer to right field.

• First pitch of the inning.
• 378 feet

-Colby Wallace pops up to 2B.

-Michael Kalinich HBP.

*Jeff Sabater pinch-running for Kalinich*

-Austin Irby is walked.

*Pitching change: So. RHP Bo Rhudy (1-1, 3.54 ERA) in to pitch for Arvidson*

-Walker Barron strikes out looking.

-Nick Parham grounds out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B9

-Garrett Wright strikes out looking.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to LF.

-Henry Ford launches a solo homer to left field.

• 20th HR of the season.
• Needed it to keep the game going and Ford comes through. Big, big time stuff.
• 388 feet, 104 mph

-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging, out at first C to 1B.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Pirates 2

10th Inning: 

T10

-Grady Lenahan flies out to LF.

-Jack Herring strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Braden Burress strikes out swinging.

• Great 10-pitch 1-2-3 inning from Rhudy.

END OF TOP HALF

B10

*Matthew Lashley to 2B for Herring*

*Burress to LF*

*Whitaker to RF*

-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 1B unassisted.

-Manny Marin flies out to LF.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Pirates 2

11th Inning: 

T11

-Davin Whitaker strikes out swinging.

-Colby Wallace lines out to 2B.

• Nice jumping grab by Grimmer

-Jeff Sabater slices a double down the left-field line.

-Austin Irby intentionally walked.

-Walker Barron lines out to 2B.

END OF TOP HALF

B11

*Stone Lawless pinch-hitting for Blaine Brown*

-Stone Lawless slaps a single through the right side.

• Beat the shift.

-Jay Abernathy grounds out to 1B, sac bunt. Lawless to second.

*Ariel Antigua pinch-running for Lawless*

-Garrett Wright HBP.

• Ariel thought it was a wild pitch so went to third then tried to go home but absolutely face planted into the turf in between third and home.
• Upon learning it was a HBP, he heads back to second.

-Blake Grimmer flies out to LF.

-Henry Ford strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Pirates 2

12th Inning: 

T12

*Nate Eisfelder to LF for Ariel Antigua*

-Nick Parham flies out to LF.

-Grady Lenahan grounds out to 3B.

• Nice back-hand snag by Ford, good scoop from Clark.

-Matthew Lashley lines out to CF.

END OF TOP HALF

B12

*Pitching change: RHP Ethan Rose (3-2, 3.48 ERA) in to pitch for Norby*

-Trent Grindlinger chops a single through the right side.

*Chris Newstrom pinch-running for Grindlinger*

-Levi Clark drives a single through the left side. Newstrom to second.

• Best opportunity Tennessee has had in extras.

*Pitching change: LHP Charlie Hoagland (0-2, 5.16 ERA) in to pitch for Rose*

-Reese Chapman grounds out to 3B, sac bunt. Runners advance.

• Vols a sac fly away from winning it. Or a hit, of course.

*Pitching change: RHP Brett Antolick (2-2, 9.82 ERA) in to pitch for Hoagland*

-Manny Marin strikes out swinging on three pitches.

• Big strikeout. Vols had a great opportunity there.

-Nate Eisfelder out at first 1B to P.

• BIG opportunity wasted from Tennessee in the 12th.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 2, Pirates 2

13th Inning: 

T13

-Braden Burress doubles down the left-field line.

• Skirted past Henry Ford who tried to make a diving stop. Ball was right on the line.

-Davin Whitaker grounds out to P, sac bunt. Burress to third.

-Colby Wallace reaches on an RBI fielder’s choice on a sac bunt to score Burress.

• Suicide squeeze worked. Clark tried to scoop and get it to home but couldn’t corral the ball. Wallace safe at first.

-Jeff Sabater singles through the left side. Wallace to second.

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Will Haas (0-0, 4.85 ERA) in to pitch for Rhudy*

-Austin Irby grouds into a 6-4-3 double play.

• HUGE. Keeps the deficit at one and Tennessee can tie it up in B13.

END OF TOP HALF

B13

-Jay Abernathy strikes out swinging.

-Garrett Wright drills a double down the left-field line.

• Right over the third baseman’s head and Henry Ford will come up in the 13th.

-Blake Grimmer delivers an RBI single through the right side. Wright scores.

-Henry Ford strikes out swinging.

*Tyler Myatt pinch-hitting for Chris Newstrom*

-Tyler Myatt strikes out swinging.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Pirates 3

14th Inning: 

T14

-Walker Barron cranks a solo homer to left field.

• 410 feet, no doubter.

-Nick Parham strikes out swinging.

-Grady Lenahan stripes a single to left field.

-Matthew Lashley is walked. Lenahan to second.

*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Cam Appenzeller (6-1, 4.89 ERA) in to pitch for Haas*

-Braden Burress cracks an RBI single to left field. Lashley to second. Lenahan scores.

• Appenzeller threw three balls then gave up the single. Off to start.

-Davin Whitaker infield fly to 2B.

-Colby Wallace smokes a two-run double to deep left field. Burress and Lashley score.

• Appenzeller not effective so far.

-Jeff Sabater grounds out to SS.

END OF TOP HALF

B14

-Levi Clark grounds out to 3B.

-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging on three pitches.

-Manny Marin drops a single into left field.

-Nate Eisfelder reaches on a fielder’s choice. Marin out at second, 6-4.

END OF BOTTOM HALF

Score: Vols 3, Pirates 7

END OF GAME

FINAL: Tennessee Vols 4, East Carolina Pirates 7 (14 inn.)