Tennessee baseball’s opponent for Saturday’s elimination game has been revealed.
North Carolina beat VCU 8-0 in game two of the Chapel Hill Regional, putting VCU in the loser’s bracket with Tennessee.
The two will face off at 12 p.m. ET Saturday in game three of the regional. TV details are TBD.
The Vols will look to bounce back after losing to East Carolina in 14 innings Friday. The Vols used five pitchers in the defeat but four could potentially be available Saturday, as head coach Josh Elander is using an ‘all hands on deck’ approach for the remainder of the regional.
Starter Evan Blanco pitched Friday and figures to be the lone Volunteer arm unavailable Saturday. Reliever Bo Rhudy tossed 52 pitches but Elander “thinks” Rhudy can go a day later. Brandon Arvidson, Cam Appenzeller and Will Haas all pitched but none went over 27 pitches, putting them in good position to throw Saturday.
Tennessee’s pitching depth has been shallow all year, putting much more importance on the availability of the reliable relievers as Tennessee faces elimination.
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In Friday’s defeat, Tennessee’s offense struggled against multiple ECU arms and specifically came up short with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-10.
VCU presents a less-difficult challenge for Tennessee’s hitters than East Carolina but still boasts a talented pitching staff. The Rams rank 31st nationally in team ERA and 50th nationally in team WHIP.
Offensively, VCU is tied for 18th nationally with 123 doubles. The Rams are elite at stealing bases, swiping 99 this season with five different players recording 10 or more stolen bags. Overall, however, VCU has little power, ranking 104th in slugging.
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Additionally, VCU’s defense is 128th in fielding, significantly the lowest mark in the regional.
The A10 champs had the best RPI of any four-seed in the tournament. VCU is no layup for Tennessee, but if Tegan Kuhns starts and/or if the bats bounce back, the Vols should live to fight another day in 2026.
