Live Updates: Tennessee Baseball vs. VCU in First Elimination Game of Chapel Hill Regional

Live Updates - Tennessee vs. VCU

Final Score - VCU Wins 5-4

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First Inning:
Top: Garrett Wright is hit with a pitch to begin the game. Grimmer pops out for the first out. Ford is now up to the plate. Ford strikes out. Trent Grindlinger singles, which advances Wright from first to third. This gives the Vols runners on the corners with two outs, and Levi Clark will come to the plate. Clark pops up, and the Vols leave two on base.

Bottom: Here comes the Tennessee ace, Tegan Kuhns. It will be interesting to see if the Vols pitch him to his max or if they try to save his arm. Dante DeFranco is stunned, and the Vols have their first out, as Kuhns gets a strikeout. Michael Petite walks. The Rams have their first base runner of the game. Petite was on the move before the ball was hit to Ford, so there is a ground out, but only one out. No chance at a double play. Manny Marin makes an error at short. Two are now on base with two outs. Kuhns gets out No. 3 via a strikeout. He is looking really sharp.

Second Inning:
Top: Reese Chapman strikes out to begin the inning. Stone Lawless grounds out to short. Marin hits the ball, and it's a single. Two outs and one on for Jay Abernathy. Abernathy singles, which advances Marin to second base. This brings Wright back to the plate. Wright is hit by a pitch for the second time this game. Here comes a mound visit. Bases are loaded for Blake Grimmer, which is exactly who the Vols would want in this situation. Grimmer strikes out to end the top of the inning.

Bottom: Kuhns strikes the first batter out. Kuhns gets two more strikeouts to end the inning.

Third Inning:
Top: Here is Ford at the plate. He is out to start the third inning. The ball goes off the glove of the second baseman. It's a single for Grindlinger. Clark strikes out at the plate. Chapman hits a two-run home run to left field. A huge hit that will give the Vols a lead. Lawless is out at the top of the inning.

Bottom: Kuhns is set to return to the mound after a great start to this game. Kuhns's first pitch of the inning is sent over the wall for a solo home run. Kuhns gets the first out of the inning. Petite gets a hit off Kuhns. They have one on with one out, which brings the possible leading run to the plate. Kuhns grounds a ball for out No. 2. A single driven to left field gave VCU confidence to send the runner home, but Wright delivers a dot to home plate for the out.

Fourth Inning:
Top: Manny Marin is out to begin the inning. Abernathy hits one to the warning track, but he is out. Wright delivers a single to get one on with two out. Grimmer flies out to center field.

Bottom: The Vols will take the field. Kuhns remains on the mound. He has pitched 46 pitches to start the inning. Nick Flores hits a lead-off double to begin the inning. They will need a big inning out of their ace. Tennessee hits the batter. The Vols will now have to work around two on base with no outs. There are concerns that Kuhns may be dehydrated, which is why there is a mound visit. Mark Hindy and Brady Frederick are starting to warm up. Kuhns balks. Now runners are on third and second. VCU hits a groundball to short, and now the game is 2-2, while one is still on at third with one out. A sac-fly scores the runner from third, and VCU now leads. The inning is over with a groundout.

Fifth Inning:
Top: Ford thought the 3-2 pitch was a ball, but the call was a strike. One out for the Vols. Grindlinger strikes out. Clark swings and misses. Three strikeouts for Holbert in the top of the 5th inning.

Bottom: After 70 pitches, Kuhns is now out of the game. Frederick is on the mound. Frederick gives us a single to begin his outing. Frederick walks a batter. Two on with no outs. A failed bunt is out by Frederick. Huge play right there. A wild pitch advances both runners. One on third and one on second, but luckily for the Vols, Frederick gets a strikeout, which means there are two outs. Frederick walks a batter. Bases are loaded. VCU hits a two-run double on a 2-2 count. Frederick is done. It will likely be Hindy. Hindy is on the mound. Hindy gives up a four-pitch walk. The bases are loaded. Flores tried to steal home, and he was gunned down by Hindy. We will see if this is overturned. The call will stand.

Sixth Inning:
Top: Holbert remains in the game, and he gets a quick first out, but he is pushing 100 pitches. Stone Lawless crushes a home run over the fence to cut into the deficit. The Vols now trail by two. Marin is out. Abernathy steps up with two out. Abernathy strikes out.

Bottom: A single gets a runner on, but a sac bunt moves him to second. The Vols now have one out with one in scoring position down two. They can't give up another run. Tennessee will turn to the pen. Here comes Cameron Appenzeller. Appenzeller strikes two out.

Seventh Inning:
Top: Garrett Wright doubles to get on base. The Vols are seeing Zach Peters on the mound. He is their best reliever. Grimmer is up to the plate. Grimmer strikes out. Ford pops out. Two outs with one in scoring position. The Vols need Grindlinger to step up in the clutch. He pops out.

Bottom: Appenzeller would get a quick first out in this inning before striking out his third batter of the day. This was his third K in just four at-bats. Levi Clark ends the inning.

Eighth Inning:
Top: Levi Clark is on base after an error by the shortstop. Chapman almost ties the game, but the ball goes foul. Absolutely heartbreaking for the Vols. Chapman singles, and the potential leading run is at the plate. Clark scores on a sac-fly, but Chapman is forced to stay at first. Chapman moved to second on a wild pitch, and then a sac-fly moved Chapman to third, as the tying run was on third with two outs. Abernathy grounds out to end the inning. This is an unfortunate situation.

Bottom: Appenzeller forces out one quickly. Appenzeller strikes the batter out. He is on fire right now. He gets another strikeout.

Ninth Inning:
Top: This is Tennessee's final chance. Wright, Grimmer, and Ford will see the plate in this inning at a minimum. The inning begins with a full count strikeout on a pitch that Wright thought would walk him. Grimmer walks, but they have to avoid a double play. Ford would then strike out. The game and the season is over after a line out from Grindlinger.

Bottom (If needed):

Pre Game Info

Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander approaches the mound to talk with Tegan Kuhns (21) during the NCAA college baseball game against Texas in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 8, 2026. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee baseball is set for the biggest game of the season, which will be the case for the remainder of any games they may play in the Chapel Hill Regional after things went the other way in yesterday's game. Tennessee played against the East Carolina Pirates, and they ultimately fell short in what seemed like two baseball games of work, as they lost the game 7-3 in the 14th inning.

Now they are back for a game against the VCU Rams, who are entering this game after losing in the first matchup against the host of the regional, the North Carolina Tar Heels. In this game, the Rams failed to score a run, as they were defeated by a score of 8-0. They will look for things to be different in this game, but things are looking to be bad news for their program.

Tennessee will be pitching their ace, as the arm who will be pitching for the Vols is Tegan Kuhns. Kuhns is an expected first-round draft pick, but they will need to monitor the pitch count in this one, as they are in a rough spot with the chance of playing three games after today if they win.

Regardless of the outcomes, Elander got the Vols to a regional in his first season, and will be looking to continue to build on this success, although, this roster is eager and wants to get out of this round. Anything is possible with the men in the orange and white.

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