#21 Vols Tame Tigers In Sunday Rubber Game, 7-1

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 21/22 Tennessee secured its first SEC series win of the season behind a stellar performance from senior starting pitcher Evan Blanco in Sunday’s 7-1 victory over Missouri at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. 

Blanco shined on the bump Sunday afternoon, tossing a career-high 7.2 innings with five strikeouts to give UT its first rubber game win since April 2025 and secure the first series victory in league play for first-year head coach Josh Elander. 

The Big Orange (17-7, 3-3 SEC) got the scoring started right away in the bottom of the first inning. After Blaine Brown went from first to third on a Reese Chapman single up the middle, the Vols executed a delayed double steal to plate the first run of the game. 

After two scoreless innings from both sides, the Volunteers added three in the bottom of the fourth. After back-to-back hits to start the inning, Stone Lawless brought one runner home with a sacrifice fly to center field, then Levi Clark cleared the bases with a two-run homer over the right field wall to extend the lead to four. 

The Tigers plated their first, and only, run of the game in the top of the sixth as right fielder Pierre Seals launched a solo home run over the porches in left to make the score 4-1. 

The Tennessee offense added some more insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Lawless roped a leadoff double down the left-field line to set up an RBI single by pinch-hitter Tyler Myatt, giving the Vols a 5-1 lead. 

Then, in the eighth, center fielder Garrett Wright put the final nail in the coffin with a two-run home run, extending the UT lead to six heading into the ninth inning. 

Brayden Krenzel came on in relief of Blanco and tossed 1.1 scoreless innings to seal the series win for the Big Orange. Clark, Chapman and Wright led the way for the Vols offensively on Sunday, combining for five runs, five hits and four RBIs in the win. 

UP NEXT: Tennessee will be back in action at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as they host USC Upstate for a midweek tune-up before heading to Nashville for a three-game set against in-state SEC rival Vanderbilt.