The Tennessee Volunteers’ slide over the last month and a half has come to an end – at least in terms of the regular season. And it ended the same way things have gone on getaway day for UT during that span – poorly.
The Vols dropped the rubber match against the Arkansas Razorbacks 8-4 on Saturday in a game they were in briefly, but then out of quickly. The result is another series loss, their sixth in their last seven series.
Tegan Kuhns started for UT, and it was a struggle at the start, needing over 30 pitches to get through a 1-run first inning. After the Vols took a 2-1 lead, Kuhns got in trouble in the third, loading the bases with no one out. Then, Arkansas clubbed a grand slam to go ahead 6-2, and he was done for the day.
And so were the Vols for all intents and purposes. The Hogs tacked on an extra run in the fourth and the fifth to make it 8-2, and it was all over except the shouting by then. Andrew Fischer hit a two-run home run in the sixth to bring the Vols back into slam range, but no more offense came through the rest of the game.
It’s hard to figure out what’s wrong with this team, other than them not seeming to have either the leadership or the collective mental fortitude this year to overcome adversity. That was evident after Kuhns was called for one of the worst balks you’ll ever see, which wiped out a pickoff at first.
The SEC has an umpiring problem.
The horrendous strike zones all season and now this, a phantom balk call on Tegan Kuhns.
This is the premier league in college baseball and the SEC has the most inconsistent umpiring in college athletics.
pic.twitter.com/gMXS57lIsV— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) May 17, 2025
But, in any event, Tennessee finished in eighth place in the SEC, and dimming chances of hosting will depend on a strong run next week in Hoover at the SEC tournament.
The way things are going lately with this team after the opening game, it’s hard to see much good going UT’s way. But baseball’s a weird sport where the hot team can beat the better one, so we’ll see if Tennessee can get on a run starting next week.
They’ll have to if they want to make it four trips to Omaha in five years.