BSB PREVIEW: #17/19 Vols Look to Keep Things Rolling Against Wright State

March 05, 2026 | Baseball

Watch (SEC Network+)Listen (UTSports.com/UT Athletics App)Live Stats Gameday Info Buy Tickets (AllVols.com)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Winners of four straight, No. 17/19 Tennessee will look to keep building momentum in its final non-conference weekend series of the year as Wright State comes to town for a three-game set beginning on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

MORE INFO

Game & Broadcast Info

Opponent: Wright State Raiders
Dates: March 6-8
Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
Venue: Lindsey Nelson Stadium (8,012)
Watch: SEC Network+
Listen: UTSports.com/UT Athletics App
Live Stats: UTStats.com
Game 1: Friday, March 6 – 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Game 2: Saturday, March 7 – 6 p.m. (SEC Network+)
Game 3: Sunday, March 8 – 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)

#17/19 Tennessee (10-3 | 0-0 SEC)

Roster Schedule Stats

Wright State (4-6 | 0-0 Horizon)

Roster Schedule Stats UT Record Book Ticket Info Gameday Central Follow @UTGameday Tennessee Athletics App Buy Tennessee Gear

After winning its final two games of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington and a pair of comprehensive midweek wins over ETSU and Oakland, the Volunteers enter this weekend's series against the Raiders with plenty of confidence.

THE NEW LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM

The new Lindsey Nelson Stadium now has the amenities to match its elite environment after undergoing a $100-plus million renovation to transform it into one of the nation's finest facilities. The updated capacity for Lindsey Nelson Stadium is 8,012 after the newly added premium seating areas and additional standing room only spaces.

The following is a list of new amenities that will be in place at Lindsey Nelson Stadium for the 2026 season:
- NEW: Home plate entrance and plaza area
- NEW: Left field plaza entrance
- NEW: Third level suites and club space
- NEW: Additional chairback seats under a new mezzanine level
- NEW: First base line restrooms and concessions
- NEW: Left field bar on main concourse (behind the current 4Topps section)
- NEW: Kitchen, which will enhance the food offerings throughout Lindsey Nelson Stadium
- NEW: Ticket office and team merchandise shop inside the main entrance
- NEW: Player entry corridor
- NEW: Third base line restrooms, a mother's room and concessions which will open around SEC play
- NEW: Multiple elevators
- NEW: Permanent, programmable LED and stadium lighting
- Fully completed mezzanine level with a new press box and broadcast booths
- Renovated concessions on main concourse behind home plate
- MVP Room expansion

GAMEDAY INFO

Fans are encouraged to check the Tennessee Baseball Gameday Central page prior to each game for the most updated info in regards to parking, stadium policies, stadium entry points and more.

Parking Advisory: With the men's basketball game vs. Vanderbilt at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Food City Center, FREE campus shuttles will be made available for Saturday's game and run from the AG campus parking lot CC1 to the front of the G16 parking garage. Accessible parking is available on the AG campus in lot CC1 where a shuttle will be readily available for pickup and drop-off. Fans using the accessible shuttle can take advantage of this shuttle postgame as well. The pickup point will be located by the entrance of the G16 parking garage.
The following lots/areas will also feature FREE parking for Saturday's game: C22, West Volunteer Blvd. street parking and the G7 parking garage. The G16 parking garage will be available following the conclusion of the basketball game.
Parking in campus lots C1, GF1, GF2, GF3, and GF4 is available only for permit holders.

PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS

All upcoming promotions for all home games during the season can be found HERE.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single-game tickets for non-conference home games can be purchased through AllVols.com.

BROADCAST INFO

Zack Nelson (PxP) and VFL Cody Hawn (analyst) will have the call on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app for all three contests against the Raiders this weekend.

Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson and Vince Ferrara call the action via a free audio stream on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App and the Varsity App.

PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

Game 1 – Friday (6:30 pm):
UT: RHP Tegan Kuhns (3 GS, 1-1, 2.45 ERA)
WSU: RHP Cam Allen (3 GS, 0-2, 13.50 ERA)

Game 2 – Saturday (6 pm):
UT: RHP Landon Mack (3 GS, 2-1, 2.04 ERA)
WSU: LHP Griffen Paige (3 GS, 0-2, 6.17 ERA)

Game 3 – Sunday (1 pm):
UT: LHP Evan Blanco (3 GS, 1-1, 1.88 ERA)
WSU: RHP Warren Hartzell (3 GS, 0-1, 4.91 ERA)

SERIES HISTORY

Vols vs. Wright State
Overall: UT leads, 3-2
in Knoxville: UT leads, 3-2
in Dayton: --
at Neutral Sites: --
Last Meeting: June 4, 2021 (W, 9-8 – NCAA Regional)

The last meeting between the Vols and Raiders featured arguably the most iconic ending in Tennessee baseball history, with Drew Gilbert hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Big Orange to a thrilling 9-8 victory in their opening game of the 2021 Knoxville Regional, which kickstarted a run to the program's first Men's College World Series appearance since 2005.

NOTABLE

Strikeouts Galore
The Vols' pitching staff has been a strikeout machine up to this point in the season, ranking ninth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (12.1). UT's 153 total strikeouts also rank ninth in the country while its 4.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks fifth among Division I schools.

Tennessee has racked up nine or more punchouts as a team in all but one game this year and has totaled double-digit strikeouts 10 times, including five contests with 15 or more.

The weekend rotation of Kuhns, Mack and Blanco combined to strike out 21 batters during last weekend's Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, led by a career-high 10 from Kuhns on Friday against No. 1 UCLA. Overall, UT's pitching staff racked up 30 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .237 average during its three games in Arlington.

Abernathy Always On Base
Leadoff man Jay Abernathy has lived on base this season, having reached safely in all 13 games heading into this weekend's series. The sophomore center fielder leads the team with 11 walks and a .473 on-base percentage. Abernathy has also scored a run in nine of his last 10 contests, including seven straight, and ranks third on the squad with a .326 batting average, as well.

Brown Bringing the Boom
Sophomore slugger Blaine Brown blasted his team-leading fifth home run of the season in Wednesday's midweek win over Oakland and leads the Vols with a .745 slugging percentage entering this weekend. The Houston native also leads the team with six doubles, 15 RBIs and 38 total bases. Brown has recorded a double in four consecutive contests.

Bullpen Buckling Down
The Vols' bullpen has been a major strength for the team early on this year, having posted a 3.53 ERA and 71 strikeouts over 58.2 innings of work. During its four-game winning streak, Tennessee's relievers have an impressive 0.79 ERA and have allowed just two earned runs over 22.2 innings while striking out 32 batters and surrendering just four walks.

OPPONENT SCOUT

Wright State Raiders (4-6)

2025 Record: 40-21 (25-5 Horizon)
2025 Postseason: NCAA Nashville Regional (2-2)
2026 Horizon League Preseason Poll: 1^st
Head Coach: Alex Sogard
- Overall Record: 228-140 (8^th year)
- Record at WSU: Same
Preseason All-Conference Selections: No Team Selected

Wright State has been a mid-major baseball power and a regular postseason participant in recent years, having appeared in an NCAA regional in four of the last five seasons (2021, 2022, 2023, 2025).

ON DECK

The Vols cap their six-game homestand with another midweek showdown against an in-state foe as Tennessee Tech visits Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m.