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2026 Virginia Tech vs Tennessee

Evan Blanco, Brayden Krenzel Power Tennessee Baseball To Win At Globe Life

Evan Blanco, Brayden Krenzel Power Tennessee Baseball To Win At Globe Life

No. 20 Tennessee beat Virginia Tech 3-1 as Evan Blanco and Brayden Krenzel combined on a strong pitching performance to secure the win.

Mar 1, 2026 by Joe Harrington
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No. 20 Tennessee rode a strong start from Evan Blanco and dominant relief from Brayden Krenzel to a 3-1 victory over Virginia Tech on Sunday at the College Baseball Series Weekend 3 opener at Globe Life Field. 

Blanco set the tone early, striking out five over 5.1 innings while allowing just one run on a solo home run in the fourth. The left-hander scattered a handful of baserunners but consistently worked out of trouble, keeping the Hokies off balance and preserving a tight contest.

After Tennessee (7-3) broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth, the bullpen took over. Mark Hindy escaped a sixth-inning jam before Krenzel delivered a lights-out finish. The right-hander retired six of the seven batters he faced, striking out four over the final two innings to seal the win.

Ethan Grim turned in a strong start for Virginia Tech despite taking the loss. The freshman right-hander held Tennessee to two runs over five innings, striking out five and working efficiently through the early frames. 

Once he was out of the game, the Vols surged ahead. 

Henry Ford drove in the first run for the Vols, and Blaine Brown and Levi Clark added RBI doubles in the decisive sixth inning as Tennessee secured the series victory.

Relive the game below. 

Top of 9th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Brayden Krenzel slammed the door in the ninth, retiring Virginia Tech in order. Treyson Hughes flied out to center, Hudson Lutterman struck out looking and Owen Petrich grounded out to short as Tennessee secured the 3-1 victory.

Bottom of 8th | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Tennessee was unable to extend its lead in the eighth. Blaine Brown drew a walk, but Logan Eisenreich induced a fielder’s choice and a groundout to strand a runner and keep the score at 3-1.

Top of 8th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Brayden Krenzel delivered a dominant eighth, striking out Sam Grube and Nick Locurto before getting Ethan Ball to fly out to left. Virginia Tech went down in order as Tennessee maintained a 3-1 lead.

Bottom of 7th | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Tennessee couldn’t add on in the seventh despite a one-out error that allowed Manny Marin to reach. Logan Eisenreich struck out Chris Newstrom and Jay Abernathy and got Ariel Antigua to fly out, keeping it a 3-1 game.

Top of 7th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Virginia Tech put a runner aboard in the seventh on Owen Petrich’s single, but Tennessee escaped the threat. Brayden Krenzel struck out Anderson French and the Vols turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning, preserving a 3-1 lead.

Bottom of 6th | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  3

Tennessee broke the tie in the sixth. Jay Abernathy walked and scored on Blaine Brown’s RBI double up the middle. Levi Clark followed with another RBI double down the left-field line, giving the Vols a 3-1 lead.

Top of 6th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  1

Virginia Tech threatened in the sixth after Nick Locurto singled and Ethan Ball was hit by a pitch. Tennessee turned to Mark Hindy, who struck out Treyson Hughes and got Hudson Lutterman to foul out, stranding two and keeping the game tied at 1-1.

Bottom of 5th | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  1

Ethan Grim matched him with a quick fifth inning of his own, retiring Tennessee in order. Chris Newstrom grounded out to third, Manny Marin flied out to center and Ariel Antigua popped out to second to keep it tied at 1-1.

Top of 5th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  1

Evan Blanco turned in a clean fifth inning, striking out Anderson French before inducing a groundout and a flyout to retire Virginia Tech in order. The game remained tied at 1-1.

Bottom of 4th | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  1

Ethan Grim kept Tennessee quiet in the fourth, retiring the side in order. Levi Clark grounded out to third, Reese Chapman flied out to right-center and Tyler Myatt flied out to center as the game remained tied at 1-1.

Top of 4th | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 1, Tennessee  1

Virginia Tech answered in the fourth when Nick Locurto launched a solo home run to left field, a 366-foot shot that tied the game at 1-1. Evan Blanco worked around a hit batter and a fielder’s choice to limit further damage.

Bottom of 3rd | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  1

Tennessee struck first in the third. Ariel Antigua singled and Jay Abernathy walked before Henry Ford lined an RBI single up the middle to plate Antigua.

Ethan Grim limited the damage with a strikeout, but the Vols took a 1-0 lead.

Top of 3rd | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  0

Virginia Tech put a runner in scoring position in the third after Pete Daniel walked and advanced to second on a balk. Evan Blanco stranded him, striking out Anderson French and inducing a groundout from Sam Grube to keep the game scoreless.

Bottom of 2nd | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  0

Ethan Grim remained sharp in the second, retiring Tennessee in order. Levi Clark flied out to center, and both Reese Chapman and Tyler Myatt struck out swinging as the pitchers’ duel continued through two innings.

Top of 2nd | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  0

Evan Blanco continued to deal in the second, striking out two as Virginia Tech went down in order. Treyson Hughes and Owen Petrich both went down swinging, and Hudson Lutterman flied out to left to keep the game scoreless.

Bottom of 1st | Tennessee Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  0

Ethan Grim answered with a dominant first inning for Virginia Tech, striking out Jay Abernathy and Blaine Brown while getting Henry Ford to fly out to right-center. Tennessee went down in order as the game remained scoreless.

Top of 1st | Virginia Tech Baseball Batting 

Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee  0

Evan Blanco worked around a leadoff hit batter in the first to keep Virginia Tech off the board. Sam Grube was erased attempting to steal, Nick Locurto flied out to right and Ethan Ball struck out swinging as the Hokies came up empty.

First Pitch For Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Baseball Moments Away 

The Vols and the Hokies throw down at 11:30 a.m. ET. Fans can stream the game live on FloCollege, FloBaseball or the FloSports app.

Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee Baseball All-Time Record: Every Score

Tennessee and Virginia Tech have met sporadically over the past century, with several neutral-site matchups mixed in.

  • 2013: Tennessee 5, Virginia Tech 4
  • 2013: Virginia Tech 7, Tennessee 3
  • 2001: Tennessee 7, Virginia Tech 4
  • 2000: Virginia Tech 5, Tennessee 3
  • 1998: Tennessee 11, Virginia Tech 3
  • 1997: Tennessee 2, Virginia Tech 1
  • 1996: Virginia Tech 3, Tennessee 2
  • 1995: Tennessee 10, Virginia Tech 8
  • 1990: Virginia Tech 21, Tennessee 6
  • 1988: Virginia Tech 12, Tennessee 8
  • 1987: Virginia Tech 7, Tennessee 3
  • 1977: Virginia Tech 5, Tennessee 4
  • 1976: Virginia Tech 7, Tennessee 2
  • 1971: Virginia Tech 10, Tennessee 5
  • 1924: Tennessee 2, Virginia Tech 1
  • 1924: Tennessee 4, Virginia Tech 1
  • 1911: Virginia Tech 7, Tennessee 6
  • 1911: Tennessee 11, Virginia Tech 4

Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee Baseball All-Time Record

Tennessee trails the all-time series with Virginia Tech 10-8. The Vols are 2-2 in Knoxville, 1-2 in Blacksburg and 5-6 at neutral sites. The teams last met on April 16, 2013, in Greeneville, Tennessee, where UT earned a 5-4 victory.

Virginia Tech Baseball Top Prospects

Here are the top prospects for the Hokies. 

No. 10. Brett Renfrow, RHP, Virginia Tech Baseball

Brett Renfrow has been a steady starter for Virginia Tech since his freshman season, logging 149 innings across 30 starts with a 4.41 ERA. The 6-foot-2 right-hander sits 93-94 mph and touches 97, pairing his fastball with a mid-80s slider, curveball and changeup. His slider and changeup serve as his most reliable swing-and-miss offerings.

No. 16 Aiden Robertson, RHP, Virginia Tech Baseball

Aiden Robertson, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, transferred to Virginia Tech after being selected in the 13th round of the 2025 draft out of Walters State JC. He led all Division I juco pitchers with 180 strikeouts. Robertson features a low-90s fastball that reaches the mid-90s, along with a developing changeup and sweepy slider, and is expected to factor into the Hokies’ rotation.

UT Baseball Top Prospects

Here are the top prospects for the Vols.

Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee Baseball

Tegan Kuhns, a 6-foot-3 right-hander at Tennessee, brings premium stuff and projection. After reaching the weekend rotation as a freshman in 2025, he posted a 5.40 ERA with a 23.7% strikeout rate. Kuhns rebounded in the Cape Cod League with a 20-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His fastball averages 94 mph and touches 98, complemented by a high-spin curveball and deep secondary mix.

 Henry Ford, 3B/OF, Tennessee Baseball

Henry Ford transferred to Tennessee after two productive seasons at Virginia, where he hit .348/.414/.587 with 28 home runs. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger offers a big-league frame, strength and pull-side power, though his swing can get stiff at times. Ford has experience at first base and in the outfield, profiling best as a corner bat at the next level.

Bo Rhudy, RHP, Tennessee Baseball

Bo Rhudy, a 6-foot-4 right-hander, transferred to Tennessee after two seasons at Kennesaw State, where he posted a 3.22 ERA in 72 2/3 innings. He features a unique 90 mph fastball with elite spin rates above 2,700 rpm and a flat approach angle that generates swings and misses. Rhudy primarily pairs it with an upper-70s breaking ball.

Levi Clark, C, Tennessee Baseball 

Levi Clark, a 6-foot-2 catcher at Tennessee, emerged as one of the SEC’s top young backstops after hitting .289/.459/.594 with 10 home runs. He followed with a strong Cape Cod League showing, batting .333/.420/.547. Clark combines plus bat speed and pull-side power with solid contact skills and a strong arm, profiling as Tennessee’s catcher of the future.

Blaine Brown, OF/LHP, Tennessee Baseball

Blaine Brown transferred to Tennessee after a strong freshman season at Rice in which he hit .292/.362/.493 with 10 home runs. The 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter offers significant power upside and strength with projection remaining. Though he can chase spin at times, Brown flashes all-fields pop and profiles best as a corner outfielder with above-average arm strength.

Jay Abernathy, OF/2B, Tennessee Baseball

Jay Abernathy made an immediate impact at Tennessee with his speed and contact ability. The 5-foot-10 left-handed hitter owns plus bat-to-ball skills, highlighted by a 93% in-zone contact rate, and profiles as a hit-over-power threat who pressures defenses. A 70-grade runner, Abernathy saw time in the outfield and at second base and is expected to move to center field in 2026.

Landon Mack, RHP, Tennessee Baseball

Landon Mack transferred to Tennessee after a strong freshman season at Rutgers, where he posted a 4.03 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-2 right-hander is expected to join the Volunteers’ weekend rotation. He features a low-90s fastball, a swing-and-miss upper-80s cutter, plus a curveball and changeup to round out his mix.

Trent Grindlinger, C, Tennessee Baseball

Trent Grindlinger arrived at Tennessee as one of the top prep players to reach campus. The 6-foot-3 catcher pairs a plus arm with advanced catch-and-throw skills, giving him a strong chance to remain behind the plate. Offensively, he shows above-average raw power, quality contact and an all-fields approach with a feel for the strike zone.

Evan Hankins, 1B/ LHP, Tennessee Baseball

Evan Hankins brings some of the best raw power in Tennessee’s class. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound left-handed hitter pairs natural strength with present bat speed and projects for plus, potentially all-fields power. Swing-and-miss is part of his profile, and he fits best at first base defensively, where he provides steady play.

When Does the 2026 SEC Baseball Season Start?

In 12 days Tennessee will travel to Georgia for the start of the season. 

When Does 2026 ACC Baseball Season Start?

Virginia Tech will travel to Georgia Tech on March 6, next weekend, for the first ACC series. 

Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Baseball Starting Pitchers

Tennessee will turn to left-hander Evan Blanco for Sunday’s finale. Blanco has made two starts this season and enters with a 1-1 record and a 2.00 ERA, providing steady production at the front of the rotation.

Virginia Tech counters with freshman right-hander Ethan Grim. The 6-foot, 200-pound Pennsylvania native has made two appearances (two starts) and owns a 3.52 ERA over 7.2 innings with 12 strikeouts.

Virginia Tech Baseball Lineup

  1. 1B Sam Grube (L) – .378
  2. LF Nick Locurto (R) – .357
  3. 2B Ethan Ball (L) – .410
  4. CF Treyson Hughes (L) – .258
  5. DH Hudson Lutterman (R) – .241
  6. 3B Owen Petrich (R) – .289
  7. C Anderson French (L) – .278
  8. SS Pete Daniel (R) – .240
  9. RF Sam Gates (R) – .241

P Ethan Grim (R)

Tennessee Baseball Lineup

  1. CF Jay Abernathy (L) – .324
  2. 3B Henry Ford (R) – .326
  3. LF Blaine Brown (L) – .317
  4. C Levi Clark (R) – .167
  5. RF Reese Chapman (L) – .269
  6. DH Tyler Myatt (L) – .320
  7. 1B Chris Newstrom (R) – .269
  8. SS Manny Marin (R) – .217
  9. 2B Ariel Antigua (R) – .167

P Evan Blanco (L)

Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Baseball Today: First Pitch Time

Tennessee and Virginia Tech is set for 11:30 a.m. ET today. 

How To Watch Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech Baseball At Globe Life Field 

Every game of the three-week College Baseball Series, which includes the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series starting Feb. 27, is streaming on FloCollege, FloBaseball and the FloSports app.

College Baseball Series At Globe Life Field Schedule 2026

Amegy Bank College Baseball Series Weekend 3

Feb. 27, 2026

Feb. 28, 2026

Mar. 1, 2026

Shriners Children's College Showdown

Feb. 13, 2026

Feb. 14, 2026

Feb. 15, 2026

Amegy Bank College Baseball Series Weekend 2

Feb. 20, 2026

Feb. 21, 2026

Feb. 22, 2026

D1 College Baseball Rankings On Feb. 23

  1. UCLA (6-1), Previous Ranking: 1
  2. LSU (8-0), Previous Ranking: 2
  3. Texas (7-0), Previous Ranking: 3
  4. Mississippi State (8-0), Previous Ranking: 4
  5. Georgia Tech (8-0), Previous Ranking: 5
  6. Arkansas (6-1), Previous Ranking: 8
  7. Auburn (6-1), Previous Ranking: 9
  8. North Carolina (6-1-1), Previous Ranking: 10
  9. Coastal Carolina (5-2), Previous Ranking: 6
  10. Florida (7-1), Previous Ranking: 12
  11. Georgia (6-1), Previous Ranking: 14
  12. Southern Miss (6-1), Previous Ranking: 20
  13. Oklahoma (7-0), Previous Ranking: 21
  14. NC State (5-1), Previous Ranking: 17
  15. Clemson (7-0), Previous Ranking: 19
  16. Wake Forest (6-1), Previous Ranking: 22
  17. Miami (9-0), Previous Ranking: 23
  18. TCU (2-5), Previous Ranking: 7
  19. Oregon State (4-3), Previous Ranking: 11
  20. Tennessee (5-2), Previous Ranking: 13
  21. Florida State (4-2), Previous Ranking: 16
  22. Kentucky (5-2), Previous Ranking: 18
  23. Texas A&M (7-0), Previous Ranking: 24
  24. West Virginia (5-1), Previous Ranking: 25
  25. Ole Miss (8-0), Previous Ranking: NR

Baseball America College Baseball Rankings On Feb. 23 

  1. UCLA (6-1), Previous Ranking: 1
  2. LSU (8-0), Previous Ranking: 2
  3. Mississippi State (8-0), Previous Ranking: 3
  4. Georgia Tech (7-0), Previous Ranking: 4
  5. Auburn (6-1), Previous Ranking: 5
  6. Texas (7-0), Previous Ranking: 7
  7. North Carolina (6-1-1), Previous Ranking: 6
  8. Georgia (6-1), Previous Ranking: 9
  9. Arkansas (6-1), Previous Ranking: 10
  10. Oklahoma (7-0), Previous Ranking: 15
  11. Ole Miss (8-0), Previous Ranking: 16
  12. Virginia (6-1), Previous Ranking: 14
  13. TCU (2-5), Previous Ranking: 8
  14. Clemson (7-0), Previous Ranking: 18
  15. NC State (5-1), Previous Ranking: 19
  16. Coastal Carolina (5-2), Previous Ranking: 11
  17. Florida State (4-2), Previous Ranking: 12
  18. Southern Miss (6-1), Previous Ranking: 21
  19. Tennessee (5-2), Previous Ranking: 13
  20. West Virginia (5-1), Previous Ranking: 20
  21. Texas A&M (7-0), Previous Ranking: 22
  22. Miami (9-0), Previous Ranking: 23
  23. Florida (7-1), Previous Ranking: 24
  24. Oregon State (4-3), Previous Ranking: 17
  25. Vanderbilt (6-2), Previous Ranking: NR

Teams At Globe Life Field College Baseball Series

  • Oklahoma
  • Texas Tech
  • TCU
  • Vanderbilt
  • Oklahoma State
  • Arkansas
  • Michigan
  • Florida State
  • Nebraska
  • Louisville
  • Auburn
  • Kansas State
  • Arizona State
  • Mississippi State
  • UCLA
  • Tennessee
  • Virginia Tech
  • Texas A&M

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