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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee used a dominant performance on the mound and timely hitting to surge to a 5-1 win over No. 3/4 Texas on Friday night in the opening game of its final SEC home series of the season.
Game won.#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/R8N1HQEfp9
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
Tegan Kuhns suffocated the Longhorns (36-11, 15-9) on the mound with a record-setting outing on Friday. The sophomore right-hander struck out a career-high 15 batters, tying the SEC single-game high this season set by LSU’s Casan Evans against Oklahoma on March 19.
Electric night in LNS ⚡️#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/pAM44ez8ek
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
The total is also the most by a UT pitcher since June 4, 2005 when James Adkins notched 15 strikeouts versus Winthrop in the NCAA Knoxville Regional en route to a 3-2 victory.
Give us some ✋#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/sHQpKDiQrW
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
The Volunteers (33-17, 12-13 SEC) struck early against Texas ace and SEC Pitcher of the Year contender Dylan Volantis, who surrendered three earned runs on six hits – both tied for the second-highest totals he has allowed in a start this season – and handed the sophomore lefty his first loss of the year.
poetry in motion ✍️#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/tLpkqkTY5Y
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
Designated hitter Trent Grindlinger opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a double to left center that scored Blake Grimmer from second after he reached on an infield single earlier in the inning.
E8 | We head to the top of the ninth leading by four.
Arvidson back out to try and close this one out!
📺https://t.co/NTIVmr67Tz#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/KbCF2n3wjV
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
The Big Orange added two more runs in the second inning to increase their lead to three. Levi Clark went from first to third on a double down the left-field line by Manny Marin before an error by the left fielder allowed him to race home on the play. Marin came in to score on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 3-0.
E7 | Two big insurance runs in the seventh.
Big Arv coming on to start the eighth after Kuhn's historic performance.
5-0 Vols#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/mlwYfYmWzf
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 9, 2026
Neither team was able to get much going offensively in the middle innings until the Longhorns (36-11, 15-9 SEC) finally threatened with back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the seventh. After a mound visit from head coach Josh Elander, Kuhns buckled down struck out Casey Borba for his 15th and final strikeout of the night, sending the Lindsey Nelson Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
Still 3-0 Vols as we head to the fifth.
📺https://t.co/NTIVmr67Tz#GBO🍊 // #OTH pic.twitter.com/wKZ0q2YfVU
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) May 8, 2026
The Vols rode that momentum to a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to extend their lead to five on a two-run single by Grimmer off of Texas reliever Cody Howard.
Needing only six outs to put the Longhorns away, Tennessee turned to the bullpen and redshirt junior Brandon Arvidson, who struck out four batters of his own over the final two innings to close the door. Leadoff man Aiden Robbins hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth, but that would be all Texas could muster against UT’s big left-hander.
UT’s 19 total strikeouts on the night were a season high and just two away from tying the single-game program record.
UP NEXT: Tennessee returns to action on Saturday night for game two of the series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and will be streamed on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
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