Mississippi
Tennessee Baseball at No. 9 Mississippi State Score, Updates Game Two | Rocky Top Insider
SCORE: Tennessee 6, Mississippi State 2 | FINAL (Vols clinch series)
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
Tennessee baseball (22-12, 5-8 SEC) is set to battle the ninth-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs (26-8, 7-6 SEC) Saturday in game two of a three-game series in Starkville, Mississippi.
First pitch at Dudy Noble Field is at 7:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
For a full preview of the series, including first pitch times, broadcast details and a prediction, click HERE.
Tennessee enters Saturday looking to clinch the series after achieving a crucial 6-5 series-opening win Friday. The Vols used one of their better offensive performances of the season and yet another elite Cam Appenzeller relief outing to claim the victory.
Appenzeller was brilliant in 5.0 innings of work, totaling a career-high eight strikeouts on a career-high 78 pitches while allowing two earned runs on three hits and one walk.
Appenzeller has followed Landon Mack in all but one outing this year, last week against LSU. The stack returned, but it was the first time the pair both pitched on Friday as Mack recently moved to the Friday night starting role.
Tennessee opting to use Appenzeller as the first man out of the bullpen to follow Mack made lots of sense given UT’s frequent use of the stack, and Appenzeller has clearly been UT’s best bullpen arm. Going to your best reliever is very common in series openers, and Tennessee did so with the game tied in the fifth inning.
Garrett Wright led the way with three hits, and Henry Ford and Levi Clark homered.
Read the full recap of Tennessee’s series opening win over MSU below.
GAME ONE RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Takes Crucial Series Opener At Mississippi State
Offense and relief pitching beyond a few arms has led to Tennessee’s struggles in conference play.
Specifically, blowing leads has become a troubling theme as of late. In the Vols’ last three SEC losses before this weekend, they led by five runs entering the bottom of the ninth, three runs entering the eighth and five runs after the first five innings.
Tennessee will aim to pull off an upset this weekend in Starkville as Mississippi State has looked like one of the SEC’s best teams at times this season, specifically before last weekend when it got swept by Georgia.
After winning game one, Tennessee has a great opportunity to claim an upset series win and get its season back on the right track. But Tennessee has only won consecutive SEC games once all season (games two and three vs. Missouri).
Opponent Scout
- 2025 Record: 36-23 (15-15 SEC)
- 2025 Postseason: NCAA Tallahassee Regional (2-2)
- 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 3rd
- Head Coach: Brian O’Connor
- Overall Record: 943-395-2 (23rd year)
- Record at MSU: 26-7 (1st year)
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (2):
- 3B Ace Reese (1st Team), DH/UTL Noah Sullivan (1st Team)
SERIES HISTORY:
- Overall: Bulldogs lead, 60-39
- In Knoxville: Bulldogs lead, 20-19
- In Starkville: Bulldogs lead, 37-16
- At Neutral Sites: Vols lead, 4-3
- Last 10 Meetings: Vols lead, 9-1
Info courtesy UT Athletics in italics
Prediction: Mississippi State wins 2 of 3
Tennessee could NOT get swept this weekend, so taking at least one already is huge.
The Vols CAN win this series. Georgia just swept Mississippi State IN Starkville. But given Tennessee’s lack of consistency offensively, I’m still picking MSU to win the series.
The day Cam Appenzeller pitched was going to be Tennessee’s best chance at a win. This weekend, it was Friday and the Vols took care of business. They will need more offensive performances like Friday and good outings from Bo Rhudy and Brandon Arvidson to claim the series.
Injury/Availability Notes
- Stone Lawless won’t be available for the foreseeable future. He took an 89 mph pitch to the face Sunday.
- Josh Elander UPDATED Stone’s status Tuesday, giving optimism that he could return this season.
- Chris Newstrom did NOT travel with the team to Starkville due to an internal issue. It is not expected to be long term.
- Ariel Antigua is managing a banged up shoulder but he hasn’t been unavailable.
- VolQuest’s Eric Cain reported freshman INF Evan Hankins is OUT for the season with a knee injury.
TRANSCRIPT: What Josh Elander Said After Tennessee Baseball Took Series Opener At Mississippi State
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast discussing the LSU series loss, click HERE.
VIDEO: Josh Elander Discusses Series-Opening Win at Mississippi State
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
C Garrett Wright (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
3B Henry Ford (R)
2B Blake Grimmer (L)
DH Trent Grindlinger (R)
LF Blaine Brown (L)
SS Manny Marin (R)
1B Levi Clark (R)
CF Jay Abernathy (L)
Lineup Notes:
- Wright starts at catcher for the second straight Saturday. Clark moves to first after catching Friday. Clark will catch Sunday.
- Jay Abernathy remains in the lineup at center with Wright behind the plate.
- Grimmer moves to second base with Clark at first.
- Order is the exact same as Friday, just different positions.
MISSISSIPPI STATE STARTING NINE:
CF Aidan Teel (L)
LF Bryce Chance (R)
3B Ace Reese (L)
DH Noah Sullivan (R)
RF Jacob Parker (L)
2B Gehrig Frei (S)
1B Reed Stallman (L)
SS Ryder Woodson (R)
C Kevin Milewski (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols So. RHP Tegan Kuhns (1-3, 3.89 ERA, 8 app., 7 starts, 39.1 IP, 38 H, 19 R, 17 ER, 8 BB, 47 K, 13 XBH, .247 opp. batting avg., 1.17 WHIP)
vs.
Bulldogs So. RHP Duke Stone (5-0, 3.75 ERA, 9 app., 7 starts, 36.0 IP, 30 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 15 BB, 55 K, 10 XBH, .221 opp. batting avg., 1.25 WHIP)
Pitching Notes:
- Kuhns gets the Saturday start for the second straight week. Began the season as the Friday guy before moving out of the rotation for the Vandy series, then back in last weekend. Was great out of the bullpen in game one at Vanderbilt.
- Kuhns’ outing was relatively short last week as Tennessee quickly turned to Appenzeller after a leadoff walk in the fifth.
- Tennessee needs a longer outing out of Kuhns tonight to put it in good position for Sunday. But expect Brandon Arvidson and/or Bo Rhudy to follow Kuhns.
- Stone has been Miss State’s Sunday guy primarily this year, but the Bulldogs have shaken up the order of their rotation a bit recently.
- Stone started last Saturday and allowed two runs on five hits in 4.0 IP vs. Georgia. Walked three and struck out 10.
- It was overall a nice bounce back from his outing the week prior, when he walked a whopping SEVEN batters in 5.2 IP vs. Ole Miss, but still only allowed one run and four hits.
- Stone is yet to reach 100 pitches, and hasn’t pitched into the seventh inning yet this year.
- Stone started last Saturday and allowed two runs on five hits in 4.0 IP vs. Georgia. Walked three and struck out 10.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Black tops with grey pants and orange accents
Mississippi State: Maroon and white pinstripes with maroon hats and accents
*NOTES*
- Run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Mississippi State leads by 10 or more runs at the end of the seventh inning or later, the game is over.
1st Inning:
T1
-Garrett Wright flies out to RF.
-Reese Chapman ropes a solo homer to right field.
- 377 feet.
- Chapman’s 4th HR of the season.
-Henry Ford strikes out swinging.
-Blake Grimmer strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Aidan Teel strikes out swinging.
-Bryce Chance flies out to RF.
-Ace Reese flies out to CF in left-center.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Bulldogs 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Trent Grindlinger singles to left field.
-Blaine Brown pops up to SS in shallow left field.
-Manny Marin singles to right field. Grindlinger to second.
-Levi Clark knocks an RBI ground-rule double to left-center. Grindlinger scores. Marin to third.
-Jay Abernathy reaches on am RBI fielder’s choice to 1B, sac bunt. Clark to third. Marin scores.
- Great squeeze play.
- Awesome job by Marin to get his hand in and touch home plate, too, as the first baseman threw home.
Abernathy steals second.
-Garrett Wright sends a sac fly to RF. Clark scores. Abernathy to third.
-Reese Chapman out at first 1B to P.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Noah Sullivan strikes out swinging.
-Jacob Parker is walked.
-Gehrig Frei strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Reed Stallman grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Henry Ford grounds out to 3B.
-Blake Grimmer strikes out looking.
-Trent Grindlinger slaps a single to right field.
-Blaine Brown lines out to RF in right-center.
- Hard-hit ball.
- Stone at 43 pitches already
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Ryder Woodson is strikes out looking.
-Kevin Milewski strikes out swinging.
-Aidan Teel strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 0
4th Inning:
T4
-Manny Marin drops a single into right field.
-Levi Clark flies out to RF.
-Jay Abernathy lines a single to center. Marin to second.
-Garrett Wright singles up the middle. Abernathy to second. Marin to third.
- Bases loaded with one out for Reese Chapman.
-Reese Chapman grounds into a 4-6-3 double play.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Bryce Chance grounds out to SS.
-Ace Reese grounds out to 2B.
-Noah Sullivan lines out to CF.
- 7-pitch inning for Kuhns.
- Retired eight straight. Logged three 1-2-3 innings.
- Kuhns has only allowed one baserunner.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 0
5th Inning:
T5
-Henry Ford fouls out to 1B.
-Blake Grimmer grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Trent Grindlinger singles up the middle.
- 3 hits for Grindlinger so far tonight. One to left, one to right, one up the middle.
-Blaine Brown flies out to RF in right-center.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Jacob Parker doubles to left-center.
-Gehrig Frei singles through the right side. Parker to third.
-Reed Stallman strikes out swinging.
-Ryder Woodson rips an RBI double down the left-field line. Frei to third. Parker scores.
-Kevin Milewski pops up to P.
-Aidan Teel flies out to LF.
- Tegan works out of the jam only allowing one run. Big moment.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Bulldogs 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Manny Marin flies out to CF in right-center.
-Levi Clark grounds out to SS.
-Jay Abernathy drives a double into right field.
-Garrett Wright ropes an RBI double down the left-field line.
- Beautiful complementary baseball from Abernathy and Wright there to score a run.
- Abernathy legs out a double and Wright takes advantage.
*Pitching change: LHP Dane Burns (1-0, 0.00 ERA) in to pitch for Stone*
-Reese Chapman grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Bryce Chance reaches on a fielding error by 2B.
- Routine ground ball ate him up. Bad mistake.
-Ace Reese flies out to RF.
-Noah Sullivan flies out to LF.
- Looked like Blaine initially may have misjudged it, but ultimately spotted it and made a diving catch.
- Nice play.
-Jacob Parker out at first 1B to P.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Bulldogs 1
7th Inning:
T7
-Henry Ford grounds out to SS.
-Blake Grimmer grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Trent Grindlinger strikes out swinging.
- First time he’s been retired.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
-Gehrig Frei powers a solo homer to right-center.
- First pitch of the at-bat. Kuhns needs to be pulled.
*Pitching change: R-Jr. LHP Brandon Arvidson (1-0, 4.56 ERA) in to pitch for Kuhns*
- Thought the sixth should’ve been the end of the line for Kuhns. Works out of a jam in the fifth beautifully then gets through the heart of the order in the sixth. Comes out in the seventh and MSU has the most momentum its had all game.
–Tegan Kuhns FINAL LINE: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 3 XBH, 58 strikes on 87 pitches–
- Season-best outing from Kuhns
-Noah Stallman singles through the left side.
- Shift was on like crazy. Hit right through the six-hole.
-Ryder Woodson grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.
*Chone James pinch-hitting for Kevin Milewski*
-James singles up the middle.
-Aidan Teel grounds out to 3B.
- Bad throw, but good pick by Levi.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 5, Bulldogs 2
8th Inning:
T8
*James to C*
-Blaine Brown pops up to 2B.
-Manny Marin pokes a double down the 1B line.
- Three-hit night for Marin. Vols hitting stays consistent, esp at bottom of the order.
-Levi Clark strikes out swinging.
-Jay Abernathy rips an RBI double through the left side.
- What a development. Jay 3-3 with two RBI and two doubles. Also a beautiful bunt on a squeeze play.
*Pitching change: RHP Jack Gleason on to pitch for Burns*
-Garrett Wright flies out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
*Grimmer to 1B*
*Ariel Antigua to 2B for Levi Clark*
-Bryce Chance pops up to SS.
-Ace Reese flies out to CF in left-center.
-Noah Sullivan flares a single to right field.
-Jacob Parker strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Bulldogs 2
9th Inning:
T9
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging.
-Henry Ford strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Blake Grimmer strikes out looking.
END OF TOP HALF
B9
-Gehrig Frei strikes out swinging.
- Arv wins a six-pitch battle.
-Reed Stallman lines out to CF.
-Ryder Woodson singles to left field.
-Chone James strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Bulldogs 2
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Mississippi State Bulldogs 2 (Vols clinch series)
GEORGE COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) — A George County High School senior is dead after an SUV hit him while bicycling on Highway 26 Friday night.
Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) officials said at 8:15 p.m. the MHP responded to a fatal crash on Highway 26 in George County.
Those officials said a Ford SUV traveling west on Highway 26 collided with 18-year-old Tyree Bradley of McLain, Mississippi, who was bicycling.
Bradley was fatally injured and died at the scene, MHP officials said.
The crash remains under investigation by the MHP.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Some losses feel like they drag on longer than the box score suggests, and Mississippi State’s 3-1 opener at Texas A&M fits that category.
It wasn’t a blowout. It wasn’t a game where the Bulldogs looked outmatched.
It was just one of those nights where the early mistakes stuck around and the offense never quite found the swing that could shake them loose.
The frustrating part is how quickly the hole formed. Two solo homers and a wild pitch in the first two innings put Mississippi State behind 3-0, and that was basically the ballgame.
Against a top tier SEC team on the road, spotting three runs that early is a tough ask. The Bulldogs didn’t fold, but they also didn’t cash in when the door cracked open.
“I liked our fight. I think we’re really just working through some things offensively, and trying to stay together,” Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts said. “This team still believes, and we’re going to battle and fight every chance we get, and I think I saw a lot of that. I’m encouraged for what that means for us moving forward, but, you know, they’re a good hitting team, and we’ve got to be able to shut them down early. I don’t think Peja [Goold] had her best stuff, but she continued to battle out there and find ways to get outs.”
They had chances. Two runners stranded in the fifth. Two more in the sixth. Another in the seventh. Des Rivera finally got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI single, but the big hit that usually shows up for this lineup never arrived.
It wasn’t a lack of traffic. It was a lack of finish.
If there was a bright spot, it came from the bullpen. Delainey Everett gave Mississippi State exactly what it needed after the rocky start.
“That was just a huge relief appearance by Delaney to keep us in it,” Ricketts said. “It’s really good to have her back and healthy these last few weeks because these are the moments where we really need her and rely on her. We know that she’s going to be a big part of the remainder of the season going forward as well.”
Three hitless innings, one baserunner, and a reminder that she’s quietly putting together a strong stretch.
There were individual positives too. Nadia Barbary keeps climbing the doubles list. Kiarra Sells keeps finding ways on base.
But the bigger picture is simple. Mississippi State is now 6-10 in the SEC, and the margin for error is shrinking. Nights like this one are the difference between climbing back into the race and staying stuck in the middle.
They get another shot this morning with the schedule bumped up for weather. The formula isn’t complicated.
Clean up the early innings, keep getting quality relief, and find one or two timely swings. The Bulldogs didn’t get them Friday. They’ll need them today.
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Mississippi
Mississippi farmers struggle through years without profit as war with Iran deepens crisis
YAZOO COUNTY, Miss. — Mississippi Delta farmers are facing another expensive planting season as fertilizer and fuel costs continue to climb.
Farmers in Yazoo and Sharkey counties, Clay Adcock and Jeffrey Mitchell, said it has been years since their crops turned a real profit.
“I guess it would be since 2022,” Adcock said.
“Last 2.5 to three years since we had a very profitable year,” Mitchell said.
Rising input costs squeeze farmers
Adcock said he was paying $300 per ton of fertilizer before the war with Iran broke out. He is now paying double for the same amount. Mitchell saw similar spikes.
“Fertilizer was up 25% before the Iranian conflict already,” Mitchell said. “Then since that started Diesel fuel is up 40% in the last six months.”
Survey and research from the American Farm Bureau show they are not the only ones feeling the pinch.
“We’ve got trouble with the farming community,” Adcock said. “And you can see that with the bankruptcies that are there and no young farmers that can afford the capital to get started.”
Mitchell said today’s farmers face a shrinking industry of suppliers. 75% of all fertilizer in the U.S. comes from four companies: Yara USA, CF Industries, Nutrien and Koch Industries.
“With the world market on fertilizer, pretty much everyone has the same price,” Mitchell said. “It’s not like you can go to store B, get a better price.”
forces
Oil and natural gas cut off in the Strait of Hormuz forces energy companies worldwide to compete for less supply. The spike in costs passes on to fertilizer producers, who pass higher prices on to distributors, leaving family farms at the end of the line with the most expensive bills.
“They deliver it to us and we’re at their mercy,” Adcock said.
Adcock said he would like to see more regulation to even the playing field among fertilizer companies and prevent potential price gouging.
“There should be guiderails in place to keep fertilizer producers within a range and if they get out of that range it throws up red flags as they do in the SEC with stocks,” Adcock said. “Have some consistency in our business.”
Mitchell said the costs will circle back to consumers at the store. The spike in diesel also increases the cost of transporting finished crops after harvest to stores.
“Everything will be higher once it gets to Kroger or Wal-Mart or wherever,” Mitchell said. “They’ll just pass it onto consumers.”
It is too early to tell what the final prices will look like once harvest season is over. Each farmer said one way consumers can help is to buy as much produce as possible directly from farmers at markets and buy American items.
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