Tennessee
NKU has plenty of chances against No. 1 Tennessee in NCAA opener but Norse can't make it happen – NKyTribune
By Dan Weber
NKyTribune reporter
Against the nation’s No. 1 team in front of a record standing-room-only crowd of 6,396 at Knoxville’s Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the underdog Northern Kentucky Norse gave it a real shot.
And had a shot. From the get-go, which in this first-round NCAA Division I tournament baseball game Friday came on the first at-bat in the game when NKU leadoff hitter Cleary Simpson crushed a home run over the scoreboard in right-center field.
NKU’s Cleary Simpson (Photo provided)
NKU 1, No. 1 Tennessee 0.
For two innings, anyway. And there could have been more as Treyvin Moss followed Simpson’s homer with a sharp double with no outs. So strong was the NKU opening, Tennessee Coach Tony Vitello pulled his starter, Chris Stamos, for a reliever after just one out.
Good move as the long reliever, AJ Causey, came on for 6 2/3 strong innings shutting down the Norse with just two more runs on four hits with nine strikeouts as the Volunteers improved their home record to 36-3 (51-11 overall) with a 9-3 romp over NKU.
The loss sends NKU into a loser’s bracket game Saturday at noon against Southern Mississippi, a loser to Indiana in their Friday game. Tennessee will face Indiana later Saturday.
NKU dropped to 35-23 in its first-ever NCAA Div. I baseball tournament as the result of shaky NKU pitching that gave up three UT home runs after a third inning of three walks and a wild pitch that allowed the Vols to take a 3-1 lead without a hit in that inning. And that was after an unearned run in the second following an outfield misplay.
Careless base-running that saw two Norse picked off – one right before an NKU home run – and the inability to hit with runners in scoring position (NKU was 0-9 there) didn’t help against the nation’s No. 1 team on their field.
NKU’s Nick McClanahan (Photo provided)
Tennessee’s nine runs came on nine hits with those three home runs providing much of the power as the Vols, the only team in the nation with 50 or more wins, added to their 144 home runs for the season.
NKU was its own worst enemy when starter Tanner Gillis, 8-2 coming into this game with three times 72 strikeouts to just 24 walks, had trouble locating the plate early on.
And yet, in the seventh inning, NKU trailed just 6-3 – and it could have been 6-4 without the pickoff before Liam McFadden-Ackman’s home run.
For the game, NKU gave up seven bases on balls to Tennessee’s two while the Norse struck out 11 times to Tennessee’s nine. NKU reliever Nick McClanahan, out of Ryle High School, came on for 3 1/3 strong innings with seven strikeouts.
NKU starting second baseman John Odom had to leave the game after suffering a leg injury sliding into second base in the second inning.
SCORING SUMMARY
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 – 3 6 1
TENNESSEE 0 1 2 3 0 0 1 2 X – 9 9 0
WP: Causey (12-3) LP: Gillis (8-3)
LEADING HITTERS: NKU: Simpson, HR, RBI; Moss 2-3, double; McFadden-Ackman HR; Rowe 2-3, triple. TENNESSEE: Amick, HR, 3 runs; Moore 2-5; Dreiling 3-5, HR, double; Ensley HR.
Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
Tennessee
Tennessee baseball vs Ole Miss score, live updates, start time, Game 3
Tennessee baseball will look to salvage the final game of the SEC series against Ole Miss.
The Vols (25-14, 7-10 SEC) play Game against the No. 23 Rebels (29-11, 10-7) on April 19 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Ole Miss has been on a roll. The 8-1 win on April 18 against the Vols moved the Rebels to eight straight wins. It got an ace-level start from Cade Townsend and a grand slam from Tristan Bissetta to secure Game 2.
Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA) will start for the Rebels. Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA) will be on the mound for Tennessee.
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss live updates
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss on today?
- TV channel: SEC Network+
- Live stream: ESPN app
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss game times
- Game 3: April 19 (1 p.m. ET)
Tennessee baseball vs. Ole Miss probable pitchers
- Tennessee: LHP Evan Blanco (3-2, 3.67 ERA)
- Ole Miss: RHP Taylor Rabe (3-1, 3.16 ERA)
Tennessee
Tennessee drops series to Ole Miss with game two loss
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Tennessee Volunteers baseball team dropped game two to Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon, 8-1. The Rebels clinch the series, the first time Ole Miss has won a series in Knoxville since 2016.
A bright spot for the Vols was Tegan Kuhns who threw 5.2 innings not allowing a run, striking out 10 batters on five hits.
Cam Appenzeller picked up his first loss of the season coming in out of the bullpen for Kuhns. The SEC Freshman of the Week did not have a great outing. Appenzeller went 2.1 innings giving up six earned runs.
Tennessee escaped a shutout as Trent Grindlinger hit a solo home run in the ninth inning. Grindlinger’s home run was one of Tennessee’s two hits on the night.
The Volunteers look to avoid the series sweep as theY round out the series with Ole Miss on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on the SEC Network+.
Copyright 2026 WVLT. All rights reserved.
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