Tennessee
No. 17 Tennessee Baseball @ No. 8 Arkansas Score, Updates Game Two | Rocky Top Insider
SCORE: Tennessee 4, Arkansas 8 | T7
***SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE AT-BAT BY AT-BAT FEED***
No. 17 Tennessee baseball (41-12, 16-11 SEC) is set to battle No. 8 Arkansas (41-12, 18-10 SEC) Friday in game two of a three-game series in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
First pitch in Baum Walker Stadium will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
For a full preview of the series, including projected pitching matchups and a prediction, click here.
Tennessee enters Friday’s contest coming off a 10-7 series-opening win on Thursday. Marcus Phillips turned in a solid start and Tennessee’s offense exploded for 10 runs.
Read the full recap of game one HERE.
Tennessee enters the final series of the regular season struggling in SEC play. The Vols have lost four straight series and five of their past six, with four of those coming at home.
The offense hasn’t lived up to its potential while the bullpen has been shaky and the defense bad.
With the recent struggles, Tennessee likely needs to win the series this weekend to host an NCAA Regional. If Tennessee just wins one game, the Vols will need a really strong run in the SEC Tournament to improve their hosting chances.
But with Tennessee surprisingly taking game one, the Vols are well-positioned to win the series as they are the better team on paper Friday night with ace Liam Doyle on the mound.
BRACKETOLOGY: Bracketology: Tennessee Baseball Projected To Go On The Road In NCAA Tournament
The Vanderbilt series loss saw Tennessee drop even further in the latest D1 Baseball Top 25 poll to No. 17.
See where Tennessee landed in all major polls below.
RANKINGS: Where Tennessee Baseball Ranks Following Series Loss Against Vanderbilt
Opponent Scout
Arkansas got off to a strong start to the season losing just one game before the start of SEC play. Conference play has been topsy turvy for the Razorbacks with them losing four of their last five series after winning their first four series of the season.
When Arkansas has won series, they have almost always swept. The Razorbacks have series sweeps against South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Missouri and most impressively Texas two weeks ago in Fayetteville.
Arkansas’ offense has some serious pop, ranking seventh nationally and third in the SEC in slugging percentage. The Aloy brothers have led the way for Arkansas’ offense. Wehiwa Aloy is an SEC Player of the Year candidate and enters the weekend hitting .364 with 17 home runs, 16 doubles and 54 RBIs. Kuhio Aloy is hitting .356 with 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 66 RBIs.
Five Arkansas players have double digit home runs this season with seven players hitting eight-plus home runs. Charles Davalan is hitting .349 with 13 home runs while Cam Kozeal is hitting .340 with 12 home runs.
Arkansas’ pitching staff ranks fifth in the SEC with a 3.96 team-ERA. Dylan Carter (2.23 ERA in 32.1 IP) and Aiden Jimenez (2.51 ERA in 32.1 IP) have been the top arms in Arkansas’ bullpen.
The Vols will be looking to end their recent struggles against the Razorbacks this week. UT’s last series win against Arkansas came in 2005 while its last series win in Fayetteville was back in 2001, per UT. Tony Vitello is currently 2-9 against Dave Van Horn.
Injury/Availability Notes
- In game two against Kentucky, a foul ball unfortunately hit Tennessee relief pitcher Tanner Wiggins in the mouth. Tony Vitello said there were teeth involved in Wiggins’ injury, and the sophomore underwent surgery afterward on his jaw.
- Read more about Wiggins’ status HERE.
- UNC transfer first baseman Alberto Osuna remains ineligible.
- But two Mondays ago, Osuna again took legal action still seeking eligibility. Read more HERE.
TRANSCRIPT: What Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said Following Series Opening Win At Arkansas
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far this season, click here.
For the latest RTI Diamond Pass podcast recapping the Vanderbilt series and looking at why Tennessee must finish strong to close the regular season, click HERE.
VIDEO: Tony Vitello Reacts to Series-Opening Win Over Arkansas
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
SS Gavin Kilen (L)
1B Andrew Fischer (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
LF Dalton Bargo (L)
2B Dean Curley (R)
RF Reese Chapman (L)
C Cannon Peebles (S)
DH Levi Clark (R)
3B Manny Marin (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Levi Clark over Blake Grimmer at the DH spot. The only change in the lineup from Thursday.
- Marin still at third, Peebles behind the dish, Bargo in left.
ARKANSAS STARTING NINE:
LF Charles Davalan (L)
SS Wehiwa Aloy (R)
RF Logan Maxwell (L)
DH Kuhio Aloy (R)
C Ryder Helfrick (R)
2B Cam Kozeal (L)
3B Brent Iredale (R)
1B Reese Robinett (L)
CF Justin Thomas Jr. (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Jr. LHP Liam Doyle (9-2, 2.17 ERA, 14 app., 13 starts, 74.2 IP, 37 H, 19 R, 18 ER, 23 BB, 127 K, 12 XBH, .145 opp. batting avg., 0.80 WHIP)
vs.
Razorbacks R-So. Aiden Jimenez (4-1, 2.51 ERA, 17 app., 0 starts, 1 SV, 32.1 IP, 27 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 7 BB, 34 K, 5 XBH, .229 opp. batting avg., 1.06 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Doyle stays in his Friday night role but not game one role. Tennessee wanted to keep Doyle on his regular routine after throwing 100 pitches last week. Also gives Doyle’s blister more time to improve before tonight.
- The blister has flared up after 70-80 pitches occasionally for Doyle. Some times worse than others. Just something the Vols ace is likely going to have to deal with moving forward.
- First start of the season for Jimenez as Arkansas shakes up its rotation. He’s been a bullpen arm that hasn’t done extended relief much. Most pitches he’s thrown is 57. Hasn’t gone more than 3.1 innings since March 22.
- Expect Jimenez to be more of an opener and throw 3ish innings. Would be surprised if he gets into 5-inning/80-pitch territory.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Dark Mode
Arkansas: White Pinstripes
*NOTES*
- The run-rule is MANDATORY in SEC play. If Tennessee or Arkansas leads by 10 or more runs after the seventh inning, the game is over.
1st Inning:
T1
-Gavin Kilen flies out to CF.
-Andrew Fischer grounds out to P.
-Hunter Ensley singles to SS.
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Charles Davalan singles to 2B.
-Wehiwa Aloy strikes out swinging.
-Logan Maxwell singles to left-center. Davalan to third.
-Kuhio Aloy strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Ryder Helfrick strikes out swinging on three pitches.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 0, Razorbacks 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Dean Curley doubles to right-center.
-Reese Chapman lines out to 2B.
-Levi Clark grounds out to 2B. Curley to third.
-Cannon Peebles slaps an RBI single to left field. Curley scores.
-Manny Marin singles to left field. Peebles to second.
-Gavin Kilen fouls out to 3B.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Cam Kozeal singles to center field.
-Brent Iredale drives a two-run homer to left-center.
-Reese Robinett strikes out swinging.
-Justin Thomas Jr. singles to 2B.
-Charles Davalan rips a double to right-center. Thomas Jr. to third.
-Wehiwa Aloy sends an RBI groundout to 2B. Thomas Jr. scores. Davalan to third.
-Logan Maxwell strikes out looking on three pitches.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Razorbacks 3
3rd Inning:
T3
-Andrew Fischer doubles to right-center.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to LF.
-Dalton Bargo smacks an RBI double to left field.
-Dean Curley singles to SS. Bargo to third.
*Pitching change: LHP Cole Gibler (1-1, 4.50 ERA) on to pitch for Jimenez*
-Reese Chapman strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Levi Clark works a walk.
- Really good AB from Clark.
- Bases loaded with two outs for Cannon Peebles.
-Cannon Peebles knocks a two-run single to center. Curley and Bargo score. Clark to second.
-Manny Marin reaches on a fielder’s choice to 3B. Peebles out at second, 5-4.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Kuhio Aloy HBP.
-Ryder Helfrick mashes a two-run homer to left-center.
-Cam Kozeal grounds out to 1B unassisted.
-Brent Iredale singles to left field.
-Reese Robinett strikes out looking.
Iredale steals second.
-Justin Thomas Jr. works a walk.
-Charles Davalan strikes out looking.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Razorbacks 5
4th Inning:
T4
-Gavin Kilen strikes out swinging.
-Andrew Fischer fouls out to 3B.
- Great play by the third baseman who made a sliding catch at the wall in foul territory.
- Jammed his head and shoulder area into the wall. He is staying in the game.
-Hunter Ensley grounds out to 3B.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Wehiwa Aloy strikes out swinging.
-Logan Maxwell hammers a solo homer to right field.
-Kuhio Aloy grounds out to 3B.
-Ryder Helfrick pops up to 2B.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Razorbacks 6
5th Inning:
T5
-Dalton Bargo grounds out to 2B.
-Dean Curley grounds out to SS.
-Reese Chapman singles to 2B.
-Levi Clark reaches on a 6-4 fielder’s choice. Chapman out at second.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Cam Kozeal strikes out swinging.
-Brent Iredale is walked.
-Reese Robinett strikes out swinging.
-Justin Thomas Jr. singles to SS, advances to third on a throwing error by SS. Iredale advances to second on the error and scores on the error.
- Kilen’s feet got stuck in the grass it seemed. Errant throw to Dean goes into the outfield allowing Iredale to score and Thomas Jr. to reach third.
-Charles Davalan knocks an RBI single to right field. Thomas Jr. scores.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Austin Breedlove (3-0, 3.32 ERA) on to pitch for Doyle*
Davalan caught stealing at second, 2-4.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Razorbacks 8
6th Inning:
T6
-Cannon Peebles grounds out to SS.
-Manny Marin strikes out swinging.
-Gavin Kilen singles to right-center.
*Pitching change: LHP Parker Coli (2-0, 0.57 ERA) on to pitch for Gibler*
-Andrew Fischer doubles to right field. Kilen to third.
-Hunter Ensley lines out to RF.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
-Wehiwa Aloy lines out to LF.
-Logan Maxwell strikes out swinging.
-Kuhio Aloy is walked on four pitches.
-Ryder Helfrick strikes out looking.
- Breedlove fired up after that one.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 4, Razorbacks 8
7th Inning:
T7
-Dalton Bargo strikes out swinging.
-Dean Curley strikes out swinging.
-Reese Chapman doubles to right-center.
B7
Score: Vols 4, Razorbacks 8
8th Inning:
T8
B8
Score: Vols , Razorbacks
9th Inning:
T9
B9
Score: Vols , Razorbacks
FINAL: Tennessee Vols __, Arkansas Razorbacks __
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Conference play has a way of revealing what teams really are, and Arkansas fans it’s a positive omen for the rest of the season.
Behind a career-high 29 points from freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr., the Razorbacks opened league play Saturday with an 86-75 victory over Tennessee at Bud Walton Arena.
After starting 0-5 last season, but having to battle their way to a Sweet 16 spot, they showed it’s not the end of the world. Now everybody will see what happens when they start strong.
Arkansas improved to 11-3 overall and 1-0 in the SEC, snapping a short run of slow conference starts while giving the home crowd a reason to settle in for winter.
The Volunteers arrived with a reputation for toughness and efficiency, and they lived up to that billing early, trading baskets and refusing to let the Hogs separate.
Tennessee shot well most of the afternoon and stayed within reach even when Arkansas briefly surged in the first half.
The difference was not dominance but steadiness, especially when the game tightened late.
Arkansas leaned on balance, patience, and the calm of a freshman who played like he had been here before.
Acuff shot 9 of 16 from the field and knocked down the biggest shot of the day, a three-pointer with 2:09 left that pushed the Razorbacks’ lead to 79-68.
The basket came just as Tennessee threatened to turn a close game into a coin flip.
“I was just trying to make the right play,” Acuff said. “Coach tells us to be confident and take our shots with conviction.”
Arkansas finds rhythm late
That confidence spread.
Meleek Thomas added 18 points, Malique Ewin finished with 12, and Karter Knox chipped in 11 as Arkansas placed four players in double figures.
No single run blew the game open, but one stretch midway through the second half tilted the floor.
Arkansas used an 18-5 run over 6 minutes and 37 seconds to flip a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
During that stretch, Tennessee missed eight straight shots and managed only two field goals on its next ten attempts.
The Razorbacks did not rush offense or chase highlights.
They waited for good looks, attacked the rim, and trusted the whistle.
Arkansas shot 29 of 33 from the free-throw line, quietly building a cushion that Tennessee never fully erased.
The Volunteers made life difficult with efficient shooting, finishing at 49 percent from the floor.
Amari Evans led Tennessee with 17 points and did not miss a shot, going 7 for 7.
But free throws told a different story. Tennessee went 12 of 23 at the line, leaving points behind that mattered when possessions shrank.
“We stuck to the process,” Arkansas’ coach said. “We just kept competing and playing our game.”
Useful start to conference play
This was not a loud win, but it was a useful one. Arkansas didn’t overwhelm Tennessee with pace or pressure.
Instead, the Hogs won with composure, spacing, and an understanding of when to slow the game down.
That matters in a league where possessions tighten and whistles get louder in February.
The Razorbacks finished at 42 percent shooting overall, with Acuff the only Arkansas player above 50 percent from the floor.
They didn’tneed perfection. They needed reliability and got it.
The crowd of more than 19,000 saw a team comfortable being uncomfortable, a team that didn’t panic when Tennessee crept close.
That calm showed most clearly in Acuff, whose late three settled both the scoreboard and the building.
Arkansas has reached the Sweet 16 in four of the past five seasons, and this game looked like one that fits that blueprint:
- Balanced scoring.
- Free throws made.
- Mistakes absorbed without unraveling.
- The SEC does not reward flash in January.
- It rewards teams that handle moments.
- The Razorbacks handled this one.
Arkansas will travel to Ole Miss next, carrying a conference win that counts the same as any other but feels heavier because of how it was earned.
Tennessee returns home to face Texas, searching for answers that were more subtle than glaring.
Key takeaways
- Darius Acuff Jr.’s career-high 29 points included the decisive three late.
- Four Razorbacks scored in double figures, easing pressure throughout the game.
- Arkansas’ edge at the line separated two evenly matched teams.
Hogs Feed
CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Plenty of new laws will go into effect for Tennessee on Jan. 1, 2026, ranging from protecting victims of domestic violence to giving tattoo artists a new tool to help people in danger.
The “Ink of Hope Act” aims to teach tattoo artists how to recognize certain symbols or “brands” and intervene on behalf of human trafficking victims without putting themselves at risk.
“I’ve wanted to tattoo since I was 8,” Blake Ohrt, the owner of Scout’s Honor Tattoo in Ashland City, told News 2. “I watched somebody when I was really young get a tattoo, and I’ve been super fascinated by it… I just worked really hard my whole life and ended up here.”
Ohrt’s dream for as long as he could remember was to open his own tattoo shop, and now that business is about to celebrate its first anniversary.
“I really hope that people are taking the time and really figuring out who they want to get tattooed by, and maybe doing a little research, making sure that the style is compatible with what you’re wanting to do,” Ohrt said.
However, not everyone who sits in his chair seems willing. He has seen this firsthand a few times.
“People will attempt to set something up for someone else or come in as a pair, and one does the talking and one does not,” Ohrt explained. “Maybe even getting a name of that person and not, you know, I’m not much hearing from the person who’s going to be tattooed.”
When he learned about the “Ink of Hope Act,” he felt it could make a difference.
“Maybe some things that we can catch, like certain specific symbols or maybe placements or things like that, but really, it’s been super big for us,” Ohrt said.
This legislation will require tattoo artists looking to renew their licenses after Jan. 1, 2026, as well as those receiving their first licenses after that date, to watch a one-hour course offered by an approved nonprofit that focuses on human trafficking. Artists who fail to complete that training by Dec. 31, 2028, will have their licenses invalidated until they comply with the law.
“We have to take extra accountability for that and make sure that we’re also consenting for them, so hopefully everybody takes it seriously,” Ohrt told News 2.
For the employees of this Ashland City tattoo shop, it’s their “scout’s honor” to keep the promise to look out for anyone who sits in their chairs.
The New Orleans Saints take on the Tennessee Titans in Nashville with both teams looking to build momentum headed into the offseason. This is the place to keep up with the score and live updates.
Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will look to lead his team to its fourth consecutive victory. The Titans will have their own rookie behind center in No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Kellen Moore’s Saints squad has played well on defense late in the season, holding opponents to a total of 43 points total over the last three weeks.
You can follow below for the latest from the game in Tennessee.
Pregame updates
UPDATED, 10:39 a.m.: Good morning and welcome to the penultimate Times-Picayune live blog for the 2025 New Orleans Saints season (and the last one that actually will be in 2025).
The Saints are indeed eliminated from postseason contention, but it doesn’t really feel like that given how they’ve played in this month of December, which has seen three consecutive wins. Today, the Saints try to make that four in a row in a road meeting with the Tennessee Titans.
The inactives report has just dropped, and the Saints will be even further shorthanded on offense than recent weeks: Wide receiver Mason Tipton is inactive with a groin injury. That means behind Chris Olave, the Saints’ receiver corps will look something like Kevin Austin, Ronnie Bell and maybe a tight end moonlighting as a receiver like Treyton Welch. Alvin Kamara is also out, as expected, meaning Audric Estime and Evan Hull will handle the running back duties.
In short, there’s an awful lot expected of Tyler Shough and the New Orleans defense today if the Saints are going to win their fourth straight.
The bit of good news is that Olave, who missed some practice this week with a back issue, is indeed active and expected to go.
The game kicks off from Nashville just after noon Central time, but we’ll get you set here and then give live updates throughout the afternoon.
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