Tennessee
Tennessee baseball loosened up and swept doubleheader, won series vs Alabama
When Tennessee baseball players arrived at the clubhouse at Lindsey Nelson Stadium early on April 24, they weren’t thinking about the upcoming grind of a doubleheader against No. 15 Alabama.
They weren’t fixated on the 12-8 loss to the Tide in the first game of the series a day earlier. They weren’t stressed about what a series loss could mean for their postseason future.
The Vols were too busy “jamming” to rapper NBA YoungBoy, according to starting pitcher Tegan Kuhns.
That loose mentality translated into a cascading offensive downpour and stringent defensive outing as Tennessee (29-15, 10-11 SEC) cruised to big wins over the Tide (29-29-16, 10-11) on both ends of the doubleheader.
Tennessee run-ruled Alabama in eight innings, 10-0, charged by another exceptional performance from Kuhns. Hours later, the Vols posted their second double-digit scoring performance with an 11-4 win.
Tennessee coach Josh Elander believes his young team is learning from facing adversity.
“We’ve been in that spot because we haven’t won on Friday night,” he said. “We need to be better on Fridays, but we’ve been in these scenarios where your back is against the wall and you’ve got to figure out what you’ve got. You can play tight and tense and try hard, or you can just cut it loose and play baseball.”
Tennessee hosts West Georgia at home on April 28 (6 p.m. ET, SEC Network+) before continuing SEC play at Kentucky from May 1-3.
Here’s what we learned about Tennessee baseball after its Alabama series victory.
Offense responded to Josh Elander’s challenge
After Tennessee’s first two losses in its last series against Ole Miss, Elander challenged the team to reflect on the offensive woes. The Vols scored four runs in the first game, yet barely escaped a shutout with a single run in Game 2.
Tennessee closed the series with a 13-5 win on April 19. The success carried over into the Alabama series with a total of 29 runs. Even in Game 1, the Vols logged eight runs.
“Better swings, nothing crazy,” Elander said about what’s changed with the offense. “It’s not like we’re taking batting practice differently or doing our scouting reports differently … I think our guys, as they continue to see more SEC high level stuff, they just slow down and are able to navigate at-bats a little better or the moment a little bit better when the crowd gets going.
“I think they’re just settling in. That’s what we need down the stretch. I know we’re past the three quarter way in the year. I’ve always felt confident in this offense, I know they’re capable and they need to continue to be consistent.”
Designated hitter Trent Grindlinger certainly settled in against Alabama. The Tide had no answer for the freshman, who had a combined five hits and two home runs in the doubleheader.
Elander called Grindlinger’s performance “rare.” Outfielder Blaine Brown is getting used to it.
“Trent, he works hard,” Brown said. “Nothing he did today surprised me at all. That’s just what I know he can do.”
Brown also had a big performance with two home runs in Game 3.
“We like that Blaine,” Elander said. “We’d like to see some more of him.”
Tegan Kuhns continues to showcase MLB talent
Kuhns claimed he wasn’t upset about the eight inning run-rule cutting off his path to a full game shutout. Regardless of how he felt, Alabama hitters were definitely frustrated trying to score against the sophomore pitcher.
In eight pitched innings, he struck out nine, allowed only three hits and a walk with no earned runs.
“I was just ready to set the tone,” Kuhns said. “I feel like the guys needed it. They needed a better start out of a starter, and I just did that for them.”
Starting pitching is good, for the most part
Left-hander Evan Blanco continued to be a “pro” for the Vols in Game 3. He gave up five hits and three earned runs, but countered with a season-high nine strikeouts.
Blanco wasn’t as close to a flawless performance like Kuhns. However, he provided six solid innings and prevented Tennessee from reaching into its bullpen early.
That’s exactly what happened in Game 1. Starting right-hander Landon Mack was off his game at the beginning, and it lingered through his 2 1/3 innings pitched. After he pelted an Alabama hitter in the helmet with a fastball, Elander took him out.
“On Friday night, you need length from your starter,” Elander said on April 23. “You’ve got to be careful with the bullpen, especially with the weather that we’re looking at coming in. When he hit that guy in the head − I hope that guy’s OK − that was a clear indicator that we needed to get him out of the game.”
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: knoxnews.com/subscribe
Tennessee
Childhood friends reunite during cancer treatments 50 years after serving in Tennessee National Guard together
A pair of childhood classmates who served together in the Tennessee National Guard reconnected during their cancer treatments nearly 50 years after they fell out of touch.
Billy Taylor, a two-time cancer survivor, wasn’t entirely surprised when he found himself back at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at TriStar Natchez in Dickson, Tennessee, for yet another round of radiation, WSMV 4 reported.
At the same time, Randy Duke was riding his motorcycle to the same center for daily radiation and chemotherapy treatments as he fights an aggressive throat cancer.
For weeks, neither knew that they were incidentally crossing paths with an old friend.
Duke and Taylor attended school together in White Bluff, Tennessee — just 10 miles outside of Dickson — and were in the same training unit in the Volunteer State’s National Guard.
They lost contact in 1979 when Taylor left the guard to pursue his own business, and figured that was the end of things.
Taylor recognized Duke’s name immediately when he heard a nurse call for him while they were both in the waiting room at the center. Physically, though, Duke looked like a stranger — and vice versa.
“I didn’t know for sure that was him because we changed so much. I wouldn’t have known him if I hadn’t heard his name. I would have never guessed in a million years who he was,” Taylor told WSMV 4.
Taylor didn’t say anything until he got a closer look at Duke in the parking lot three days later.
“Drake, is that you?” Taylor recounted shouting at Duke.
Duke always went by his middle name, Drake, in school because there were so many other students named Randy.
“Oh my goodness, yeah. I can see it now, Billy Ray, and I was glad to see him,” Duke remembered replying while Taylor reintroduced himself.
The pair have been inseparable ever since. They spent hours catching up and reflecting on “all the crazy stuff” they did in the Guard — effectively filling a gaping hole in Duke’s life.
When Duke first started his cancer treatments, he knew it would be difficult, but he told the outlet that the lack of real connection was even harder.
“We used to know everybody in White Bluff. Now, we don’t hardly know anybody. We go to a restaurant and I’m searching for somebody I know up there,” he said.
Now, he and Taylor are leaving for their morning appointments a little earlier so they can carve out extra time to chat in the waiting room.
“We could sit out there and talk. It got our mind off things too. It was just a good feeling to see him again. You don’t see many people that you’ve not seen in 48 years,” Taylor told the outlet.
“As you get older, you’ve got less and less time to meet them. So, it might be a good time to do it,” Duke added.
When Taylor completed his treatments, he rang the center’s chemo bell with Duke by his side. Taylor said he plans to do the same for Duke when he finishes his treatments in June.
Duke, meanwhile, is hoping to secure a part-time job with Taylor when he’s well enough so they can work side-by-side as they did in their youth.
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
WKRN is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
WKRN is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Nashville Soccer Club has been named Tennessee’s 2026 “Professional Team of the Year” for its historic 2025 season. Nashville SC and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (TSHOF) made the announcement Wednesday.
In 2025, Nashville SC became the first professional sports team in Tennessee to win a championship with its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. The team also qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.
“This year’s Achievement Award honorees reflect the very best of Tennessee’s rich sports tradition — from legends who’ve inspired generations to rising stars making their mark on the national stage,“ said Harold Graeter, chairman of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors. ”We are proud to honor these individuals and teams whose dedications, excellence, and impact represent what the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Stands for.”
In addition to their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title and qualification to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Nashville SC said it set multiple club records in 2025, including:
- The most single season wins in Nashville SC history (22)
- The most single season MLS wins in Nashville SC history (17)
- The longest unbeaten streaks in Nashville SC history (15 all competitions, 12 MLS)
- The most single season home wins in Nashville SC history (15)
- The most single season goals in Nashville SC history (75)
- The most MLS All-Stars in Nashville SC history with three (Hany Mukhtar, Andy Najar, Sam Surridge)
The TSHOF will formally present Nashville SC with its award at its 2026 Banquet at the Omni Nashville Downtown on July 11.
Nashville SC said this honor is the third TSHOF Achievement Award in the club’s history, with the others including principal owner John Ingram’s 2022 ‘Tennessean of the Year’ recognition and Hany Mukhtar’s 2023 ‘Professional Player of the Year’ honors.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
-
Indiana7 minutes agoIndiana law enforcement takes up donations for Special Olympics
-
Iowa13 minutes agoIowa City Community Band readies for the summer | Music Column
-
Kansas19 minutes agoSW Kansas wildfires prompt evacuations, school closure, road closures
-
Kentucky25 minutes agoFormer Kentucky education commissioner to leave California superintendent job
-
Louisiana31 minutes agoOil donors cling to Cassidy in Louisiana primary
-
Maine37 minutes agoA Maine couple known for restoring cabins on TV is opening an inn of their own – The Boston Globe
-
Maryland43 minutes agoProminent immigrant rights group endorses Ferguson to remain as Senate president
-
Michigan49 minutes agoMichigan State roster reset: All eyes on Jeremy Fears Jr.’s return