Tennessee
Vols pull off comeback effort to walk it off over Florida State
OMAHA, Neb. (WATE) – Florida State was just three outs away from a day one win in the College World Series when a four-run comeback effort in the bottom of the ninth flipped the script in the Vols favor. With Tennessee’s 12-11 walk-off win, the Vols will now face North Carolina on Sunday.
Florida State got two runners on early in the first with no outs. Max Williams started things off with a single and then Cam Smith drew a four-pitch walk. After James Tibbs advanced to third on a fielder’s choice, Tony Vitello decided Chris Stamos’ day was done.
AJ Causey took over on the mound with runners on the corners and one out. Causey struck out the next batter he faced but Williams scored from third on a wild pitch to give the Seminoles the early 1-0 lead. Daniel Cantu then drew another walk as FSU loaded the bases. Causey got Alex Lodise swinging to leave all three runners stranded.
Christian Moore started things off in the bottom of the inning with a bang, hitting a ball back to the center field wall that was good enough for a triple. Blake Burke then brought Moore home on a single to left to tie the game at one. Billy Amick drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs.
The Vols then took their first lead of the game on a Dylan Dreiling RBI single. Blake Burke slid home from second for the 2-1 advantage with still no outs in the inning. However, the Seminoles got a quick three outs as Hunter Ensley grounded out into a double play and Kavares Tears grounded out to third to end the inning.
FSU threatened in the second with runners on the corners and one out, but Cam Smith grounded out into an inning-ending double play to leave the Vols with the lead.
Tennessee added to its lead in the bottom of the frame. After Dean Curley and Dalton Bargo both struck out for the first two outs, Cal Stark reached first on a walk. Moore followed up with a double and Stark was sent to home from first. FSU catcher Jaxson West had Stark beat, but West dropped the ball and Stark scored to make it 3-1. Moore then scored on a throwing error to extend Tennessee’s lead to 4-1.
The Seminoles answered right back in the third. After back-to-back singles, a Jaime Ferrer 2-RBI double pulled FSU within a run. Things then went from bad to worse as Florida State quickly loaded the bases with no outs, sparking a pitching change for the Vols. Causey’s day was done after just 1.2 innings of work, his second shortest outing of the season.
Kirby Connell took over on the mound and struck out the first batter he faced, but then walked West as FSU tied the game at four. Things went downhill quickly as the Seminoles put up a six-spot in the inning to take a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the inning.
FSU extended its lead to 9-4 in the fourth on a two-run homer from Jaime Ferrer.
The Vols had a prime opportunity to cut the deficit in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs. However, a Billy Amick fly out to center left all three runners stranded and the Vols trailing by five.
Tennessee pulled back within three runs thanks to a two-run shot into the right field stands from Kavares Tears. It marked the junior’s first ever hit in the College World Series after two trips to Omaha.
Christian Moore then brought the Vols within two, thanks to a solo shot in the sixth. After a single, double and triple, that home run made it official. Moore is the just the second player in the history of the College World Series to hit for the cycle. Jerry Kendell accomplished the feat all the way back in 1956. To make matters more impressive, he did in just four at-bats.
The Seminoles then took back their four-run lead in the seventh. Andrew Behnke walked two batters before Marco Dinges hit a two-RBI double to take a 11-7 advantage with two outs. Nate Snead replaced Behnke on the mound and forced a groundout to end the inning.
Tennessee added a run in the eighth on Dylan Dreiling’s third hit of the night. After back-to-back singles from Burke and Amick, Dreiling got one to drop in left to bring home Burke. However, Hunter Ensley grounded out to leave two runners stranded and the Vols trailing by three.
Kavares Tears started off a ninth inning rally with a triple. Dean Curley brought him home on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to two runs with two outs.
Florida State put together two outs with the Vols still down two runs. Even though Moore already hit for the cycle, his night wasn’t done. A double from the junior put Cannon Peebles in scoring position, and Moore on base. Burke followed Moore in the order, drilling one straight up center field, scoring both Peebles and Moore to tie the game up at 11. A hit from Amick but Burke on second and a single from Dreiling brought the junior in for the walk-off win, 12-11.
The Vols roll on to face North Carolina at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Tennessee
Tennessee basketball legend Chris Lofton enjoying unexpected Vol Network role | Estes
CHICAGO – As Tennessee basketball’s newest Sweet 16 team was on the court at the United Center, prepping for Iowa State, the best pure shooter in the building sat on the side in a hoodie.
Chris Lofton, as always, was looking for his shot.
“I’m ready to shoot now, you know?” he said with a laugh. “When they start stretching, I’ll get a shot up or two for sure. I tell Mike (Keith) all the time, ‘If we go to the gym and there’s a basketball, I have to shoot it.’ That’s just a rule. I’ve got to shoot at least once.”
Though his last professional basketball game was in 2019, Lofton still gets on the court occasionally, and when he does, he can still shoot it.
Tennessee star freshman Nate Ament can confirm. He’s seen it.
“Really good,” Ament said of Lofton. “Even now.”
He’s a radio guy now, though.
Lofton is finishing a season back in Knoxville as part of the newly built Vol Network crew for men’s basketball games. He has been working with new play-by-play man Mike Keith, the former voice of the Tennessee Titans, among those tasked with replacing longtime Vols duo of Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp.
“Mike has been great,” Lofton said, “teaching me a lot. I’m learning so much. It’s been fun just to be back around Tennessee basketball as much as I’ve been this year. I’m VFL. I bleed orange. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
In a game of horse, I’d still take Lofton against anyone. Vols fans old enough to remember watching him play for Tennessee (2004-08), I’d imagine many of y’all would, too.
This guy is a myth, a Tennessee legend. Unforgettable because of magical moments during games as “the best bad-shot-maker I’ve ever coached,” said former Vols coach Bruce Pearl, and because of his inspirational personal story. The circumstances of Lofton’s final UT season, during which he played through a secret cancer diagnosis, comprised a recent ESPN documentary.
The old heads know. And I’ve got something to make those old heads feel a bit older:
Lofton is about to turn 40.
The last day of his 30s, in fact, was practice day at the United Center on the eve of 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament regional games there. He’ll celebrate while working. Lofton’s 40th birthday will be March 27, same day that Tennessee faces Iowa State in the Sweet 16.
“I’m telling you,” Lofton said, “it goes by fast.”
The opportunity “came out of nowhere,” said Lofton. He’d been through the NBA’s coaching program a couple of years ago, and he was close to landing a scouting job with the Boston Celtics last year.
Lofton hadn’t envisioned a detour through media until he got the call in October – and he recoiled initially. “I’ll get back to you,” Lofton told them at the time, all the while thinking, “Talking on the radio? That’s not me.”
But Lofton thought more about it, figuring “Why not? What else do I have to do?” Since then, Lofton has thrown himself into the role.
“Just like he was as a basketball player,” Keith said, “he wants to be good at it.”
This season’s Vol Network hoops team included Keith, Lofton, former UT player Steve Hamer and John Wilkerson, the play-by-play man for Vols baseball.
Since baseball season started for Wilkerson, Lofton has consistently been a part of Tennessee’s broadcasts despite jumping in short-notice to a new career path with no previous experience.
“What Chris has done has been amazing,” Keith said. “Nothing short of amazing, considering his background in (radio) – which was non-existent – his sort of knowledge of how it works and his interest in it before he was contacted in October. …
“If you listen to him from a broadcast in November or December to now, it’s a totally different guy.”
Keith added that “it’s going to be off the charts” for Lofton in Year 2, given how much he has improved.
All Lofton has decided for his post-playing future is that wants to stay in basketball. He hasn’t ruled out a career in coaching or scouting.
But he does love what he’s doing now, he said.
“I open to whatever, honestly,” Lofton said. “I love what I do now. I would love to be more involved on the court, for sure, but it might just be here (on radio).”
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
Tennessee
Tennessee gas prices keep climbing. Is this the highest they’ve ever been?
Trump ‘I did that’ stickers on gas pumps, a callback to Biden
During record-high gas prices under Biden, stickers appeared on gas pumps with his picture saying ‘I did that.’ Now they have Trump’s face on them.
Gas prices remain a significant issue as the conflict with Iran persists, prompting the United States government and individual states to take action against the rising costs.
On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran, which the country then responded to by closing the Strait of Hormuz. This blocked about a fifth of the world’s oil from moving to global markets, including the United States.
Since the war began last month and the Strait was closed, gas prices across the country have risen by over $1, and in Tennessee, they have increased by $1.10. While these prices may seem exorbitant, it was only a few years ago that the entire nation saw its highest recorded gas prices.
Here’s the record for the highest gasoline price in Tennessee.
What is the highest price for gas in Tennessee?
According to the AAA gas price tracker, the highest recorded price for a gallon of regular gas was on June 12, 2022, at $4.64. Diesel hit its record high three days later at $5.64.
This is the recorded high for the state average; however, localities have different records, all established around the same time.
Here are the highest recorded prices for gas in Tennessee’s major cities:
- Chattanooga: $4.60 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.52 on June 14, 2022, for diesel.
- Clarksville: $4.71 on June 9, 2022, for regular; $5.71 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.
- Jackson: $4.69 on June 16, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 21, 2022, for diesel.
- Johnson City: $4.62 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.70 on June 11, 2022, for diesel.
- Kingsport: $4.60 on June 12, 2022, for regular; $5.66 on June 12, 2022, for diesel.
- Knoxville: $4.65 on Sept. 15, 2008, for regular; $5.66 on June 10, 2022, for diesel.
- Memphis: $4.65 on June 14, 2022, for regular; $5.60 on June 18, 2022, for diesel.
- Morristown: $4.63 on June 13, 2022, for regular; $5.67 on June 20, 2022, for diesel.
- Nashville: $4.68 on June 10, 2022, for regular; $5.68 on June 15, 2022, for diesel.
How high are gas prices in Tennessee now?
Here are the recently tracked dates for the prices of a gallon of gasoline in Tennessee:
- March 11: $3.20 for regular, $4.78 for diesel
- March 19: $3.59 for regular, $5 for diesel
- March 24: $3.65 for regular, $5.27 for diesel
A month ago, a few days before the United States and Israel initiated the war with Iran, regular gas was $2.55, and diesel was $3.40.
DeKalb County has the highest regular gasoline price at $3.86 on March 25. Hancock County has the lowest price at $3.50.
Of the state’s major metropolitan areas, Knoxville has the cheapest regular gas at $3.60. Chattanooga and Memphis follow at $3.62 and $3.64, respectively. Nashville has the highest price at $3.69.
What is the gas tax in Tennessee?
In the United States, there are two taxes added to gasoline when you go to fill up your vehicle. The first tax is the national tax, and the second is the state tax.
In the United States, the federal government collects a flat rate of 18.4 cents per gallon from residents in every state. This tax is included in the price seen at the pump.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the gasoline tax in Tennessee is 26 cents, effective July 1, 2019. For diesel fuel, the tax is 27 cents.
Tennessee House Democrats are urging a statewide gas and diesel tax holiday to lower pump prices. In a March 24 press release, State Representatives Bo Mitchell and John Ray Clemmons asked Governor Bill Lee and their Republican colleagues to set aside funding in the FY26-27 Budget Amendment currently being discussed for prompt tax relief for families.
Which states have the highest gas taxes?
All 50 states have a gas tax charged per gallon at the pump, but some states’ gas taxes are up to eight times those of others.
These are the states with the highest gas taxes as of September 2025:
- California: 70.92 cents per gallon
- Illinois: 66.4 cents per gallon
- Washington: 59.04 cents per gallon
- Pennsylvania: 58.7 cents per gallon
- Indiana: 54.5 cents per gallon
Conversely, these states have the lowest gas taxes in the United States:
- Alaska: 8.95 cents per gallon
- Hawaii: 18.5 cents per gallon
- New Mexico: 18.88 cents per gallon
- Arizona: 19 cents per gallon
- Oklahoma and Texas: 20 cents per gallon
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.
Tennessee
Man charged in West Tennessee quadruple murder pleads not guilty
JACKSON, Tenn. (WZTV) — A man accused of killing four people in West Tennessee pleaded not guilty during a court appearance Tuesday.
Austin Drummond appeared before a judge Tuesday, and his attorney filed a motion requesting the trial be moved to a different county.
Drummond faces multiple charges, including murder and aggravated kidnapping. Prosecutors say he fatally shot four family members, including the parents of a baby who was later found abandoned in Dyer County.
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The state is seeking the death penalty. Drummond is due back in court in May.
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