Tennessee
What does Tennessee baseball need in order to avoid series sweep at Kentucky
Entering a three-game series at Kentucky, it appeared as if Tennessee baseball’s offense had turned a corner.
After scoring at least six runs in all but two of their last nine SEC games, there was reason to believe the inconsistencies that had previously plagued the Vols’ offense had been remedied.
But in their first two games at Kentucky (29-15, 11-12 SEC), both lopsided losses, those offensive woes returned at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington. Tennessee (30-17, 10-13) has managed just four total runs in the series, dropping the first matchup on May 1, 9-2, and Game 2 on May 2 in eight innings, 12-2.
As it prepares for the series finale on May 3 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+), UT finds itself needing an offensive spark to avoid being swept.
“A lot went wrong again,” first-year UT coach Josh Elander said on May 2. “Not a good approach by our guys, swinging at too many pitches out of the strike zone. Good stuff by (Kentucky starter Jaxon Jelkin) today, but we didn’t get out of the gates. … Not a good formula in any capacity today.”
Tennessee has had to play from behind in both games
Slow starts have become a dangerous habit for the Vols through two games against the Wildcats. Their two runs in the series opener didn’t arrive until Henry Ford hit a home run in the eighth inning, the team by then already down 9-0.
They generated a few opportunities before but weren’t able to cash in on three separate chances with a runner in scoring position — once seeing a potential Jay Abernathy RBI single prevented by a full-extension diving catch in shallow left field.
In the second game, Tennessee didn’t manage a baserunner off Jelkin until the fifth and were caught trying to make up an early deficit again. During a mid-game flurry that saw the deficit lessened to 4-2 by a Blaine Brown home run, Tennessee worked the tying run to the plate in the sixth with the heart of the order up.
That was the closest they would get; the next nine batters went down in order and Kentucky pounced on the Vols’ bullpen to run-rule them.
Postseason stakes put extra importance on series finale
In Tennessee’s first 12 SEC matchups, it averaged 5.7 runs per game, contributing to a 4-8 start in league play. But in the nine following conference games, beginning with a sweep of Mississippi State, that number jumped to 7.3 runs per game and included two series wins, boosting the Vols’ SEC record to 10-11. That stretch removed doubt from their NCAA Tournament resume and put them in position to earn a bye in the single-elimination conference tournament.
Now, Tennessee enters the series finale needing a result before facing No. 4 Texas next week – which owns arguably the most feared pitching staff in the SEC.
“At this point, there needs to be more sense of urgency and a little bit more pride,” Elander said. “Very, very frustrating day all the way around, especially after the performance last night. We have to come into tomorrow and basically throw this game in the trash and reset and be ready to go and salvage the weekend tomorrow.”
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 22, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 22 drawing
03-22-34-54-61, Mega Ball: 08
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from May 22 drawing
Morning: 5-0-3, Wild: 3
Midday: 8-9-8, Wild: 0
Evening: 8-9-5, Wild: 4
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from May 22 drawing
Morning: 7-4-0-1, Wild: 1
Midday: 0-7-4-5, Wild: 9
Evening: 8-7-6-8, Wild: 4
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from May 22 drawing
04-11-23-29-34
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from May 22 drawing
07-09-13-14-26, Bonus: 01
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 22 drawing
17-33-36-54-57, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Tennessee Lady Vols are now off to the College World Series after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the second game of what could have been a three-game series. The Lady Vols won the first game off the back of a gutsy performance by Karlyn Pickens, and many of their batters had a great outing.
In game two, the score was 2-0, as the Lady Vols scored off a two-run shot from Sophia Knight. Knight is one of the better players on the team for the Lady Vols, as she hit a home run in game one and had a home run in game two. This game was won without the Lady Vols best pitcher even coming to the mound, as the Lady Vols didn’t even use Karlyn Pickens in this contest.
Even though the Lady Vols are the team playing in their home stadium, they didn’t have the advantage in their game against the Lady Bulldogs, which means the Lady Vols had to pitch to a solid batting squad in the bottom of the ninth, who are also notorious for having a rally. The Bulldogs started the inning with a triple, and the batter later reached home after a wild pitch from Sage Mardjetko.
There would be one out with none on, and the Lady Vols’ star pitcher gained her swagger back with a nasty strikeout that completely fooled the batter on, although, had she gotten a hold of the ball, it likely would have been one to go over. Goodwin would come to the plate with the Lady Vols having a chance to punch their ticket to the college world series, which is exactly what happened off the back of a 1-2 count and a hit to the second baseman, who sat her down for the rest of the season.
The Lady Vols will now await the bracket.
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An east Tennessee school board member who told a teenage girl, “God – you’re hot,” on video at a public meeting in April has been charged with assault.
State prosecutors on 18 May charged 59-year-old Keith Ervin under a Tennessee statute that outlaws “intentionally or knowingly [causing] physical contact with another [that] a reasonable person would regard … as extremely offensive or provocative”.
Tennessee considers that offense a class B misdemeanor, which upon conviction can carry up to six months in jail and a maximum $500 fine.
Ervin’s charge came after his participation in a 2 April meeting of the Washington county school board to which he was first elected in 2006. At that gathering, in plain view of a camera capturing video for the public board’s YouTube channel, Ervin gazed at a female student seated next to him, placed his left hand on her right shoulder, and said, “God – you’re hot. Did you know that? Damn.”
She laughed uncomfortably as he leaned in and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, continuing, “Where do you go to school at?” She provided the name of her school, and he rejoined, “All right.”
Other people in the room could be heard laughing at the end of the exchange. And the Washington school district’s superintendent, Jerry Boyd, visibly smiled while on the other side of the student.
Local media reports describe the girl as a high school senior and a student representative on the board. Her father later went on social media and criticized Ervin’s behavior as “disturbing and inappropriate”.
In that statement, reported by Tennessee news outlet WJHL, the girl’s father said neither he nor her mother believed Ervin “should be anywhere near students” – and he expressed incredulity that the moment passed “without immediate accountability”.
Ervin provided his own statement to WJHL in which he contended he was not “always good with words”. He also maintained that he would not purposefully offend anyone, though he acknowledged the video of him and the girl looked bad.
A Change.org petition almost immediately calling for the dismissals of Boyd and Ervin from their roles has since gathered more than 7,400 signatures. Ervin’s fellow school board members voted to censure him during a special meeting called on 8 April as outrage surrounding his filmed remarks spread beyond Washington county.
The female student at the center of the assault case addressed the county school board directly at a 7 May meeting – and she let its members know she was unimpressed with their handling of the matter, Tennessee’s Knoxville News Sentinel reported. She accused board members of cowardice while rejecting apologies from them, saying: “I do not forgive you.”
She added, “Thank you for teaching me that no one will stand up for me besides myself. Thank you for showing this community what you believe it means to protect our children.”
After he was charged in Washington county circuit court, Ervin was served with a criminal summons ordering him to appear at a hearing tentatively scheduled for 7 August.
Ervin did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
His Washington school district biography says he is a self-employed dairy farmer by trade. The biography also notes that Ervin has two daughters who previously graduated from the school attended by the student listed as the victim in his pending assault case.
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