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Pitching and Pair of Three-Run Innings Push Tennessee Past Texas Tech For Season-Opening Win | Rocky Top Insider

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Pitching and Pair of Three-Run Innings Push Tennessee Past Texas Tech For Season-Opening Win | Rocky Top Insider


Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

ARLINGTON, TX –  AJ Russell galloped off the mound to a large ovation by the sector of Tennessee fans in Globe Life Field before embracing his teammates in the dugout. 

Russell’s second career start was a memorable one. His nearly flawless first four innings of work highlighted a big win for Tennessee to get their season started off on the right foot.

Tennessee baseball picked up a 6-2 win over No. 21 Texas Tech in Arlington on Friday night. In their first of three games in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown, the Vols used a three-run fourth and three-run eighth inning to best a ranked Red Raiders team in their home state.

Tennessee struck first in the fourth inning when Clemson transfer third baseman Billy Amick hit the Vols’ first home run of the season with a two-run shot to right field. 

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Tennessee later took a 3-0 lead in the fourth after Bradke Lohry reached on a throwing error by Texas Tech second baseman Tracer Lopez, allowing Kavares Tears to score from second.

The Vols’ three-run inning felt massive considering AJ Russell’s dominance on the mound.

Russell was nothing short of phenomenal in his first weekend start in a Tennessee uniform. The Franklin, Tennessee native was especially dominant early in the night, retiring 12 of his 13 batters and logging 10 strikeouts through four frames.

He eventually ran into trouble in the fifth, surrendering a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles to give Texas Tech a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. If it weren’t for a base running blunder by the Red Raiders, Russell would’ve given up an RBI double before being pulled for AJ Causey.

Still, Russell’s first outing as the Friday night guy proved he deserves that role. The sophomore finished with 10 strikeouts and allowed three hits and two earned runs in 4.1 innings against 16 batters.

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More From RTI: Watch Billy Amick Hit The First Home Run Of Tennessee Baseball’s 2024 Season

In a high leverage moment, Causey logged a strikeout but gave up a two-run triple afterwards. Texas Tech had plated two and cut the lead to one entering the final four innings. 

The Vols wasted a big opportunity in the top of the sixth stranding the bases loaded, but Causey cruised the rest of the way on the mound to make what could’ve been a highly significant moment in the game anything but.

Causey retired the heart of Texas Tech’s lineup in order in the sixth before displaying his defensive skills in the seventh. After failing to execute what would’ve been an above average play to record the second out of the inning, Causey redeemed himself by snagging a hard-hit line drive from Red Raiders left-fielder Damian Bravo and tossing it to Burke for the double play. 

Causey stared down Burke after the play, who then dapped up his pitcher before the two trotted back to the dugout. 

Tennessee opened it up late by doubling their score in the eighth. Amick and Dylan Dreiling each worked a walk to leadoff the inning and Kavares Tears worked a one-out walk to load the bases. 

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Lohry brought Amick home with a sac fly before a wild pitch scored Dreiling. Hunter Ensley then drove the knife in with an RBI single into left field to score Tears and take a four-run lead. 

Causey did not allow a baserunner in eighth or ninth inning, as Tennessee kept their four-run lead in the final stages to close it out. 

Causey got his first career win in a Tennessee uniform and allowed just hits , allowing just two hits and striking out seven in 4.2 innings of work.

Russell and Causey proved to be a more than capable Friday night duo, and the offense did enough for the Vols to earn a big victory on opening night.

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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas

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Scouting the women’s NCAA Elite 8 contest between Michigan and Texas


Free Press staff writer Arpan Lobo breaks down the Elite Eight matchup between 1-seed Texas and 2-seed Michigan in the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Fast facts

  • Matchup: 1-seed Texas (34-3, 13-3, SEC) vs. 2-seed Michigan (28-6, 15-3 Big Ten); 2026 NCAA Tournament Fort Worth-3 regional final.
  • Tipoff: 7 p.m., March 30; Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas.
  • TV: ESPN.
  • Series: 1-0 Texas. The only other meeting between the two programs was in 2018, when Texas won, 69-52.

At stake: Winner advances to the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3-5.

Michigan women’s basketball: Meet the Wolverines

  • Location: Ann Arbor.
  • Coach: Kim Barnes Arico (311-150 over 14 seasons at U-M, 487-284 career).
  • School tournament record: 15-13 in 13 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 9-1
  • Scoring leaders: Olivia Olson, 19.2 points per game; Syla Swords 14.8; Mila Holloway, 12.4.
  • Rebounding leaders: Olson, 6.2; Brooke Quarles Daniels, 5.2; Te’yala Delfosse, 4.6.
  • Assist leaders: Holloway, 4.8; Quarles Daniels, 2.9; Olson, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: McKenzie Mathurin, 40%; Macy Brown*, 36.1%; Holloway, 34.9%.

*Out for season.

The buzz: Michigan is back to the Elite Eight for only the second time in program history, with its only other appearance being a loss to Louisville in 2022. They’ve outclassed and outworked their first three opponents in the tournament, most recently overcoming an early deficit against Louisville to run away late in a 71-52 victory in the Sweet 16.

Even after slow shooting starts from stars Olson and Swords in their past two contests, the Wolverines have been able to break down their opponents by deploying constant pressure, picking up ballhandlers deep in their own backcourts. They force turnovers and create easy looks in transition. Olson, a third-team AP All-American, was big in the second half against both North Carolina State and Louisville, and has been Michigan’s leading scorer in the tournament.

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Another factor aiding Michigan’s run? Outworking their opponents on the glass. Guard Brooke Quarles Daniels, at all of 5-foot-7, had a whopping seven offensive boards against Louisville. Michigan has won the rebounding battle in all three of its tournament games so far.

The Wolverines haven’t met an opponent like Texas yet, and particularly an individual force like Madison Booker.

Texas women’s basketball: Meet the Longhorns

  • Location: Austin, Texas.
  • Coach: Vic Schaefer (177-29 at Texas, 478-211 career).
  • School tournament record: 58-36 in 38 appearances.
  • Past 10 games: 10-0.
  • Scoring leaders: Madison Booker, 19.3 points per game; Jordan Lee, 13.5; Kyla Oldacre, 10.4
  • Rebounding leaders: Booker, 6.7; Oldacre, 6.1; Breya Cunningham, 5.6.
  • Assist leaders: Rori Harmon, 6.1; Booker, 3.8; Lee, 2.5.
  • 3-point leaders: Harmon, 45.8%; Bryanna Preston, 44.4%; 43.8%.

The buzz: After a dominating season, the Longhorns find themselves a win away from a second consecutive Final Four appearance. And the team’s biggest star is three-time All-American forward Madison Booker, who’s led the Longhorns in scoring on the way to another deep tournament run.

Booker is more than just a scorer, however, and is able to facilitate in half court. Although her 3-point field goal percentage has dipped compared to her sophomore season, she’s still able to provide spacing for Texas. Against Kentucky in the Elite Eight, she totaled 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the way to a 76-54 win for Texas that was never really in doubt.

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Although the Longhorns have others with better percentages from deep, guard Jordan Lee is the team’s most willing outside shooter, hitting nearly 36% from range on more than three attempts a game.

Against Kentucky, Texas forced 24 Wildcat turnovers. The Longhorns boasted the third-best turnover margin in the country this season. Against a Michigan team that likes to bring pressure as well, the turnover battle could play a sizeable role in determining which program heads to Phoenix. The matchup represents a styles clash as well — the Wolverines are the eighth-best scoring offense in the country at 83.9 points per game, but Texas owns a top-15 scoring defense, limiting opponents to 56.4 points per game.

The contest is also taking place in Fort Worth, a much shorter trip from Austin than from Ann Arbor. The crowd is likely to be behind the Longhorns.

You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com



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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss

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Texas A&M avoids sweep taking Game 3, 9-7, hands Texas rare home loss


No. 15 Texas A&M walked out of Austin with a hard‑earned win on Sunday, taking Game 3 of the rivalry series 9–7 to avoid the sweep in what felt every bit like a postseason matchup. The Aggies built an early lead, added crucial insurance late, and held off a furious seventh‑inning push from No. 1 Texas to snap the Longhorns’ nation‑leading win streak.

A&M once again struck first, continuing a trend from the entire weekend. Kennedy Powell’s speed immediately created pressure, turning a single into extra bases after a throwing error. Ariel Kowalewski followed with an RBI double, and Micaela Wark delivered a two‑run home run to give the Aggies a 3–0 advantage before Texas recorded its third out.

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The Longhorns answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but KK Dement erased it with a solo shot in the second inning. A&M’s pitching and defense kept Texas quiet for the next three frames until a two‑run double trimmed the lead to 4–3.

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With momentum shifting, the Aggies responded with their biggest inning of the series. Frankie Vrazel doubled, Powell doubled her home, and after a walk to Mya Perez, Kowalewski punched a two‑RBI single through the infield. Texas appeared ready to escape the inning, but consecutive defensive errors extended the frame and allowed three more Aggie runs to score, pushing the lead to 9–3 entering the seventh.

Texas refused to fold. The Longhorns put two on with no outs and pushed across a pair of runs, one on a sacrifice fly, another on a groundout. Down to their final out with no one on base, Texas launched back‑to‑back solo home runs to suddenly cut the deficit to two. Sydney Lessentine steadied the moment, inducing a pop‑up to the catcher to close out the win.

Across all three games, the rivalry delivered exactly what it promised. Intensity, high‑level softball, and postseason energy. While Texas claimed the series, the Aggies leave Austin with a top‑25 win, a snapped streak, and a performance that reinforced their ability to compete with anyone in the country.





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Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion

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Texas chose John Cornyn as a principled conservative, not a Trump lackey | Opinion


Voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country.

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Not for us

In 35 years as a loyal Republican, I watched my party become unrecognizable. Now, Sen. John Cornyn’s transformation from principled conservative to full-throated Donald Trump sycophant is complete.

In the span of a week, Cornyn reversed his longstanding defense of the Senate filibuster, trying to appease Trump and secure his coveted endorsement. He also co-sponsored the SAVE America Act, which would force Texans to present passports or birth certificates that match their current surnames. Texas voters deserve better than scorched-earth partisan politics that divide our country and paralyze effective governance.

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– Malcolm Jacobson, The Woodlands

Real fraud

I am sick and tired of hearing about voter fraud. There isn’t any to speak of, and what has been found was not perpetrated by people in the country illegally. Donald Trump has consistently claimed that there’s rampant fraud. Please show us your evidence, Mr. President. You can’t, because there is none, but people still believe him.

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Please wake up to what this man is doing to our country.

– Zelda L Blalock, North Richland Hills

Death penalty

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Texas is nearing its 600th execution since the death penalty was reinstated, with three already this year and three more scheduled. It should give us pause to know that four of the offenders are not white.

Legislators and district attorneys should step up, lock up the worst of the worst criminals and end the senseless barbaric practice of the state killing in our name.

– Bob Michael, Grapevine

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What reason?

For more than 80 years, nuclear deterrence has kept the world safe from nuclear war, largely because of the power of the U.S. military, skilled diplomacy and moral leadership. Even hostile nations have understood the risks of nuclear engagement.

In just a few weeks, the United States’ war on Iran has cost billions, displaced millions and killed thousands of civilians, according to United Nations and Iranian officials. U.S. military stockpiles are degraded, energy prices are rising and the Iranian people are suffering increased repression.

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The Iranian regime and military have been set back, but the country still has much enriched uranium and an even stronger incentive to develop nuclear weapons. It is difficult to understand the need for or benefits of this war.

– Karen Myers, Fort Worth



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