It was a tale of two different pitching profiles Friday night in Knoxville, and the matchup lived up to the billing as two likely first-round picks battled in an SEC showdown.
Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns was tasked with slowing a talented Texas lineup after a disappointing road series last weekend. Meanwhile, the Longhorns turned to a unique left-hander leading the SEC with some of the league’s best pitching numbers.
With the Vols sitting at 11 conference wins with six games remaining, Tennessee needed a spark during its final home stand of the season to bolster its NCAA Tournament hopes. Kuhns delivered.
Two Different Fridays for Kuhns
After allowing six runs over six innings in a loss to Kentucky last Friday, Kuhns responded with his best performance to date. The Tennessee righty threw 113 pitches across seven innings against Texas. After issuing a leadoff walk to open the game, Kuhns carved through the Longhorns lineup with 15 strikeouts. He generated six swinging strikes in the third inning alone and finished with 23 total whiffs during an electric outing.
Kuhns outdueled Texas left-hander Dylan Volantis with a riding fastball, tumbling changeup and curveball with sharp depth. He also mixed in an effective slider. The sophomore said his recent work with pitching coach Josh Reynolds has centered on execution.
“So, it’s really been fastball, curveball – and my slider has been inconsistent,” says Kuhns. “I’ve been working on that for about two weeks, just trying to land it to the left side, but off the plate. So me and (Reynolds) have been grinding at that.”
In his past three home starts, Kuhns has logged 20 2/3 innings with 34 strikeouts, three walks and no runs allowed.
Kuhns Outshines Volantis
On the other side, Volantis pitched effectively despite a modest box score. Tennessee’s lineup adjusted quickly to his arsenal, scoring three runs in the first two innings.
Trent Grindlinger drove in the game’s first run with a double to center field. Tennessee added two more runs in the second inning on a left-field error and a wild pitch.
The Texas left-hander settled in afterward, allowing no further damage while throwing 98 pitches across five innings. Volantis recorded two strikeouts and two walks while facing 22 batters.
Tennessee expanded its preparation for the 6-foot-6 Volantis. Vols head coach Josh Elander said the offense practiced against a spin machine elevated on chairs to mimic Volantis’ unique release point.
“He’s a hard guy to prepare for,” Elander says. “Just because it’s so, definitely so high-handed. It’s a seven-foot release height. He’s throwing curveballs basically out of the sky. He’s got cutter, change-up, his fastball to 94. But he can put it in his pocket at times where he’s going to go cutter, and kind of makes you guess.
“But real, real credit to Chuck, our hitting coach, and our players were grinding. We actually put a chair, like three chairs on the field, and a spin ball machine on top to try to emulate literally coming out of the batter’s eye. So, really good job. We did it the last two days, and then our guys just really committed to it. They were kind of joking, that’s not as good as you set up. Was not really human. But he’s a phenomenal pitcher, one of the best pitchers in the SEC. And you just got to take advantage when you get him. We got him early, and great job.”
Does This Propel Tennessee Into the Tournament?
Friday night’s 5-1 victory secured Tennessee’s third Game 1 win in conference play. The win positioned the Vols to capture a fourth SEC series with two more home games remaining.
According to Elander, Friday night represented the type of environment and performance Tennessee hopes to carry into the postseason.
“And looking here, looking at Dylan Volantis And what he brings to the table,” says Elander. “I mean, that’s two major leaguers going out head-to-head, and so again, that’s the SEC. But what an environment on Friday night. Our fans are amazing. Great weather. Fireworks. It was just a really cool day for our guys, but they need to enjoy it in a tournament.”
