Coach Elander’s Squad Looks to Bounce Back Before Roadtrip to Arlington

The Vols look to bounce back today as they host Bellarmine out of the ASUN, hoping to reset the tone after a frustrating weekend in Knoxville.

This past weekend was nothing short of disappointing as Tennessee dropped its first series of the season to MAC frontrunner Kent State. While Kent State is far from a weak non-conference opponent and has built a reputation as a consistently competitive program, the expectations for Coach Elander’s squad are much higher.

The Vols learned quickly that when the bats are cold, literally and figuratively, execution in every other phase becomes critical. The pitching staff did its part, managing the elements and putting together respectable outings throughout the weekend, however, timely defensive miscues and an inability to find rhythm at the plate allowed the Golden Flashes to capitalize, taking the final two games of the series.

Today’s matchup against Bellarmine carries more weight than a typical midweek contest. Yes, Tennessee needs to get back in the win column, but more importantly, this is an opportunity to regain confidence in the batter’s box, execute the fundamentals and build momentum heading into a significant weekend in Arlington.

First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. EST and is available to stream on ESPN+