Myatt & Abernathy Homers Power #3/13 Vols Past Kent State in Series Opener

Friday, February 20

Knoxville, Tenn.

4:30 PM ET

University of Tennessee

5-0

Kent State

3-2

Kent State

Tennessee

Myatt & Abernathy Homers Power #3/13 Vols Past Kent State in Series Opener

February 20, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Josh Elander Postgame Press Conference Tyler Myatt Postgame Media Brady Frederick Postgame Media Brayden Krenzel Postgame Media Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 3/13 Tennessee remained unbeaten in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 walk-off win versus Kent State Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Former Walters State standout and East Tennessee native Tyler Myatt proved to be the hero with a solo blast to lead off the bottom of the ninth and send the Volunteers home winners.

Sophomore Tegan Kuhns took the mound in game one against the Golden Flashes, as the Vols looked to continue their undefeated start to the season and move to 5-0.

Stalemated at zero in the top of the fourth, Kent State broke the deadlock with their first hit of the night, an RBI single by Luke Matthews that pushed across the opening run of the contest as the runner from second beat the throw home.

The Tennessee offense struggled in the early going, mustering only two hits over the first five innings. The Big Orange finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a leadoff ground-rule double from Reese Chapman, who eventually scored on a Manny Marin sacrifice fly, knotting the score at one.

Jay Abernathy capped off the three-run inning in style, banging a 2-run home run off the videoboard in right center, giving the Vols a 3-1 lead.

Kuhns exited after giving up just one hit and one run in 5.2 innings of work, handing the ball off to fellow sophomore right-hander Brayden Krenzel, who came on and impressed, striking out five of the eight batters he faced in relief.

The Golden Flashes manufactured a run in the eighth with an RBI single up the middle to close the gap, making it a one-run game headed to the ninth inning.

After loading the bases with two hit-by-pitches and a one-out single, Kent State's Sawyer Solitaria bounced a single through the left side of the infield to tie the game at three.

With the bases loaded, one out, and the go-ahead run on third, sophomore submariner Brady Frederick took the ball and thwarted the rally with two straight ground balls to keep the game tied and give the Vols a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth.

Myatt stepped into the box as a pinch hitter to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and the rest was history. The JUCO transfer launched a no-doubt 434-foot bomb over the batter's eye to walk it off and give Tennessee the 4-3 victory.

UP NEXT: The Vols return to Lindsey Nelson Saturday afternoon for game two of this three-game set at 4:30 p.m., hoping to win the series and move to 6-0 on the season.