BSB PREVIEW: #20/23 Vols Look to Continue Recent Success in Hoover

May 18, 2026 | Baseball

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HOOVER, Ala. – No. 20/23 Tennessee will look to continue its recent run of successful visits to the Hoover Met this weekend as it opens what it hopes to be a long week in the state of Alabama against South Carolina in the first round of the 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. ET.

MORE INFO

Game & Broadcast Info

Event: 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament
Dates: May 19-24
Location: Hoover, Ala.
Venue: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (10,800)
Watch: SEC Network
Listen: Vol Network
Live Stats: UTStats.com

#20/23 Tennessee (37-19 | 15-15 SEC)

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The Volunteers enter this year's tournament as the No. 10 seed after finishing with a 15-15 record in conference play following back-to-back series wins over No. 4 Texas and No. 20 Oklahoma to wrap up the regular season.

They'll take on the No. 15 seed Gamecocks in the third game of Tuesday's opening round after the two teams did not meet in the regular season for the first time since USC joined the SEC in 1992.

SEC TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

Information on the Hoover Met, tickets and everything else related to this year's SEC Tournament can be found HERE. The official tournament bracket can be seen HERE.

TICKET INFORMATION

Fans interested in purchasing tickets to this year's SEC Tournament can do so by clicking HERE.

BROADCAST INFO

Every game in this year's SEC Tournament will be televised on the SEC Network until Sunday's championship game, which will be broadcast on ABC.

The full list of announcers for this year's tournament include Tom Hart (PxP), Dave Neal (PxP), Karl Ravech (PxP), VFL Chris Burke (analyst), Kyle Peterson (analyst), Todd Walker (analyst), Lance Cormier (analyst) and Kris Budden (field reporter).
Neal and Cormier will have the call for Tennessee's opening game against South Carolina on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Fans can also listen to the Voice of Tennessee Baseball John Wilkerson call the action for the Vol Network (FM 99.1/AM 990) as well as via a free audio stream on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App and the Varsity App.

SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Appearances: 21
Tournament Titles: 5 (2024, 2022, 1995, 1994, 1993)
Overall Record: 38-30 (.559)
Last Appearance: 2025 (2-1) | Semifinals
Last 10 Games: 7-3

The Vols will be looking to win their third SEC Tournament title in the past five years (2022, 2024) and advance to the semifinals or further for the third straight season.

NOTABLE

Hoover Highs This Decade
The Vols have had unprecedented success in Hoover this decade, posting an 15-6 overall record at the event in their six appearances since 2021. UT is 7-3 in its last 10 games in Hoover and has advanced to Sunday's championship game in three of the past five seasons (2021, 2022, 2024) while winning a pair of tournament titles in that span (2022, 2024).

Prior to 2020, Tennessee had made just four SEC Tournament appearances since 2008 and had not won a game in Hoover since 2007.

Another Successful SEC Slate
After finishing at 15-15 in conference play this year, it marked the sixth straight season that UT has finished SEC play with a .500 record or better, marking the first time the program has done that since the league went to a 30-game schedule in 1996.

Three Vols Earn SEC Honors
Tennessee had three players earn SEC postseason honors as the league announced its yearly award winners and All-SEC teams on Monday afternoon. Headlining the group of Volunteers was Tegan Kuhns, who was tabbed an All-SEC second team selection as a starting pitcher after finishing the regular season with a 5-4 record and ranking among the SEC leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio (third - 6.67), strikeouts (t-fourth – 100) and ERA (ninth – 3.39).

The Vols also had a pair of youngsters earn recognition in designated hitter Trent Grindlinger and left-handed reliever Cam Appenzeller, marking the fifth time in program history that UT has had multiple players earn SEC All-Freshman Team honors and just the second time since 2008. Appenzeller is slated to make his second start in Tuesday's opening round game against the Gamecocks.

More on Tennessee's SEC honorees can be found HERE.

Hitting Has Shifted into High Gear
The bats have hit their stride in a big way in recent weeks as the Vols have been one of the league's most productive offensive teams down the stretch. Over its final five SEC series, UT scored seven or more runs in nine of its 15 games, posting a 7-2 record when doing so. The Big Orange scored 10-plus runs five times in that stretch and were a perfect 5-0 in those contests.

During its first 15 conference games, Tennessee averaged 5.8 runs per game and hit just 20 home runs. In its last 15 SEC games, the Vols have averaged nearly two more runs per game (7.5) and blasted 33 homers.

Since the calendar turned to April, the Big Orange have really increased their power numbers, as well, hitting 65 long balls in just 27 games, an average of 2.4 per game, to go along with 54 doubles and three triples.

ON DECK

Following the SEC Tournament, the Vols will await their NCAA Tournament draw and regional destination.

The NCAA Baseball Selection Show will air on ESPN at noon ET on Monday, May 25.