The Tennessee baseball team is off to a great start in the Josh Elander era. Tony Vitello's top assistant has done a great job taking over and keeping the Vols afloat during the transition. Tennesse is 4-0 this season, sweeping Nichols in a three-game series at home and then knocking off UNC Asheville on Tuesday, 10-3.
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One of the most significant takeaways from the game on Tuesday wasn't the score or the win, but a Vols player. Sophomore star outfielder Blaine Brown started the game on the mound for Tennessee, which was absolutely wild. He pitched only one inning but was perfect, striking out all three UNC Asheville batters.
Brown also got it done on the batters box on Tuesday. He went 1-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Not his best game, sure, but still a great performance for a guy who started the game as a pitcher. Rarely do you see talent like this in baseball, and Vols fans are well aware of how special Shohei Ohtani has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is starting to give off that same kind of energy.
Blaine Brown has been great this year
Brown has been excelling at the plate so far in 2026. In 19 at-bats, he has nine hits, two doubles, three home runs, and six RBIs. He also has only two strikeouts, as he's been putting the ball in play and avoiding empty trips at the plate. On top of that, he was flawless in his only outing on the mound. Witnessing talent like this in Knoxville is simply incredible. Brown is quickly becoming a fan favorite, and with the Vols off to a strong start, the program is going to get more and more national attention.
Josh Elander's Vols have a big series against Kent State this weekend, a team that has won the MAC 12 times, so Tennessee cannot overlook the Golden Flashes. If the Vol can win the series, it won't be a shock to see them move up again in the latest polls.