KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Volunteers opened their 2026 season with a commanding 10-0 victory over the Nicholls State Colonels on Friday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, leveraging a potent early offense and a parade of pitchers who stifled the visitors all evening.

Tennessee’s offense wasted little time, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning. Blake Brown singled and later scored on an RBI double from Robin Chapman. The Volunteers extended their lead in the third, with Hunter Ford scoring on Chapman’s second RBI double of the afternoon before Chapman came home on a run-scoring double from catcher Stone Lawless.

The most decisive sequence of the game came in the bottom of the fourth inning, turning a competitive contest into a rout. With one out, Chris Newstrom reached on an error by the Nicholls State pitcher and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hunter Ford then launched a two-run homer to center field, capitalizing on the miscue to push the Tennessee lead to 5-0. The unearned runs demoralized the Colonels’ effort and gave the Volunteers’ pitching staff a substantial cushion.

Tennessee added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, the latter coming on an RBI double from Ariel Antigua and a run that scored on a Colonels’ throwing error. The Volunteers capped the scoring with back-to-back solo home runs in the eighth inning, first from pinch-hitter Tanner Myatt and immediately after from Lawless, his second RBI of the game.

Offensively, Tennessee collected 11 hits. Lawless finished 2 for 5 with a home run, a double and two RBIs. Chapman drove in two runs on a pair of doubles, while Ford’s two-run homer was a key blow. Antigua and Manny Marin each added a double, with Marin scoring twice.

For Nicholls State, which managed only two singles in the game from Parker Irvin and Jaden Rijo-Berger, opportunities were scarce. Colonels’ pitchers combined to issue five walks and hit a batter, while the defense committed three errors and a catcher’s interference that led to extended innings for the Volunteers.

Tennessee starter Tegan Kuhns earned the win, working six scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out six. Four Volunteers relievers combined to preserve the shutout over the final three frames. Nicholls State starter Nuno Parache took the loss, surrendering five runs, three earned, over four innings.

The victory improved Tennessee’s record to 1-0 to begin the season, while Nicholls State fell to 0-1. The two teams are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday to continue the series.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Tennessee entered the game with an 88.30 percent probability to win.