CHAPEL HILL (Interstat) — Virginia Commonwealth rallied from a two-run deficit and held on to defeat Tennessee 5-4 on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in an NCAA playoff game at Boshamer Stadium.

The Volunteers took an early lead but could not overcome a four-run outburst by the Rams in the bottom of the fifth inning. VCU improved to 38-24, while Tennessee fell to 38-22.

Tennessee struck first in the top of the third inning. After Trent Grindlinger singled, Reese Chapman hit his 11th home run of the season to left field, driving in two runs for a 2-0 lead.

VCU answered in the bottom half when Trent Adelman homered to deep left field, his fifth of the season, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The Volunteers added a run in the top of the fourth. Garrett Wright singled, and after a series of outs, Tennessee took a 3-1 advantage. However, the Rams tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Flores doubled, Nate Kirkpatrick was hit by a pitch, and a balk moved both runners into scoring position. Quinn Maher grounded out, scoring Flores, and Alec Warden hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Kirkpatrick to make it 3-3.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the fifth. Tennessee starter Tegan Kuhns left after four innings, allowing three earned runs on zero hits but with six strikeouts. Brady Frederick entered and immediately struggled. Dante DeFranco singled, and Michael Petite walked. A wild pitch advanced both runners. After a popout and a strikeout, Flores walked to load the bases. Kirkpatrick doubled to left field, clearing the bases with two runs and giving VCU a 5-3 lead. Mark Hindy relieved Frederick and got out of the inning.

Tennessee cut the lead to 5-4 in the top of the sixth when Stone Lawless homered to deep left field, his seventh of the season. But that was as close as the Volunteers would get.

VCU starter Elias Holbert earned the win. He pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while striking out 10. Zach Peters earned the save with three innings of relief, giving up three hits and one earned run with three strikeouts.

Tennessee’s Cam Appenzeller pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out five, and allowed no hits. Kuhns struck out six in four innings but took the loss. Chapman finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Lawless went 1 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. For VCU, Adelman was 1 for 2 with a homer, and Kirkpatrick drove in two runs.

Tennessee outhit VCU 10-7 but left seven runners on base.

The Volunteers had opportunities in the late innings. In the top of the seventh, Wright doubled with one out, but Peters retired the next three batters. In the eighth, Levi Clark singled and Chapman singled, putting runners at the corners. Lawless hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Clark to make it 5-4. Chapman advanced to second on a passed ball and later to third on a foulout, but Jay Abernathy grounded out to end the inning.

In the ninth, Blake Grimmer walked with one out, but Henry Ford struck out and Grindlinger flied out to seal the victory for VCU.

The game extended into the evening after starting in the afternoon.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of VCU 7, Tennessee 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Tennessee an 82.90 percent probability to win.