No. 3/13 Tennessee secured a walk-off 4-3 victory over Kent State on Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season.
Tyler Myatt, a former Walters State player and East Tennessee native, hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, clinching the win for the Volunteers.
Tennessee started sophomore Tegan Kuhns on the mound as they aimed to improve their record to 5-0. The game remained scoreless until Kent State’s Luke Matthews delivered an RBI single in the fourth inning for the first run.
The Volunteers’ offense was limited early, managing only two hits in five innings. In the sixth, Reese Chapman opened with a ground-rule double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Manny Marin, tying the game. Jay Abernathy followed with a two-run homer that gave Tennessee a 3-1 advantage.
Kuhns allowed one hit and one run over 5.2 innings before being relieved by Brayden Krenzel, who struck out five of eight batters faced. Kent State narrowed the deficit with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
In the ninth, Kent State loaded the bases and Sawyer Solitaria tied it at three with a single through left field. With one out and runners on base, Brady Frederick entered as pitcher for Tennessee and induced two ground balls to end the threat.
Myatt then came up as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth and hit a home run estimated at 434 feet to secure Tennessee’s victory.
The teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday afternoon for game two of their three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
