Elander Faces Former Coach Schlossnagle as Tennessee Eyes Boost in Texas Series

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Volunteers baseball continued to solidify its postseason résumé Tuesday night, defeating Presbyterian Blue Hose baseball 8-1 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in its penultimate midweek contest of the 2026 regular season.

Tennessee controlled the game throughout, capitalizing on its offensive depth while limiting Presbyterian to a single run. The midweek result aligns with the program’s recent push to strengthen its NCAA Tournament profile following a late-April series win over then-ranked Alabama.

The win pushed Tennessee to 32-17 overall and maintained momentum entering a critical Southeastern Conference series against Texas Longhorns baseball this weekend.

RPI outlook

As of the latest available metrics, Tennessee sits at approximately No. 34–36 in the NCAA RPI, depending on the system, reflecting a résumé that includes strong home performance but inconsistencies in SEC play.

The Volunteers’ profile is defined by:

• A 32-17 overall record

• An 11-13 mark in SEC competition

• Strong results in Quadrant 4 (17-2 or better) but limited success in Quadrant 1 opportunities

That positioning places Tennessee squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble entering the final stretch of conference play, making upcoming series outcomes pivotal.

Texas series looms large

The challenge intensifies immediately as Tennessee host the number 3 team in the nation in Texas.

The Texas Longhorns baseball team enters the weekend at 36-10 overall and ranked inside the top five nationally, with a 15-8 conference record under head coach Jim Schlossnagle.

Josh Elander is facing his former head coach in a high-stakes SEC series. Tennessee’s HC will face his former TCU skipper Jim Schlossnagle. Elander was a standout catcher and outfielder for TCU, helping the Horned Frogs reach the College World Series as a freshman in 2010. That period helped establish TCU as a rising national program. Tennessse’s HC has frequently credited Schlossnagle for teaching him discipline, standards, and the "CEO side" of coaching.

The series presents a major opportunity for Tennessee to boost its postseason credentials. Wins against a top-tier opponent like Texas would significantly improve the Volunteers’ Quad1 record and could elevate their RPI into a more secure at-large position.

Tennessee head coach Josh Elander emphasized postgame the importance of maintaining momentum and executing against elite competition, noting the upcoming series as a measuring stick for where the club stands entering the postseason push.

Elander: “there needs to be more sense of urgency and a little bit more pride.”

What’s at stake

With limited games remaining in the regular season, Tennessee’s path to the NCAA Tournament likely hinges on:

• Winning at least one game and ideally the series against Texas

• Improving its SEC record to .500 or better

• Adding quality wins to strengthen its RPI and overall résumé

The 1-2 series result against Kentucky, who sits right below them at No. 35, hurt but didn’t crater them. Still very much in NCAA Tournament territory, though their road/away record (5-7) and Quad 2 record (1-5) are areas of concern going into the Texas and Oklahoma series.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Baseball America, USA TODAY and On3 have all projected Tennessee as a No. 3 seed in their latest Field of 64 brackets, though regional assignments vary.

The threshold for most SEC teams to make the NCAA Tournament is 13 wins, and no 14-win SEC team has been left out of the dance since 2017. Tennessee sits at 11 wins with six games remaining.

After handling business in midweek play, the Volunteers now face their most consequential stretch of the season. It is one that will ultimately determine whether their postseason aspirations become reality.

Game 1 Friday

• Time: 6:30 PM ET

• TV: SEC Network+ (stream only)

• Watch on: ESPN app or ESPN.com (login required)

  
  

Game 2 Saturday

• Time: 6:00 PM ET

• TV: ESPN2 (national TV)

Game 3 Sunday

• Time: 12:00 PM ET

• TV: SEC Network+ (stream only)