Georgia Baseball Falls to Tennessee in SEC Opener

Bulldogs drop first conference game at Foley Field

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:58am

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No. 6 Georgia baseball lost their SEC opener against No. 21 Tennessee 7-4 at Foley Field on Friday night. The Bulldogs rallied to take a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning, but the Volunteers came back with late-game offensive explosions to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This loss marks Georgia's first conference defeat of the season, putting them at 15-4 overall and 0-1 in SEC play. The Bulldogs will look to bounce back in the remaining two games of the series as they aim to contend for the SEC title.

The details

Tennessee jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-run single by Henry Ford. Georgia responded in the fifth with a four-run rally, including a home run by Ryan Black and RBI singles from Brennan Hudson and Daniel Jackson. However, the Volunteers tied it in the sixth and then pulled away with solo homers in the seventh and two more in the eighth to secure the win. Georgia starter Joey Volchko had a strong outing, going five innings and striking out eight, but the Bulldogs' bullpen was unable to hold the lead.

  • The game took place on Friday, March 14, 2026 at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia.
  • Georgia and Tennessee will play again on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at 5 p.m.

The players

Henry Ford

Tennessee player who hit a two-run single in the third inning to give the Volunteers an early lead.

Ryan Black

Georgia player who hit a home run in the fifth inning to help the Bulldogs rally.

Joey Volchko

Georgia starting pitcher who went five innings, allowing four earned runs while striking out eight.

Brandon Arvidson

Tennessee relief pitcher who earned the win by holding Georgia scoreless over the final four innings.

Justin Byrd

Georgia relief pitcher who took the loss after giving up the tying runs in the sixth inning.

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What they’re saying

“We have to flush this game and get ready for tomorrow. It's a long season and we'll bounce back.”

— Brennan Hudson, Georgia Player

What’s next

The Bulldogs and Volunteers will play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Foley Field.

The takeaway

This loss is an early setback for the highly-ranked Georgia baseball team, but they have a chance to even the series and get back on track in the SEC with a win on Saturday. The Bulldogs will need to shore up their bullpen and find a way to sustain their offensive momentum if they want to compete for the conference title.