Tennessee Baseball Falls to UCLA in Arlington

Vols surrender 5 home runs in 12-5 loss to Bruins

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Tennessee baseball head coach Josh Elander met with the media following the Vols' 12-5 loss to UCLA on Friday at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Elander discussed starting pitcher Tegan Kuhns' performance, Chris Newstrom's big day at the plate, and the team's struggles with free bases that contributed to the defeat.

Why it matters

The loss drops Tennessee to 0-1 on the young season, while UCLA improves to 1-0. The Vols will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face Arizona State in another neutral site matchup.

The details

Elander said he thought Kuhns "threw the ball well to start the game," but the Bruins were able to put some good swings on the ball. Tennessee struggled with free bases, walking batters and hitting others, which Elander said "is never going to be a recipe for success." Chris Newstrom had a big day at the plate for the Vols, but it wasn't enough to overcome the team's defensive lapses.

  • The game took place on Friday, February 28, 2026.
  • Tennessee will face Arizona State on Saturday, February 29, 2026 at 12 p.m. ET.

The players

Josh Elander

Tennessee baseball head coach.

Tegan Kuhns

Tennessee's starting pitcher in the loss to UCLA.

Chris Newstrom

Tennessee player who had a strong performance at the plate in the game.

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What they’re saying

“'I thought Tegan [Kuhns] threw the ball well to start the game. [Their] guys put some good swings on it there, kind of a tip of the cap or whatever it may be. But again, when you don't compete over the white, and you walk guys, hit by pitches, free 90s all over the place – I think we had eight-plus after Tegan came out of the game – that's never going to be a recipe for success.'”

— Josh Elander, Tennessee baseball head coach (rockytopinsider.com)

What’s next

Tennessee will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face Arizona State in another neutral site matchup at 12 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the importance of limiting free bases and defensive lapses for the Tennessee baseball team as they look to rebound and find success early in the season.