Baseball Knocks Off No. 22 Tennessee to Open SEC Series in Knoxville

Friday, March 20

Knoxville, Tenn.

5:30 P.M.

Missouri

16-6, 1-3

Tennessee

15-7, 1-3

Missouri

Tennessee

Baseball Knocks Off No. 22 Tennessee to Open SEC Series in Knoxville

3/20/2026 10:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Mizzou baseball picked up a series-opening victory, 8-4, over No. 22 Tennessee on Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The win marked Mizzou's first SEC win of the season.

The Tigers (16-6, 1-3 SEC) received an offensive spark from OF Pierre Seals who went opposite field for his second home run of the year to give MU a 3-0 lead that they would not surrender. LHP Javyn Pimental went four innings in his sixth start of the season, letting up just one Tennessee (15-7, 1-3 SEC) run on a solo shot, and allowed four hits and two walks while recording a pair of strikeouts.

Each side generated baserunners in the early going as the only 1-2-3 frame was the home half of the second, but neither threat resulted in runs until Mizzou posted the first tally in the third. First baseman Tyler Macon led the inning off with a single out of the nine-hole and proceeded to steal second base. Jase Woita drove Macon home for the first run, then Seals hit a two-run blast to put the Tigers up, 3-0.

Mizzou left Blaize Ward stranded after a leadoff double in the fourth, then the Vols got on the board on a Stone Lawless solo home run.

The Tigers answered immediately in the top of the fifth, as Kaden Peer and Kam Durnin strung together back-to-back singles before Mateo Serna was hit by a pitch on an 0-2 count. With the bases loaded, Ward delivered a two-run single up the middle, making it 5-1 Mizzou as the entire rally came with two outs.

Righty JD Dohrmann relieved Pimental with a scoreless fifth inning, then UT was able to cut into Missouri's lead in the sixth as the first two batters of the inning reached and came around to score to make it a 5-3 ballgame.

The Tiger offense again had the answer for Tennessee's bats as a rally started by Serna's walk in an eight-pitch battle led to a Ward single, followed by the big blast of the inning – a three-run shot by Keegan Knutson to give MU an 8-3 cushion. It was Knutson's first HR of the year and third in the Black & Gold.

The Volunteers led off the seventh with another solo homer, making it an 8-4 lead, but Dohrmann would retire the next three Vols in order. He came back out for the eighth and worked another scoreless frame.

In the ninth, a pair of walks issued by Dohrmann forced the Tigers to go to the bullpen to freshman Isaiah Salas. Another walk led to another pitching change the very next at-bat as Mizzou turned to fellow freshman Sam Rosand, who responded with a strikeout to strand the bases loaded and clinch the MU victory, 8-4.

NOTEBOOK

Ward notched his first career three-hit game, going 3-for-4, and tied a career-best with two RBI.
Woita logged his ninth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
Seals notched his eighth multi-hit game this season and knocked his Missouri-best 17^th career HR. It was also Seals' fifth multi-RBI game this season.
Peer had a pair of hits for the fourth time this season and extended his on-base streak to 10 games (every game he has played this season).
Knutson slugged his first homer of the campaign and drove in three runs for the second time this season.
Pimental went four innings, allowing a run on four hits and striking out a pair of Vols.
Dohrmann went four innings in relief, allowing five hits and three runs while fanning four batters. He earned the win to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Mizzou improved to 18-16 all time against Tennessee and picked up their ninth win in Knoxville.
With the win, the Tigers have matched last season's win total through just 22 games (16-6).
Rosand earned his second save of the season, striking out the only Vol he faced.

The Tigers are back at Lindsey Nelson Stadium tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT for a chance to clinch the series over the No. 22 Volunteers. The entire series can be streamed live on SEC Network+. All games can also be streamed on the Varsity Network by Learfield, with longtime Mizzou play-by-play announcer Tex Little on the call and Matt Michaels providing color.

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