By Jack Glennon
Levi Clark might just be back to his former self for the Tennessee Volunteers, and his sudden resurgence could not have possibly occurred at a better time.
His three-hit performance, which also featured a pair of home runs, was a key piece of Tennessee’s 13-5 victory over the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels in Sunday’s series finale.
The win snaps Tennessee’s three game home losing streak in conference play, improving their record to 26-14 (8-10 SEC), while the loss drops Ole Miss to 29-12 (10-8).
The Marietta, GA native, who slashed .289/.459/.594 with 10 home runs a season ago, entered Sunday’s matinee hitting a woeful .178.
To characterize his performance in SEC play thus far as enormously disappointing would be generous.
By the time Sunday’s game had concluded, Clark had improved his batting average by a staggering 19 points.
“It has not been a smooth go [for Levi],” Tennessee head coach Josh Elander said. “But he is capable of changing the game at any point… we believe in Levi.”
Consistently receiving a meaningful contribution from Clark would pay enormous dividends for the Volunteers, who still lack a significant presence in the lineup.
Clark was hardly alone in his herculean effort, though, as fellow infielder Blake Grimmer launched three home runs, which ties the program record for the most in a single game.
“[It] was really cool to see guys having quality at bats,” Elander said. “[This] is what we’re capable of.”
Third baseman Henry Ford also finished the afternoon with four hits, including another home run. He also drove in three runs.
After the offensive explosion, some fans remain concerned about the offense’s lack of consistency, as the team managed to score just five total runs across the first two games of the series.
“Baseball is a hard game,” Grimmer said. “Some days it [does not go] your way and some days it [does]. We’re still yet to play our best baseball.”
Fortunately for the Volunteers, their remaining schedule poses little challenge, as their 12 remaining conference games, half of which will be played in Knoxville, will all feature teams currently sitting outside the NCAA’s top 25.
If the Volunteers are serious about their postseason ambitions, capitalizing on the opportunity to face off against a handful of the SEC’s weaker teams is non-negotiable.
In order to finish with a winning record in SEC play, the Volunteers must win eight of these games, no small feat.
However, if Tennessee’s young lineup can consistently perform at a level anywhere near Sunday’s outburst, finishing the season strong is a given.
The bats were not the only reason for Tennessee’s strong performance, though, as the trio of Evan Blanco, Brandon Arvidson, and Bo Rhudy held a dynamic Rebels lineup to just five runs.
Blanco, the winning pitcher, struck out eight across six innings of work, allowing three earned runs. He issued just one walk, also hurling 110 pitches.
“When you get Blanco on the mound,” Elander said. “[You] know what you are going to get.”
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the rest of Elander’s pitching staff, as the Volunteers possess a collective 5.34 ERA on the season, a far cry from their 4.53 ERA from their 2024 championship season.
Further, the Volunteers have yielded 35 home runs to conference opponents, the second-worst mark in the SEC.
Therefore, while the Volunteers’ performance is undoubtedly encouraging, the team has a plethora of shortcomings that must be addressed before entering into the conversation for a deep postseason run.