Tennessee’s baseball team opens its NCAA Tournament run on Friday at noon Eastern, facing East Carolina in the Chapel Hill Regional. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and marks the Vols’ first test in a double‑elimination bracket.
Regional Setup
The Vols enter as the No. 2 seed, while East Carolina holds the No. 3 seed. North Carolina, the No. 1 seed, will meet VCU in the second Friday contest at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+, also streamed on the network’s platform.
Pitching Matchup
Coach Josh Elander selected senior left‑hander Evan Blanco to start, citing his 7‑4 record, 4.94 ERA and postseason experience. Across the mound, East Carolina will rely on redshirt junior left‑hander Ryan Towers, who brings a 7‑3 record and a 3.04 ERA, a combination the Pirates’ coach Cliff Godwin calls savvy and battle‑tested.
Betting Landscape
According to BetMGM, Tennessee is priced at +350 to win the Chapel Hill Regional, while North Carolina is the favorite at -200, East Carolina at +600 and VCU at +1800. Money‑line odds list the Vols at -190 and the Pirates at +145, with a spread of -1.5 and a total set at 9.5 runs.
Tennessee’s odds to advance to the College World Series sit at +8000, tied with East Carolina, Oregon State, Miami (Fla.) and Virginia. UCLA and Georgia Tech lead the field at +400, with other contenders including Texas at +700, Georgia at +1000, Auburn at +1100 and North Carolina at +1300.
All games will be played at Boshamer Stadium, a venue that has become a focal point for fans traveling from across the Southeast. The regional’s outcome will shape the path toward the national championship, where the Vols currently sit at +8000 to claim the title.