In a game that had just about everything — drama, grit, stellar pitching, clutch hitting, and the kind of tension that defines postseason baseball — it was Gavin Kilen who stood tallest when it mattered most. The Tennessee Volunteers, locked in a marathon battle with the Texas Longhorns, emerged victorious thanks to Kilen’s late-game heroics, taking a 7-5 win in 12 innings that will be remembered for a long time in Knoxville.
The contest, which stretched over four hours and tested the limits of both bullpens, showcased two teams refusing to flinch under pressure. In the end, it was Tennessee’s resilience and Kilen’s unshakable poise at the plate that lifted the Vols to a statement victory.
The game began like many top-tier showdowns: a little tense, a little cautious, each side looking for a rhythm. Tennessee struck first, taking advantage of a defensive miscue by Texas in the second inning to push across the opening run. But Texas, unfazed, answered quickly in the third with a two-run homer to right-center that gave them a brief 2-1 lead. It was a back-and-forth affair, full of momentum swings and missed opportunities, but also electric moments that turned a good game into a great one.
The Volunteers would retake the lead in the fifth after a sharp single from Dylan Dreiling and a sac fly from Kilen, who was already starting to show signs of the impact he would ultimately have. But Texas continued to respond, capitalizing on a pair of walks and a line drive double to the gap in the seventh that tied the game 4-4. From there, the arms took over, and runs were at a premium.
The bullpens were phenomenal. Tennessee’s relievers, including junior flamethrower Aaron Combs and freshman standout Nate Snead, navigated the Longhorns’ powerful lineup with an icy composure. Texas countered with just as much firepower, escaping jam after jam to keep their hopes alive deep into the night.
Then came the extra innings.
What started as a regular-season battle soon felt like a College World Series preview. Every pitch, every swing, every defensive play mattered. And for a time, it looked as though neither team would blink. In the top of the 10th, Texas put two men on with nobody out, but a diving stop from Tennessee shortstop Dean Curley — perhaps the defensive play of the night — turned a potential game-winning rally into a deflating double play. The Vols escaped with the score still tied.
The bottom of the 11th offered more fireworks. Christian Moore, who had been relatively quiet all game, lined a one-out triple into the right field corner. Lindsey Nelson Stadium was shaking. Tennessee was 90 feet from a walk-off. But Texas countered with a perfectly executed infield-in strategy, cutting down Moore at the plate on a fielder’s choice, and then got out of the inning with a fly out to center. The Longhorns had survived again.
But not for long.
The 12th inning began with a Tennessee walk. Then a perfectly placed bunt single. And then Kilen stepped to the plate.
The sophomore infielder, who transferred to Tennessee to be part of a championship-caliber team, had already chipped in earlier in the game. But now, with two men on and the pressure at a boiling point, Kilen delivered what will surely go down as one of the most clutch hits of the season.
On a 2-1 fastball, Kilen turned on an inside pitch and drove it down the right-field line. The crowd erupted as the ball stayed fair, hugging the chalk and bouncing into the corner. Both runners scored, and Kilen slid into second, pumping his fists with the kind of raw emotion that defines Tennessee baseball under head coach Tony Vitello.
It was 7-5, Tennessee.
The Vols weren’t finished. They loaded the bases again with only one out, threatening to put the game out of reach. But Texas managed to stop the bleeding, retiring the next two batters. Still, the damage had been done.
When the bottom of the 12th came around, the Volunteers turned to lefty closer Kirby Connell, who had already thrown earlier in the game. Connell worked quickly, pounding the zone with his signature sinker and getting two quick outs. After issuing a walk, he forced a routine grounder to short, and Curley flipped it to second for the final out.
Ballgame.
Vols win.
Kilen was mobbed by teammates as he returned to the dugout, his hero status cemented. It wasn’t just the game-winning double — it was the steady presence he maintained all night, the smart situational hitting, the clean fielding, the refusal to be overwhelmed by the moment. When Tennessee needed someone to be great, he answered the call.
For Tennessee, the win extends a hot stretch that has seen them take down elite competition in every environment. Vitello’s squad, once viewed as a collection of raw talent, has morphed into one of the most complete teams in the country. They pitch. They hit. They field. And now, they’re winning the close ones — the kind of games that define postseason success.
