Tennessee Loses Six Straight SEC Series – What Happened to the Vols?

For most of the 2025 college baseball season, the Tennessee Volunteers were considered among the elite in the SEC — a program loaded with talent, experience, and ambition. Ranked in the top five nationally through much of March and early April, the Vols looked destined for a deep run in the postseason and possibly a return to Omaha for the College World Series.

But something changed.

Now, with the regular season drawing to a close, the narrative around Tennessee baseball has flipped completely. After dropping their sixth straight SEC series — this time against South Carolina in Columbia — the Vols find themselves reeling. From top-tier contenders to a team fighting for postseason seeding, the drop has been shocking, sudden, and all too real.

So what went wrong? Let’s break down what’s behind Tennessee’s slide, how it happened, and whether head coach Tony Vitello can steady the ship before the SEC Tournament in Hoover.

The Slide: Six Straight Series Losses

The downward spiral began subtly. After a red-hot start in non-conference play and early SEC wins over Auburn and Missouri, Tennessee’s first wake-up call came in mid-April when they dropped a home series to Vanderbilt. From there, the dominoes fell rapidly:

• Series 1: vs. Vanderbilt – Lost 2 of 3 in Knoxville. Commodores outpitched and outhit the Vols.
• Series 2: at Arkansas – Swept in Fayetteville. Exposed on the mound and at the plate.
• Series 3: vs. LSU – Lost 2 of 3. Close games, but bullpen collapsed late.
• Series 4: at Florida – Lost 2 of 3. Gators’ power proved too much.
• Series 5: vs. Georgia – Lost 2 of 3. Tennessee blew a lead in Game 3.
• Series 6: at South Carolina – Lost 2 of 3. The Vols managed just 4 runs in the final two games.

After starting SEC play at 6-3, the Vols are now 8-13 in the conference.

Pitching Collapse: The Rotation’s Regression

The most glaring issue during Tennessee’s losing streak has been its pitching staff. Once a strength, the Vols’ rotation has become alarmingly unreliable.

1. Drew Beam’s Inconsistency

Beam, the presumed ace entering the season, has been up-and-down. When he’s on, he’s among the SEC’s best, but his control has wavered. During this six-series skid, he’s had three starts where he didn’t make it past the fourth inning, allowing big innings that put Tennessee behind early.

2. Missing Arms

The Vols have missed AJ Russell, who has been in and out of the lineup with arm soreness. Russell was expected to be a frontline weekend starter, and his absence has thrown the rotation into disarray. The staff has struggled to find reliable depth, forcing Vitello to mix and match bullpen arms in key situations.

3. Bullpen Breakdown

Tennessee’s bullpen ERA during the six-series slide? An alarming 6.84.

Late-game leads have evaporated repeatedly. From LSU’s walk-off win in Game 3 to Georgia’s ninth-inning comeback, the pen has been the Achilles’ heel. Chase Burns, last year’s star closer before transferring to Wake Forest, has not been adequately replaced. Mid-relievers like Kirby Connell and Nate Snead have struggled to consistently miss bats.

Offensive Cooldown: Power Gone Cold

Tennessee’s offense, which led the SEC in home runs for much of 2023 and continued that trend early in 2025, has cooled dramatically.

1. Too Reliant on the Long Ball

The Vols were built to slug — and when that’s not working, they’ve struggled to manufacture runs. During this streak, Tennessee has hit just 11 home runs in 18 games — down from their season average of nearly 2 per game prior.

Opposing teams have adjusted: They’re attacking early in counts, avoiding walks, and daring Tennessee to string hits together — something the Vols haven’t consistently done.

2. Slumping Stars

• Christian Moore, Tennessee’s leading hitter in March, is batting just .211 in SEC play since mid-April.
• Blake Burke, expected to be a 15+ HR bat, has been held to just two home runs in the last 20 games.
• Dean Curley, one of the few consistent bats early in the season, has also seen his average dip below .260.

The top half of the lineup hasn’t produced enough to overcome poor pitching performances, and situational hitting — particularly with runners in scoring position — has cratered.

Defensive Mistakes: Uncharacteristic Errors

Tennessee’s fielding percentage during its six-series skid is a mediocre .966 — not abysmal, but below the SEC average.

Crucial errors in close games have cost the Vols:

• A misplayed grounder in extra innings against Georgia.
• A throwing error in Game 2 vs. LSU that led to a 4-run inning.
• Missed double play turns that extended innings in Gainesville.

Defensive sloppiness may not grab headlines, but it’s played a major role in turning close games into losses.

What’s Going On in the Dugout?

It’s worth asking: Is this a chemistry issue?

Tony Vitello is one of the most charismatic and emotional coaches in college baseball — a guy whose energy is contagious. But when things go south, his fire can sometimes backfire.

There have been signs of tension. Cameras caught Vitello having heated discussions with players during the Georgia and Florida series. Dugout body language has appeared tense, and multiple players have been benched or moved down the lineup in recent weeks.

Vitello has tried to spark change — using different leadoff hitters, shifting defensive alignments, and even pulling starters early — but the team has yet to find its rhythm again.

Injuries Have Played a Role

You can’t tell the full story without acknowledging injuries. In addition to AJ Russell, key depth pieces like catcher Ryan Miller and outfielder Dalton Bargo have missed time.

While Tennessee’s depth has allowed them to plug some holes, the result is a less cohesive lineup and more pressure on underclassmen who weren’t expected to carry the load this soon.

How Does This Affect the Postseason?

The Vols, once projected as a top-8 national seed, are now fighting to host a Regional, let alone secure a Super Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

• RPI Drop: Tennessee’s RPI has fallen from 5 to 17 in three weeks.
• SEC Tournament Seeding: If the slide continues, the Vols could enter Hoover as the 9 or 10 seed, forcing them into the single-elimination opening round.
• NCAA Seeding Outlook: A bad showing in Hoover could leave Tennessee traveling for Regionals — something this roster has not done in years.

Are There Any Bright Spots?

Absolutely — it hasn’t been all doom and gloom.

1. Billy Amick

The Clemson transfer has quietly been Tennessee’s most consistent bat during the slump. He’s hitting over .320 with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs over the last month.

2. Freshman Impact

Freshman infielder Cannon Peebles has shown flashes of greatness and appears to be a long-term building block. His defense has been solid, and he’s shown discipline at the plate.

3. Veteran Resolve

Players like Burke and Moore, despite their struggles, have continued to lead in the clubhouse. They’ve faced adversity before and know what it takes to bounce back — and it’s not too late.

Can Tony Vitello Right the Ship?

If anyone can rally this team, it’s Vitello.

Remember, this is a coach who took Tennessee from SEC cellar-dweller to Omaha regular. His teams are known for peaking late and playing with emotion.

He’s held team-only meetings. He’s juggled the lineup. He’s changed pitching rotations. Now, he may need to simplify things: get back to basics, reestablish fundamentals, and remind his team that they’re one hot week away from flipping the narrative.

“We’ve got the pieces,” Vitello said after the South Carolina series. “Now it’s about putting it together at the right time. You don’t win the SEC in May — you win it in June.”

Final Regular Season Series: A Must-Win

Tennessee finishes the regular season with a home series against Texas A&M — another team fighting for SEC and NCAA positioning. It’s not hyperbole to call it a must-win.

A sweep could restore confidence and lock up a Regional host spot. Another series loss could drop the Vols into uncharted waters — potentially even outside the top 25.

From Crisis to Comeback?

Tennessee’s six-series SEC losing streak has raised legitimate questions about the team’s identity, resilience, and postseason future. But it hasn’t closed the book on their season.

In a sport where momentum is everything, the Vols still have time to reverse course. With a roster full of proven talent, a coach who’s succeeded on the biggest stage, and one of the most passionate fan bases in the country, Tennessee isn’t dead yet.

But the margin for error is gone. The next two weeks will define whether this group goes down as a cautionary tale — or writes one of the great comeback stories in recent SEC memory.