Blanco then Kuhns, or Kuhns then Blanco?
Tennessee first-year baseball coach Josh Elander announced Wednesday afternoon that senior left-hander Evan Blanco would start Friday when the Volunteers open NCAA tournament play against East Carolina. Friday’s opener of the Chapel Hill Regional in North Carolina has a noon start and will be televised by ESPNU.
Sophomore right-hander Tegan Kuhns likely will start Saturday’s contest, which will be at noon if Tennessee loses its opener and at 5 p.m. if the Vols defeat the Pirates.
“There are a lot of things that went into it, and it’s something we deliberated,” Elander said in a press conference. “During the process when we recruited Evan Blanco, the big thing was the maturity and the strike-throwing. He’s pitched in the College World Series, and that’s not to discredit anyone else on our staff, but Blanco is in a good spot.
“I also know he wasn’t happy with how his last outing went.”