What Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander believes is wrong with Vols' offense

What Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander believes is wrong with Vols' offense

Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander believes the Vols' series finale against No. 23 Ole Miss is the "biggest Sunday game" they will have had this season.

Tennessee (25-14, 7-10 SEC) has already lost the series after dropping the first two games. Elander, though, is more fixated on offensive improvement following another putrid performance in the 8-1 Game 2 loss to the Rebels (29-11, 8-9) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on April 18.

The Vols finish against Ole Miss on April 19 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network+).

"Two very frustrating days in a row," Elander said. "Credit to Mississippi's pitching staff, they've done a good job. Whether it be approach or process, we've had some good days with that but we're not getting the results that we want.

"We're going to have to make some adjustments. I think a lot of it is guys just trying too hard. At some point guys just have to, when they get in those big moments, just relax and compete for their teammates."

Elander called right-hander Cade Townsend a "big-leaguer" as he held the Vols to just one hit and no runs through six innings.

Tennessee almost got shut out for the second time this season, but was saved by a solo home run from Trent Grindlinger in the ninth inning. The Vols lost 7-4 in the series opener.

Particularly in Game 2, they were unable to get on base and struggled to cash in when they did have runners in scoring position.