Josh Elander updates Landon Mack's status for Tennessee baseball in Chapel Hill Regional

Landon Mack has been throwing and will be on the roster for Tennessee baseball as it opens NCAA Tournament play in the Chapel Hill Regional, Vols coach Josh Elander said Wednesday.

“Landon is still going through his progression,” the coach said. “He will be on the roster, kind of the same deal down as Hoover. So, he’s going to be kind of a day to day deal.” 

The No. 2 seed Vols (38-20) face the No. 3 seed Pirates (36-22-1) on Friday (noon ET, ESPNU) in the Chapel Hill Regional.

“I had some good conversations with him yesterday, just guy to guy right there, and I know Woody’s (Jeff Wood) been working with him,” Elander continued. “So, ultimately, it’ll be where is his health and where is his camp feel and what our doctors say? We’ll see how it is. But he will be on the roster this weekend.”

Mack remained day-to-day with general arm soreness exiting the regular season. He was on the 34-man roster for the SEC Tournament last week, but did not pitch in Tennessee’s two games in Hoover.

Mack did not make his final two starts of the regular season against Texas and Oklahoma due to the soreness.

Elander’s Tennessee baseball team will begin their NCAA Tournament run in the Chapel Hill Regional as the No. 2 seed in the grouping this weekend. Tennessee’s first game versus No. 3 seed East Carolina will be on Friday at 12 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

North Carolina is the host team in the regional after being picked as the No. 5 overall seed in the field. VCU is the No. 4 seed.

Mack is 4-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 12 starts. He has struck out 77 in 61.2 innings with a team-high 25 walks.

When asked last Monday if there was rest needed or further testing required for Mack before he sees the field again, Elander reiterated how he is going through his process with those around him.

“I know he’s working through that with Woody (Jeff Wood) and Dr. Klenk (Chris Klenck), and he’s got people in his camp that are helping him as well,” Elander said. “But I don’t really have any specific time on it at this point. We’re giving him space to kind of go through this deal, but hoping to get back out there sooner rather than later.”

The sophomore had a pair of rocky starts in his two prior outings against Ole Miss and Alabama, but made adjustments in his delivery to avoid tipping pitches before the Kentucky start. He also used a new glove to help hide the baseball better.

Tennessee started freshman Taylor Tracey against Texas last Sunday with Mack out for the series finale start. Tracey had a bumpy start and the bullpen game that followed didn’t go well for the Vols outside of brief spurts. It was much of the same on Sunday in the regular season finale against Oklahoma with freshman Chandler Day, who made the spot start.  

Tennessee finished the regular season with a 37-19 overall record and a 15-15 mark in SEC play. This is the first time the Vols have had a .500 record or better in SEC play in six straight seasons since the league went to 30 conference games. It is the second time it has happened in program history.