It has been a miserable road for Tennessee baseball. For all the what-ifs and almost there’s, the finish line has evaded the Vols as if they are the hare racing the tortoise.

Tennessee dropped a 16-6 affair in 12 innings at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, blowing a five-run lead — needing just one out in the ninth to seal a win. A 10-run loss in extra innings is the latest to add to the clown car of dismal losses the Vols have suffered this season.

The Vols (20-12, 4-8 SEC) have only lost eight games by 10-plus runs since Josh Elander arrived on campus in 2018. Sunday’s loss was the ninth time — but the first of its kind, happening in extra innings.

“I didn’t really see anything go right,” Elander said.

Five losses have been compiled in the last six SEC outings. And the notion of complementary baseball has been missing in action.

A lack of hitting has put Tennessee’s pitching staff in shambles. But the arms out of the bullpen have tossed meatballs over the plate to void any run support it has received. The Vols’ reliever ERA is an astonishing 6.42 (39 earned runs in 54.2 innings pitched) in conference play.

It’s been vaulted by Cam Appenzeller, who’s posted a 0.00 ERA across 18.1 innings to begin his collegiate career. Tegan Kuhns also boosts the bullpen with one relief appearance against Vanderbilt, where he tossed 4.1 innings and allowed a single earned run.

Without the pair of future Major League arms coming out of the bullpen, Tennessee’s relief ERA sits at 10.69 (38 earned runs in 32 innings pitched). The biggest culprits lay in the hands of Brayden Krenzel, Brady Frederick and Nic Abraham — all of whom cost the Vols on Sunday.

It’s a stark difference from Tennessee’s starter ERA that sits at 4.90 (33 earned runs in 60.2 IP).

“They’re just not getting it done, right?” Elander said. “So we need to coach those guys and get them in better spots. I mean, there’s no excuse to a 10-spot in the 12th inning in an SEC game. Regardless of who we throw out there, it shouldn’t be anybody that’s on our roster. That’s just not a competitive inning right there, and our guys were getting hunted down by their hitters. So it needs to be better all the way around, and we need to make some adjustments there.”

Evan Blanco dealt 6.1 strong innings out of the gate. He limited LSU to four hits and walked two batters, but when Elander made his first move, the Tigers began their prowl back. It was a wasted start, yet again, for the Vols.

Frederick was the first call out of the bullpen, and he’s the one who gave LSU life after chasing Evan Blanco out of the game. Frederick threw four pitches: a first-pitch homer to Cade Arrambide and a 1-1 blast from nine-hole hitter Seth Dardar. Elander quickly removed the submarine righty after the lead was cut to two runs in the seventh inning.

Krenzel was tagged with the loss after entering in the 12th inning. He threw two pitches, pegging Edward Yamin IV in the back and allowing him to take his base. That run ended up becoming the winning run when Steven Milam punched an infield RBI single in the top of the 12th to begin the 10-run outcry.

Abraham recorded just two outs in his appearance, but allowed five earned runs. Cade Arrambide’s fourth and final blast, a grand slam, blew up Abraham’s line.

Between the seven relief arms the Vols used on Sunday, Tennessee gave up 14 earned runs. The bullpen’s game ERA was 22.24.

Across the three-game series loss, the Vols’ relief arms gave up 20 earned runs in 12.2 innings — heavily boosted by Appenzeller’s stellar five shutout innings on Saturday that salvaged a win. If the freshman is removed again from the equation, the weekend bullpen ERA is 23.48.

Tennessee baseball is in the trenches, and it keeps finding the jaws of defeat when its starters’ day is done.