Tennessee baseball dropped its first regional game since 2019 on Sunday night when Wake Forest walked off the Vols 7-6 to force a decisive game seven on Monday night.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello discussed things going sideways in the ninth inning, using past experiences to prepare them for game seven and more. Here’s everything Vitello said.
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Opening statement
“Yeah, not used to being the visiting team on your home field and usually if we have a bottom of the ninth — or I’d say by percentage we feel good about it — but not a good way to end the game. There were sloppy parts to it, whether it be the weather or other things that were going on. But otherwise, a pretty good back and forth battle there. A lot of things that they did well, and then we bounce back and do things well, vice versa. But obviously they had the last word there in the bottom of the ninth and it went their way, so kudos to them. We’ll await our time and all the other details that come with tomorrow.”
On what Tennessee has learned throughout its lowest moments of the season
“To me, it’s a group of guys that you want to be around. I mean, to be honest with you, it’s the time of year where team’s seasons are ending, or they already have ended, and if you coach more than a year, you kind of start to vary on how you feel about the end. Sometimes it’s good to close the book and move on. It’s kind of unfortunate, but that’s just the case sometimes. And I kind of said something to these guys, but to me, this is a group about halfway through the year, despite the struggles at certain times and other things, it’s a group you want to be around.
“So every day, I think they’ve improved. Again, it doesn’t always show on the scoreboard. That ain’t the way this competition thing works, but in the hallways and the meetings and, you know, pregame. Even some of the things going postgame, it’s a group of guys that have continually got better. I think they enjoy the brotherhood that’s amongst the team, but also with the coaching staff. Anxious to play again.”
On what went wrong in the bottom of the ninth inning that led to Wake Forest’s walk off; what he thought about his team’s response to adversity throughout the game up until the ninth
“I thought it was great. I mean, you can get overly emotional, or you can panic; we lose a fly ball and other other various things that could cause you to get derailed, and I don’t think that took place.
“If anything — I mean, this is just me talking out of my butt — but you know, if (Wake Forest shortstop Marek Houston) hits that ball to Gavin (Kilen) instead of to his left, you get a double-play ball and it’s a little bit different. And then the bunts, they did execute. They executed kind of perfectly. I mean, that was one that could have went two ways. Manny could have just came and got it, or Nate (Snead) could have got it and tried to go to first base. But at that point, when it’s the bottom of the ninth, your brain is so wrapped around the fact that the guy at second base was the winning run. So, you know, here’s to handling that situation — first and second, they bunt — a little bit better. But the rest was, they bested us a little bit today.”
On his decision to go to Tennessee redshirt sophomore LHP Brandon Arvidson in the second inning
“Yeah, D-Loy (Dylan Loy) did a good job for us. I mean, our goal was not to burn D-Loy, use him as an opener. He’s started here many a times. He’s pitched in about the biggest game you can possibly pitch in, whether it’s SEC or just overall postseason. So I thought he did a good job for us, and we got the ball in the hands of the guy we wanted to and he did his thing. And I think was great for us. All you can ask for your starter is to give yourself a chance to win. And you know, (Chris Stamos) and (AJ) Causey did that as a package duo last year, and these two guys did it, you know, as a duo this year. Just, their guy (Logan Lunceford) threw the ball well in the bottom of the ninth, and our guy was throwing the ball really well, but first pitch of the inning kind of didn’t go the way we wanted. And then, you know, some things snow — whatever the hell you call it — piled up, or whatever, snowballed.”
On if Tegan Kuhns will start game seven, if anyone isn’t available
“We haven’t talked about that, who would start, but there are some guys that are fresh. Makes you feel good about that. And then there’s some guys that are very valuable pitchers that it’s up to them whether they want the ball or not. And I already know one of them has been in my ear, but we’ll see whoever else wants to be involved, great, whoever else not. I mean, I was a pitching coach before, and some guys just flat out can’t do it. Some guys are excited too. And then on a day like tomorrow, you just get the out that’s in front of you. One out of time would be a little too T-shirty to say, but you just get the out that’s in front of you. And then we’ll move on to whatever the next thing is.”
On who has been in his ear
“The lefty (Liam Doyle), his (Andrew Fischer’s) idiot buddy.”
On if there’s anything they can take from how they handed the super regional against Evansville last year
“Yeah. I mean, those guys that were a part of that team know, I’ve talked about that a lot with this team. Recently, we talked about everyone says, get hot and go on a run or do this, do that. All these catch phrases, but each day is separate unto itself. It’s kind of like you’re playing roulette in Vegas, just because one roll goes one way the next, they’re all mutually exclusive. So, yeah, certainly today affects tomorrow, but it’s a new day. It’s a fresh start. I’ve said to the media and the team before, there’s no better day than opening day in baseball, and you can treat every day like that, if you so choose. So a big part of it last year was just getting a fresh start and attacking that day in particular. And we did not play as good a baseball as we needed to, and Evansville was really good on that day. And then I wanted to do my part and help steer the guys in the direction that I thought would be helpful that day, but they got out of the car in a parking lot, and it was like that. So we’ve talked about it before, but the guys that were on that team can certainly help in that category.”
On his message to the team after the game
“Similar to some things I’ve said in here. Obviously, Wake had a great day today. They had a lot of reps pile up, and so they had a good day today. And like I said, tomorrow we’ll start anew. And whatever time we’re selected to play, the guys just need to do what they need to do before the game. And, you know, make it our day.”
