Tennessee baseball outlasted Wake Forest 11-5 on Monday night to win the Knoxville Regional and advance to super regionals for the fifth straight season.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello discussed Liam Doyle pitching on two days rest, freshmen stepping up and much more. Here’s everything Vitello said.
More From RTI: Liam Doyle Breaks Tennessee Baseball Single-Season Strikeout Record
Opening Statement
“Yeah, it’s tough to describe the energy that was in the building tonight. Was a little bit different. Maybe they listened to Fisch (Andrew Fisher), but I don’t even know if the numbers were bigger because it was a Monday, but the energy was insane. Our guys response to being down was equally insane. But probably the biggest thing, I think, were guys doing things they struggled throughout the year doing, well, one through nine.
“And then our guys that are just willing to take the ball. It’s a weird — I’m telling ya — it is a weird deal on this staff to have that many guys that want the ball no matter what day it is or what the circumstances are. (Nate) Snead was willing to go 100 pitches today. I feel for the guys that didn’t get action because everybody was available. Marcus Phillips, it would have had to be like, I don’t know. And even Arv (Brandon Arvidson) was joking around about being out there. So I know it’s in a unique way, because Frank is pretty hard on these guys, and he gets results out of it. But there’s a lot of trust and a lot of love there between the pitchers and Coach A. And of course there’s other people that help out too, so maybe that’s got something to do with it, that they want to pitch for the boys and not just themselves, which I greatly appreciate and benefited from today as well.”
On what it meant to him for Tennessee RHP AJ Russell and LHP Liam Doyle to take the ball on short rest in a Game Seven
“It was interesting, because we just kind of — you know, I’m not a big fan of the shenanigans with the starting pitcher thing. I know (Wake Forest) kind of mentioned who would go for them in the presser, but honest answers this weekend, I’d like to hear everyone’s opinion. There’s a lot of people in this building that help out. Some get paid, some don’t, and value everybody’s opinion, and then also needed to communicate with guys, like who’s good to go? And there wasn’t anybody that was backing down.
“AJ probably has the most unique circumstances. So again, it’s been a quirky year for him, but we’re sitting where we’re sitting. He’s going to throw again for us, and I think the guys need to give him props for what he did today, because again, it’s just been tough. He’s had to come back from injury. Last year, he did everything for us that he could, and it meant a lot to see him out there.
“And then (Brayden) Krenzel, maybe because he’s been around his dad, was absolutely fearless, and we’ve run D-Loy (Dylan Loy) through the ringer this year, and again, always wants the ball, and did a great job. T-Frank (Tanner Franklin) was huge in there too.”
On jumping into Doyle’s arms in right field following the game
“Jumping into big boy’s arms was fun and foolish. I’m sure someone won’t like it on Twitter or whatever, but, you know, there’s a lot of moments where we calm the excitement we have going on, and there’s a lot of sacrifice and a lot of hard work. So the boys don’t need to be doing anything too crazy tonight, but they need to enjoy it. All kids should enjoy it. You hit a homer, 450 feet, you know, 450 feet is a new day and age. Maybe you look at it for a second, but anyway, I had fun doing it. I love these three guys (Fischer, Doyle and Manny Marin) sitting next to me, but the two to my left would agree, Liam is a very unique character and I’m blessed to have him in my life.”
On freshman infielder Manny Marin going 3-for-3 with a clutch three-run home run
“Manny just don’t say as much to me as these other guys. I’ve said it before. Maybe you’re not supposed to say this as a coach, but I’ve told a bunch of people like Kyle Peterson, he’s (Marin) probably better than all of them. He’s just a young pup, so it’ll be fun to watch him grow up. But he he’s taken a lot of pride in his weight, and he wouldn’t have been able to hit that ball over the fence to the opposite field in the fall.”
On how significant it was for Krenzel to pitch a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth after only scoring one run in the bottom of the third when they had the bases loaded with no outs
“It reminded me of a couple of his other outings early in the year. ETSU was one. I know it didn’t come out the way we wanted. That was the one non-conference game we lost, but they had a great team this year, and he came in and just changed the whole tune, and he did the same thing today. There’s been a couple of them like that. Alabama was like that. I mean, Alabama was in there competing, but on day three in Tuscaloosa, it was kind of almost like he turned it into a one-sided game when he got out there. So these guys know that have faced him — the two to my left (Fischer and Marin). It’s nasty stuff. It’s just about him having the presence that he had today, which he’s done it several times.”
On what it means to go to a fifth straight super regional
“Yeah, I think we did it in a different style, and it is just a tournament. We just got done with one in Hoover, and we had a winning record, but it didn’t end well. We could have done better there, but I think we learned from it, and then this is a new style for us. We hadn’t done it this way at home. It’s good to face that adversity a little bit. And there’s some magic moments that took place in this building as it’s being reconstructed. We’re kind of going through some things, but yeah, I like winning in tournaments, trust me. You name the tournament, it’s fun, but also, this is a game based off sample size, and I think it’s only fair to judge people — and it’s not just this game — Coach (Rick) Barnes is a phenomenal example. His office, not too far from us, is, you get into a tournament, crazy things can happen like tonight or last night. How many crazy happened? But to do things that are measurably over a consistent amount of time, is something I’m shooting for at a younger age. But props to the coaches that have done that.”
On what the plan for Liam Doyle looked like
“I don’t want to answer now that he said that. To be honest with you, a possible Plan A was him starting the fifth and being in the middle of the game. And so, I’d trust a guy with anything you could come up with, but I also care about him, and didn’t want to be in a position where he’d stretch out the pitch count a little bit too much. And also didn’t necessarily want to put him in a spot where it would be a tough one for him. But that sounds foolish saying it now. Also, AJ was supposed to get past (Dalton) Wentz, and he kind of tricked me. I mean, if we make a catch in the outfield, Bargo’s hammy is barking a little bit. We disagreed with something that happened, so Russell kind of tricked me, and I left him out there too long. So I regret that. And Krenz was kind of at the end of his rope too. So these kids have made a bunch of mistakes all year long. I think Fisch kind of alluded to it a little bit. Our fans should appreciate consistency and not expect dominance, in any sport. I know it’s an SEC school, so that’s going to fall on deaf ears. But they (players) make mistakes. But like Fisch said, they work their butts off, and there’s a lot of passion. And at the very least, they’re playing for each other as much as anything, and they’re playing for UT right after that, and they’re very close one-two, I can tell you that. So I made mistakes tonight. I wish I could have made it a zero, although this lineup Wake’s got makes it impossible to make it nine zeros. But could have made a couple decisions different, but wouldn’t have it any other way, having Liam throw the last pitch.”
On the explanation he was given for why Cannon was ejected
“I was kind of wondering if we could post Liam’s appearance against Fisch when they were freshmen. That’s why he’s saying he’s the best pitcher in the country, because of how that at-bat resulted. I can send it to whoever would like it.
“The catcher celebrated the strikeout as he should. We are in a regional. Cannon said something back to him. As he should not. Probably what he said to the catcher is something both dugouts said back and forth to each other the whole night long. I don’t know if it had to do with a warning being out there or not. So, I have sat in here, the Notre Dame game for one, which is relevant. I have sat in here and I would like to think these kids would say I’ve got their back as much as any coach they have been around. But it was foolish. First of all, take your walk because the ball wasn’t close to being a strike then have some composure, especially in that situation playing the scoreboard. Cannon is always going to err on the side of working hard if not working too hard and playing hard if not playing too hard. It was a foolish mistake and to be honest with you the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is Stone Lawless is probably up for teammate of the year award again two years in a row. He got some action and he deserves it and he is fully capable back there, too.”
On his reaction to going back to Arkansas
“I guess they won?”
REPORTER: “Yes, they won last night.”
Vitello: “No that I didn’t expect them to. I mean, I’ve talked to those guys before all this started, but I didn’t know it was complete.
“When you’re in the backyard, at least the neighborhood I grew up in, it was still kind of the everybody meets out on the street, and you play a bunch of games. And whenever I lost, maybe my dad did it to me. I was kind of a little punk, but I always wanted to, let’s run it back. Let’s redo it. So at the very least, my first reaction is, we want to be playing this time of year, as does anybody that’s left. I don’t know if any other games are still going on. I haven’t followed much of that stuff, but it’s a blessing to be playing, and this team has been confident going on the road, but at the very least they get a chance to redo the thing.”
On freshmen stepping up with the season on the line
“Again, I feel for the guys who didn’t get action. We yelled at these guys in the fall. Now it wasn’t these two guys (Doyle and Fischer), but we yelled at them in the fall, and the topic of conversation was some of the freshmen were showing less fear, or were playing more fearless than some of the older guys. And Tegan (Kuhns) has that unique composure and competitiveness and isn’t scared, and (Chris) Newy (Newstrom) he certainly does. I don’t think that kid’s ever been scared of anything in his life. But now, this time of year, whether it’s the ones you mentioned or the other ones that maybe didn’t get credit, they’re not really freshmen anymore. I mean, they’ve had to play through the SEC and it’s hell. You know, Coach Van Horn, I had that conversation last time we’re in Fayetteville. It was the last weekend of the year, and by week 10, you could be the biggest competitor. You’re kind of ready to move on to something else, or at least you can see the light at the end of the tunnel moving on to Hoover so the teammates, the league and their work ethic have got them in a spot where that’s who they are now.”
