FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tennessee baseball dropped game of its super regional series 4-3 at Arkansas on Saturday evening.
The Vols’ offense sputtered, totaling just two hits while Zach Root was dominant on the mound. Strong outings from Marcus Phillips and Tennessee’s bullpen kept them in the game but they couldn’t do enough offensively to take the opener.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello discussed the quality of the Vols’ at-bats, the sixth inning brouhaha and much more. Here’s everything Vitello said.
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Opening statement
“Yeah, I don’t have anything specific. Tight game, so we’ll look back and see how I can do a better job. I know it was good to get to the park today. That deal last night (house settlement) was the dumbest thing I’ve ever been involved in my life. And I lived at the Lake of the Ozarks one summer. So it was just good to get here and play, get the series underway.
“It’s good to see Marcus (Phillips) compete again. Regardless of what the scoreboard says — and it was a good outing numbers wise today — he just keeps getting better every time. It’s good to see Stone (Lawless). I mean, all his teammates were fired up for him that he got an opportunity to play. What’s not a positive is we were one short on the scoreboard to keep that thing rolling, so maybe a little extra motivation tomorrow. But obviously the difference, I think a lot of guys were really good out on that field, because there’s a lot of talent, but the difference was (Arkansas starter Zach) Root.”
On what Arkansas starter Zach Root was doing to give Tennessee’s offense issues
“Competing first. He’s a big time competitor. We obviously rewatched that video (when he pitched against Tennessee three weeks ago) and looked at some of those at-bats. I think he made a couple mistakes to lefties that — I haven’t seen the view yet from center field or from behind home plate — but he didn’t seem to make those to the left-handed hitters today. That’s what triggered a couple things. Did seem to get a little momentum going to and some confidence built for sure. But again, without that vantage point, it’s hard to see what’s different, because the stuff wasn’t down. You know, there was nothing going on where he couldn’t locate a certain pitch last time, or the velocity wasn’t down. It really was an outlier for a season that he’s put together to this point. If anything, kudos to him for that, and then kudos to our guys for, that was one of the only SEC outings where somebody got to him early and fairly well.”
On what’s allowed Tennessee RHP Marcus Phillips to be more effective with runners on base during his last several outings
“I think he’s matured a lot. I don’t know that he was — kind of reminds me of (Garrett) Crochet’s deal. I don’t know that he was really confident when he was first with us in the first few outings, but because he’s worked hard to get better in a bunch of different areas, and he’s still improving in some of those areas, it’s been fun to see. It’s kind of what I was getting at early on with my rambling at the beginning of the deal, but he’s just matured as a person and a pitcher.”
On why he was fired up with the umpires after Root was yelling at Andrew Fischer in the sixth inning
“The guy was fired up, man. The way he threw, you could argue that he could have done a cartwheel if you wanted to and there’s nothing wrong with it. I got no beef with that. Like, those are the — (Liam) Doyle, Marcus, Root — those are the guys that you like being around. You don’t want to be around those guys that don’t want to compete.
“My issue was not with him, it was with maybe a little PTSD. That was not the same (as when Cannon Peebles was ejected Monday against Wake Forest). And I’m not criticizing. Well, I don’t care what it is, but I’m just saying factual. It wasn’t the same with what we just dealt with prior to, last weekend. Wasn’t the same, but it’s a different crew too, and these guys would not be in the super regional if they weren’t highly qualified at what they do. And I don’t know if there was any missed calls or anything, but that’s where my frustration came.”
On if he wanted Root ejected for his outburst at Fischer instead of warnings given to each team:
“Not really. Maybe I wanted to go back in time, you know? Kind of like Clemson would like (when Cam Cannerella was ejected in 2023), you know? So that would be about it. But I think, because I misbehaved, there was a warning, and then retroactively, there was a warning for Root being fired up to get a guy that’s — I mean, I don’t know what the tickets cost, but I’m pretty sure everyone here would pay good money to see Root versus Fischer again.
“So all for any initial emotion that comes out of anybody, for our game tomorrow, or any of the games that are left. If you’re one of — I think there’s still 16 teams, whatever — how many teams are left, good for you, athletes. It’s a fun environment to be in. It’ll be an experience you look back on forever and cherish it, even if you make it to the big leagues. Because you’re going to have to make it to the MLB — probably World Series — to match kind of what we had going on here today.”
On the environment, intensity of the game
“Yeah, again, I think the tension is kind of overrated, especially if you just ignore me. I think everybody’s just kind of pouring what they got into it. But, maybe I’m wrong, to me, it kind of seemed like it was the fourth game. It was like that when we were here last time, and I was asked yesterday, like, will the crowd be different? Yeah, it was different. Little bit of elevated sense of energy in the air, but the crowd was the same. They were the same when I was here. They’re rowdy, and they come out in big numbers. So again, I bet it’s great everywhere across the country. But there is a little bit something different about people in the southeast. They are, passionate is an understatement. So glad I got to transport from St Louis. Well, I guess— Missouri was in the Big 12 when I was in so glad to be, fortunate to be a part of it.”
On why they decided to start Marcus Phillips in game one, his confidence in Liam Doyle
“Yeah, Liam will start tomorrow. And the fact we called on him Monday solidified that. I don’t know that we would have done it the way we did it this week, if it wasn’t for a true relief appearance. And then same thing the last time we were here, Liam happened to be on game two as well, because of a relief appearance, he started the day against Auburn on a Sunday, so looking out for the kid’s arm. I think Frank’s good about that, and he puts a bug in my ear. But don’t get me wrong, self serving, we’re looking out for ourselves too. We want the guy that we’re using to try and put him in the best position possible to succeed. So tomorrow will be similar chaos. So I’m comfortable with the group of guys that— they’re not on the bus if we’re not comfortable with them. So even the guys who don’t get action, there’s some guys that aren’t even on the roster, active roster. I’m good with this group.”
On the message to the team going into tomorrow
“I mean, should have let them (Dean Curley and Marcus Phillips) talk to the team afterwards. I just kind of gave them the details of what tomorrow is, because we’re at 2 (p.m.), I believe, and so we’ll be the home team. You kind of get that awkward deal where you flip it a little bit and talk to them about what they needed to do between now and then, and we got a long bus ride back to Rogers. So might as well use that to decompress a little bit, and also maybe not read as much stuff that you all write, with all due respect, and just kind of reflect on the day. What can they do better? And then man, this stuff’s stressful, so maybe be a young tyke for a little bit and chill out until it’s go-time tomorrow.”
On if he was pleased with the quality of at-bats against Root
“Ah, not really. You could spin that pretty good if I said yes, and make me look foolish because you’d like better results. I mean, Gavin was aggressive on the first pitch. He’s a little out front, and then Fisch just missed one. And of course, he runs off the field like a maniac and letting all of our team know that. The guy’s fun to watch play, but after that, he (Root) got it rolling downhill a little bit on us. So I think the key against him is to get him off the stretch, get somebody on base, and we just did not do that enough. So be easier to specifically analyze when you re-watch that video, but I think it’s kind of an easy one to say that we would have liked to of, and potentially could have done better, but he had it going on today too.”
On what getting Cannon Peebles back tomorrow means for the team
“Yeah, I think maybe just a little bit of familiarity. It is a deal. He’s a switch hitter, but it is a deal where he adds some balance to the lineup when he’s hitting left-handed. He’s also really played well for us. I mentioned Fisch, you know, Peebles. There’s some other guys. The second half of the season has been really good for them. So be good to have him in there. Have some experience, and who knows, maybe it’ll mix it up a little bit to help have a change in our favor tomorrow.”
On Liam Doyle struggling in his regular season start at Arkansas
“They were aggressive, for sure. And from the beginning, I think he just never really kind of had his rhythm. I looked at it. I don’t have a magic answer for you. What stuck out to me, and I kind of beat this drum a ton with our local media, is he then the next week, was so frustrated with it, he tried to undo it. So I know he’s looked at it, Frank’s looked at it, and it’s kind of like, again, I’ll steal awards from Dean— baseball, it’s a new day, so Root didn’t throw as well the last time we were here, as he did today. So you try and make adjustments, but anything can happen. Anything can happen. It’s certainly chaotic this time of year.”
