A day after Josh Elander introductory press conference as Tennessee baseball’s head coach, the Vols were back at Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a seven inning intrasquad scrimmage to begin the penultimate week of fall practice.
Let’s start on the Elander front, most everything looked about the same as they did when Tony Vitello was running the scrimmages. The only small notes I would add is that it felt like Tennessee players didn’t move around positions as much. It also felt like the Vols were a bit less aggressive on the base paths. But that might have been me reading into things too much. Will get a better feel for it over time.
In the past, Elander has been stationary as the third base coach during scrimmages. Tuesday, Elander moved around the field and took in the scrimmage from a number of different spots.
As far as positions, Levi Clark got some work at catcher as well as first base. He’s spent most his time at first base this fall. Henry Ford spent the afternoon at third base while Blake Grimmer played left field. Reese Chapman was in centerfield for the orange team while Jay Abernathy worked at second base. Manny Marin and Ariel Antigua were the two shortstops while Finley Bates worked at second base.
Bates did commit a throwing error but had his best day of the fall at the plate, totaling two doubles. Fellow transfer Henry Ford continues to rake this fall, recording a pair of hits including a RBI double.
Abernathy might have had the play of the game. He roped a liner in the left-center gap and dug for third base. The throw beat him there with ease but Abernathy put a phenomenal swim move on Ford and was safe. Now, I’m not totally sure it was the right call. Both Ford and Blake Grimmer (in left field) were jokingly asking for a review. But it was a very athletic play nonetheless. He scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.
It’s important to note that this was not a super formal scrimmage. Pitchers are on pitch counts, and each pitcher has designated innings to throw. With that, it’s on to the stats.
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Grey 6, Orange 1
Grey
Hitting
Blaine Brown — 0/3, K, GIDP
Henry Ford — 2/3, 2B, RBI, K, R
Blake Grimmer — 1/3, K, 2B
Garrett Wright — 1/2, SF, RBI, K, SB, R
Ariel Antigua — 0/2, SF, K, RBI
Stone Lawless — 1/2, BB
Hunter High — 0/1, 2 BBs, R
Finley Bates — 2/3, 2 2Bs, R
Nathan Eisfelder — 1/3, 2B, 2 RBIs
Brennan Seigler — 0/3, 2K
Alex Bedford — 1/1, BB, R
Pitching
RHP Sawyer Deering — 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
LHP Taylor Tracey — 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, HB
Orange
Hitting
Jay Abernathy — 1/3, 3B, R, K
Levi Clark — 0/3
Reese Chapman — 0/2, HBP
Evan Hankins — 1/3
Manny Marin — 1/3, 2B, SB
Trent Grindlinger — 0/2, K
Tyler Myatt — 0/2, 2K
Cash Williams — 0/2, 2K
Jaxon walker — 1/2,
Ethan Moore — 0/2
Hudson Chance — 0/1, K
Pitching
RHP DJ McDowell — 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
RHP Ari Bethea — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
LHP Chandler Day — 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
