Tennessee baseball dropped its series rubber match against LSU on Sunday afternoon, blowing a 5-0 lead and falling to the Tigers 16-6 in 12 innings. The Tigers scored 10 runs in the 12th inning as Tennessee ran out of pitching.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Josh Elander discussed continued late-inning issues, the offense’s struggles and much more. Here’s everything Elander said.
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On what went wrong for Tennessee when LSU scored 10 runs in the 12th inning to win the game
“I didn’t really see anything go right? You know, we try to get (Brayden) Krenzel to get us a ground ball right there, hits the first guy, doesn’t throw the pitch with conviction, and just kind of unraveled from there.
“But, you know, home field in the ninth, we need to be able to mix and match and do some things. (Bo) Rhudy did a good job of getting us out of some messes there, and then Arv (Brandon Arvidson) gave us enough right there. Just not a lot of good there in that inning.”
On Steven Milam’s RBI single to shortstop in the top of the 12th that gave LSU a 7-6 lead, why Tennessee’s middle infield was playing deep for the double play instead of in with the go-ahead run on third
“We’re having that conversation in the dugout. We’re working through the defense, and at that point, when we have a chance to hit on your home field at the end of the game, you want to have a chance to make sure that — (if) you go in too much, they could drive (the baseball) and could create a huge mess after that. That’s something we’ll look at. There’s a lot of adjustments we need to make after today, but that got jumbled up in a lot of mess there at the end.”
On Tennessee second baseman Jay Abernathy playing in shallow right field on LSU outfielder Jake Brown’s RBI single that tied the game in the top of the ninth
“Just a guy that’s a lot of ground balls to the right side, right there. I trust our guys that move those guys defensively and where they’re at, and just a good piece of hitting by him staying to the baseball, and good job by their runner to get to second base. Just a game of inches and finish, and weren’t able to make that play. But we’re in a position over the long term where he hit a lot of ground balls to our second baseman this weekend and he was standing right there.”
On if he considered bringing Tennessee junior RHP Bo Rhudy back out to pitch the 12th inning
“No. Reyn (Tennessee pitching coach Josh Reynolds) and I talked about it. I thought (at) that point, we’re just trying to get a ground ball from — (LSU catcher Edward) Yaman is a big right-handed hitter — we just need one ground ball, and that’s it. We have the lefty match up right after that with (Derek) Curiel, who Rhudy faced the other night. Gotta be better there all the way around.”
On what needs to happen for them to finish games better
“I think there’s a lot of different things. You have to limit the free 90-feets for sure, whether it be hit-by pitches or walks. Again, we got to make sure that when you come in out of the bullpen, you compete with conviction instead of just fluttering pitches in there, especially in SEC lineups that can do damage. And there has to be a belief that they can get it done together. And I think what we’ve been through, there’s definitely some scars we’re continuing to work through it. But I thought our guys competed. They could have laid down, but for Levi to be able to get that sac fly and work together, show some good signs of offensive execution, which we did not throughout the course of the game today. But we just need to be better in all facets, and we got a chance to do it starting on Tuesday.”
On if pitching with conviction is the biggest issue for the bullpen right now
“Yeah, I mean, you can look at it one way right there, but they’re just not getting it done, right? 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.”
On his message to the team after the game
“Just keep going, keep going. We’ve talked about being close and how do we finish, but at some point they have to make the decision to collectively do it and believe they can together. We’ve been in some of these games, but this one should be a lot of expensive experience and a reminder the game can turn on a dime, and if you don’t finish, other teams will get you in this league.”
On what gives him confidence the offense can be better than it is showing
“Well, I think the consistency has not been good enough. I think you’re asking that in a nice way, but when you look at the top of the lineup, we need our horses to run. That’s what we need. And there’s not a lot of production at the top. It was nice to see Blaine have a good day and Trent do some things that— with some good quality at-bats and putting us in a position to win. But again, we’re going to go how those guys go. We need to make sure that we’re putting them in spots to have better success.”
On if there were any common denominators of what went wrong in those at-bats today
“Really, I mean, facing some good arms. You look at (Zac) Cowan and these guys, some change-ups again underneath the baseball at times. And just, again, kind of being in between. It’s good stuff. Those guys have four different pitches. And Cowan, I don’t think he’s given up a run in SEC play yet, so far. So tip of the cap to him, but our guys fighting in there, trying to make box adjustments and do some different things and communicating well. But you either get it done or you’re done, and we did not.”
On what he liked about Evan Blanco’s outing
“I thought he was good, just attacking the strike zone, we got him over 100 pitches. Guy tagged him there late and would like to maybe let him run a little bit more, but (he was) just really competing, and that’s what you need on Sunday is a chance to be in the ball game. He gave us a chance to do that.”
On what was different for Nic Abraham
“A lot was different. Just couldn’t keep the ball in the ballpark, maybe a little bit sped up there in that bunt situation, hits a guy. He needs to be better, he knows that. But we all need to be better.”
On if he notices anything different about his team once they build a lead
“I don’t see any major, like, hey, you put your one finger on that. I think it’s a collection of things where our guys in those moments in the SEC can swing. We’ve seen it now with Georgia and now today.
“You’re up 5, down 5, it can swing in a hurry. Our guys need to manage everything that comes with a Sunday SEC game a little bit better. And it starts with me. I have to make sure that we’re putting them in a position to do that. But a lot of baseball left, and (we) just need to hit the reset button and be ready to go this next week.”
On if it feels hard to believe with how these losses have happened as of late
“I think that’s a fair question, but I know our guys in our dugout will never go that direction. I know that we talked about when things get tough, you have to link up with the guy next to you and get back off the mat. 4-8 in SEC play, no one wants us to be there, and no one expected that here, we need to be better. But we’ve been in positions like this before in the past. It’s our job as coaches to work them through that, keep them in it, make sure they’re focused on the process and getting a bit better each day.
“It’s a good group that just needs to keep throwing punches and get off the mat, and we’ll make sure they do that.”
On what Trent Grindlinger has given the lineup as of late
“He’s been great. He’s going to continue to climb his way up in that lineup. Whether it be his quality at-bats or not trying to do too much – executes a bunt today – he’s given us a little bit of everything that… Garrett Wright will get hit by a pitch and do some things that’ll help the team win. He’s not trying to do too much, and it’s been a lot of maturity from Trent. So, hopefully we keep seeing that some more.”
