Diamond Vols 3-2-1: Heading to regional play
Tennessee’s trip to Hoover was a quick one as the Vols were bounced in the first round of the tournament losing to Auburn 5-3. The Vols didn’t fall out of the NCAA Tournament though as Tennessee will head to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina this weekend.
Let’s look back at a disappointing start to postseason play and look forward to the Vols first NCAA Tournament since 2005.
Three Observations
Postseason jitters
Tony Vitello didn’t mince words when it came to the mindset of many of his players after Tuesday’s 5-3 bounce in the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s just baseball,” Vitello said following the game. “This is a pretty special place, but it’s not Omaha. A couple guys thought we were in game three of the championship game in Omaha… I just think a few guys changed who they were because of the setting.”
Unlike most SEC teams, the trip to Hoover was special for Tennessee. The program’s first since 2016 meant it was nearly every player’s first taste of postseason action. In fact, Richard Jackson and Will Heflin, who just pinch ran, were the only Vol that played Tuesday that was also on the team in 2016.
Vitello’s criticism seemed more directed at his position players as the Vols had only four hits, the second lowest mark of the season, and two of those four came in the game’s first three at-bats.
Hard contact was difficult to find for the Volunteer batters as Auburn’s soft throwing lefty Bailey Horn dominated them out of the bullpen
Tennessee’s hitting had really picked up in the past weeks and is going to need to return to form for the Vols in Chapel Hill if the Vols are going to make it to the super regional.
2. Stallings’ performance was better than stats showed
On paper it wasn’t a great performance for Garrett Stallings. His five innings pitched allowing three runs on five hits certainly aren’t bad numbers, but don’t live up to the standard the junior has set for himself this year.
However, when you look past the numbers, you’ll see a performance that was more than good enough for the Vols to win.
Let’s break down Auburn’s five hits against him.
A grounder that hit off Andre Lipcius glove and trickled into the outfield, a tough play Lipcius should have let Ricky Martinez make. A sky-high ball that dropped between Martinez and Charleston in shallow center. A grounder that Jake Rucker missed on a backhand, a tough play but one that should have been made. A single to center field. A bunt single on a squeeze play.
In Auburn’s five hits off Stallings only one was a play that Tennessee didn’t at least have a chance to make. Auburn didn’t hit him hard while tallying three runs.
Stallings appeared to be on a pitch count throwing only 79 pitches, meaning the junior would have likely given Tennessee six or seven innings in a normal outing.
It certainly wasn’t a perfect start for Stallings. He uncharacteristically walked three batters, but he did nothing to make me think he won’t be at his best come this weekend.
3. Andrew Schultz struggles again
Tennessee’s hard-throwing right-hander threw only five pitches Tuesday. All of which were balls as he walked his one batter and got down 1-0 on the next before getting pulled.
None of the pitches were close to the zone and to add insult to injury I don’t think Schultz threw a strike in his warmup pitches either.
At this point it’s difficult to see Schultz playing a big role for the Vols in the postseason as he has gone back to his past struggles of finding the strike zone.
In his past five outings the junior has only pitched two innings while walking five batters.
It’s a tough development for the Vols as Schultz has the most explosive stuff on the team, and the only pitcher that is close, Garrett Crochet, is likely done for the year due to injury.
It will be an interesting few weeks for Schultz who had seen himself climbing draft boards in March from his strong start. It will be interesting to see how far he drops in the draft, and if he believes it’s in his best interest to return to Knoxville for his senior year.
Two Questions
What to make of Tennessee’s draw?
Tennessee found its fate Monday as the Vols were placed in the Chapel Hill region. North Carolina is the 14-overall seed in the tournament after going 42-17 and 17-3 in the ACC.
Tennessee will meet Liberty in the first round of the tournament at 7 p.m. Friday Night. The Vols beat Liberty 7-1 in the regular season as Andre Lipcius drove in four runs in the game.
I really think the draw is a good one for Tennessee. Being the two seed in the 14 seed’s regional is about as good as the Vols could hope for.
Liberty is no slouch, but the Flames aren’t a particularly tough first round matchup and the Vols already beat them this season.
Tennessee and North Carolina have played three common opponents. Both beat Gardner Webb, North Carolina split two games against Liberty, and lost its lone midweek against South Carolina.
North Carolina bounced back from losing its last two ACC series by winning the conference tournament including blowing out Georgia Tech in the championship.
The winner of the Chapel Hill regional will face the winner of the Atlanta regional.
Who starts when for the Vols?
It will be interesting to see how Vitello handles his pitching this weekend in Chapel Hill. I don’t think Tennessee will throw Garrett Stallings on Friday night, but will hold his start until a potential matchup with North Carolina.
With the Tar Heels likely not using its ace against UNC-Wilmington and Garrett Crochet’s injury status unclear I think the Vols won’t want to face them without its ace.
Zach Linginfelter would be an obvious choice to pitch if Stallings doesn’t go, but I’m not sure a pitcher whose command has been a weakness is a good choice for the start of the weekend.
Having to use a large number of pitchers in the regional opener would be a tough start to the weekend and would set the Vols back.
Giving a team that you handled easily in the regular season confidence early by walking a large quantity of batters would be the last thing the Vols would want to do.
Sean Hunley turned in a strong outing starting against Liberty in the regular season and could be an option to face the Flames Friday. Camden Sewell could be an option to start for the Vols as well.
One Prediction
Tennessee will make it to the regional championship game
I’m not exactly going out on a limb here, but I think the Vols will make it to the championship game against North Carolina.
Despite some injuries I believe Tennessee will still take care of business against Liberty and eventually end up in the final matchup against North Carolina.
What happens when they get there is hard to say? Tennessee’s pitching depth has really thinned with Crochet’s injury and Neely and Schultz decline.
The Vols will have to lean on young guys like Camden Sewell and Sean Hunley.
North Carolina isn’t a super strong pitching staff though giving the Vols as good a chance as anyone.
Guys like Richard Jackson, Will Neely, and Elijah Pleasants giving Tennessee solid action could turn out to be the x-factor for the Vols.
I don’t know if Tennessee comes out of the Chapel Hill region on top, but I do think they’ll be one of the final teams standing.