Published May 24, 2025
Does Tony Vitello think Tennessee baseball should host in NCAA Tournament?
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Ryan Sylvia  •  VolReport
Assistant Managing Editor
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Tennessee baseball has built its resume for the NCAA Tournament.

With the Vols' ugly 10-0 loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday in the SEC Tournament Semifinals, there's nothing UT can do but sit and wait for its selection on Monday afternoon.

Currently, projections have Tennessee as one of a few teams on the bubble of being a top 16 seed and hosting a regional in the NCAA Tournament. After the Vols' loss to the Commodores, head coach Tony Vitello gave his thoughts on if the team was deserving of one of those final spots.

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"I think it would be phenomenal for the fans to have another go-around," Vitello said. "It was kind of a quirky year where timing of some things and weather of things just wasn't ideal, and then there were some times where we had an opportunity to entertain the fans, which is certainly not the goal, and it did not occur. They can be an advantage for us, too. We talked in the cages one time where we won I think it was a one-run game. Not easy to say a bunch of times. But they were an edge for us in that one in particular.

"They've been that, too, in the few past years. I think it would be great for them. It would be great for our kids. We're not in control of it, so we'll let those people that are fully qualified sit in the room and diagnose that, but I think the fact we came here and got two wins and racked up RPI -- I'd assume Texas and Vanderbilt are 1 and 2 or 3 or 4 in RPI and Alabama was a swing host team. We were able to beat them.

"Florida was a swing host team. We were fortunate enough to beat them in the regular season and outlasted them here. Sour taste for everybody today, but Hunter (Ensley) pointed it out very well. The thing this team needs to do when we've got a three game set is win a series, and we're going to have to earn a right to have another series or three-game set because the regionals is a little different animal.

"Like he said, these kids have played well on the road, but we'd like to play at Lindsey Nelson Stadium."

As Vitello mentioned, Ensley, the team's starting centerfielder, also had a chance to give his thoughts on the seeding.

He is the team's lone senior who was a key piece of the national title a year ago.

"It would be awesome," Ensley said. "Obviously, love playing in that stadium. To be honest with you, it doesn't really matter whether we're home or away. I'm just looking forward to competing a few more times."

Tennessee will now await its selection in the NCAA Tournament. The bracket will be revealed Monday, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The regionals will begin on May 30 and go through June 2. The super regional stage will begin June 6 and go through June 9.

The College World Series is scheduled to begin on June 13. The finals series will kick off on June 21 with the third game of the set will be played on Jun 23, if necessary.

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