Everything Tony Vitello said ahead of Vols' College World Series Game 11
OMAHA, Neb. — Tennessee is on the cusp of program history.
The 1-seed Vols, who are off to a 2-0 start in the College World Series for the first ever, are one win away from their first championship series for just the second time.
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Tennessee (57-12) had to come from behind to walk off Florida State, 12-11 in its CWS opener last Friday and used a nearly flawless defensive effort with some timely, explosive hitting mixed in to beat North Carolina, 6-1 on Sunday.
Standing between the Vols and the final series will be one of those two teams, both of which are playing in an elimination game at Charles Schwab Field on Tuesday.
Tennessee will face the winner at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday (TV: ESPN), turning to left-handed pitcher Zander Sechrist to try and get the Vols to the best-of-three series for a national championship.
Whoever Tennessee draws will have to beat the Vols twice to get there.
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello met with the media on Tuesday, dishing on that game, pitching assignments, injury updates and more.
On if he expects Hunter Ensley to play in Game 11
"Tomorrow, a little bit of a easy answer being day to day, definitely better today than he was on Monday. It was good for the guys to earn a day of rest, or kind of our recovery days, what it's been ever since Hoover on Mondays and then back to work today. And he was involved in everything, but you know, I don't know if he could have gone full speed, but he was cautioned to not go full speed through everything. So he did everything that our guys did. Just not as much as, you know, he might normally do.
On if having played against all of the remaining teams in the CWS helps
"I think it gives you a little bit of understanding of what you're looking at, but each day is different. In particular here, you know, everybody that you're going to face is going to bring a different starting pitcher to the table that day, different relievers available, and then a different mindset too. Again, every day has got its own flavor to it."
On how much having two days off benefits the pitching staff
"Monday is the big one. Monday is the big one here you kind of get into a routine where you, you have a day off typically in between, so you just kind of roll with it. But there's been a lot of emotion lately. So the, the mental fatigue and physical fatigue certainly isn't anything these guys can't play with, especially in that stadium. But it helps kind of get you back to neutral and, you know, heal up any, you know, owies you got like you're talking about. But yesterday was a big one. Today was kind of back into our routine and a little bit back to to normal business."
On the importance of Zander Sechrist getting pitches in this week
"I think more importantly, last year (Sechrist) didn't get an opportunity to throw here. So for my peace of mind I, I'm anxious to see him out there on the mound and he will start for us. And then, you know how he does, it's like same thing every day's different. So when we get out there in the first inning, regardless of who it is, if it's (Chris Stamos) or somebody else, we're looking to hunt down three outs as quickly as possible and then we'll move on to that next inning, whatever it might be."
On Sechrist being able to pitch in the CWS
"We're really excited. I think kind of the mindset more there, the comment was related to this is the guy that has the ability to pitch on the weekend, which (Sechrist) has accomplished that and help pitch your team to Omaha, which he did last year as well. I mean, it's so crucial every game that you play. And he's logged a ton of innings for us in his career with us and just been a good leader and a good teammate as well. So I think that vision was accurate, but now I, I don't want to call it gravy or anything like that, but now it's time to enjoy the opportunity for him to compete and then for us to enjoy the opportunity to watch him compete while at the same time just kind of managing the game as best we see fit."
On how important the transfer portal has been to Tennessee's success
"I think it's been crucial because, you know, things kind of started in 21 and certainly carried over into 22, where guys played a little higher than expectations, so good for them. But then on us in the office, it leaves you scrambling a little bit because you're always trying to predict the future and, and kind of try and predict the draft, which is very difficult to do. And when guys kind of play a little bit better than maybe expectations, it pushes him forward. And so you gotta make up ground and, and the portal helps you do that for sure."
On Kavares Tears' postseason success
"I mean that one was different. That was a long time ago. (Tears) was really young. He had an opposite field homer at a tournament on our field and we were able to visit with the family in some capacity and they're just real lovable people. I was texting with a friend that, that doesn't even know that much about our team and was pointing out how he looks like just on tv. He seems like a great kid and hit the nail on the head with that and it, it comes from that entire family, including his brother that's always at our games. So we just thought, you know, here's an instate kid, he's got the, the pop that you're looking for, you know, where he can take advantage of the way our field can play for a left-handed hitter."
On the SEC having four teams in the CWS
"I think the way the league prepares you is massive. So I think everyone knows what type of athletes we have in the league and the media attention and the, and the fan bases and the competitiveness of the games to me speaks more to how it prepares you for whatever is ahead. Whether it be pro ball for these guys, I mean look at what's going on there with guys leapfrog in the minor leagues. And then for challenges here, like playing the best teams in the ACC and then as far as the ACC and the SEC combined, I think whether you like it or not, the rich get richer with some of these facilities, some of the recruiting rules that are going down."
On identity of this Tennessee compared to previous teams
"I think you could say a little misconstrued in favor of this team, a little misconstrued in favor of the other team. I've kind of beat it to death and I don't know that it won't get enough attention to change anyone's mind, but between all of us, the worst thing that happened in that year was Jordan Beck, I love him, which we do and he's made us look good. He is made it to the big leagues and people, his organization know what a great kid he is, but the highlight of him doing what he did, for whatever reason he did it kind of let everybody say, see I told you so, but if anyone like you all were actually around that group day in and day out, you knew they were really feisty on the field and off the field. They took as much time and community service as much time signing autographs were as good to you guys as I'd like to think. And you guys were always very complimented for them. So I think this group has picked up where they've left off. It's just, it's a different time and maybe it's my fault, you know, when we got the job we took a lot of, of beatings our first year and we also took a lot of this and everybody kind of kept note of that and we challenged our guys in our program at the very least to earn respect for, from your teammates, from your coaches, from your opponents, what from the league and to make sure we belonged and you know, the old opportunity doesn't knock you better kick the door down. So I think there was a little different mindset going on in particular that 21 team, you know, they didn't win as many games but you know, those guys did some things where we had to say in the locker room, let's tone it down a little bit, appreciate the intensity. So kind of, kind of some thoughts to that."
On who could play in center field if Hunter Ensley is not available
"(We have confidence in) Kavares Tears, Reese (Chapman). (Colby) Backus has shown in Lexington, the ground he covered and running into the wall was shades of what Ensley's capable of doing and Dylan (Dreiling) has been out there, which Dylan has been really good for us in the left field, but he's been out there. You know, I, I trust Christian Moore at a very high level on the infield, so while he'd like to be out there to show his athleticism and it's fun for him to run around, I think we trust him on the infield too much. So there's a lot of guys, I mean you've seen us use all the outfielders we have used this year."
On Christian Moore's versatility
"It's huge and like, you know, we talked about '22. I mean if, if you got, you know, right next next door to genius is sometimes insanity. And some of those personalities in there are guys that really want to win and it comes out in a bunch of different ways. So again, regardless of what portrait you want to paint of any of our best players, the thing we have going on is the guys with the most talent also have a lot of work ethic, but definitely have the willingness or attitude that you want. Very receptive to coaching and willing to do whatever you ask him to do. So if he's doing it, then everybody else should certainly be doing it as well and, and vice versa. So it's kind of a nice go around in the locker room."
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