KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee completed a clean sweep over the weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium to win the Knoxville Regional and advance to Super Regionals.
The Vols beat Alabama State 10-0 on Friday night, Campbell 12-7 on Saturday night and then Georgia Tech 9-6 on Sunday night.
We look back at the Vols' success in Hoover and look ahead to the next round of the NCAA Tournament in this week's baseball 3-2-1.
THREE OBSERVATIONS
Comeback Kings
Tennessee hasn’t trailed often this season. It certainly hasn’t trailed late in games.
The Knoxville Regional was a little bit of a different story though. Tony Vitello’s Vols swept Alabama State, Campbell and Georgia Tech, but had to do so by coming back in two of the wins.
Campbell led Tennessee 4-0 after three innings on Saturday, but UT proceeded to outscore the Camels 12-3 over the final six innings to avoid the loser’s bracket and advance to the regional final.
The Vols had their work cut out for them even more in the final on Sunday night, as Georgia Tech led 4-0 at the end of four innings. UT tried to get in front of the Yellow Jackets over the next four innings, but couldn’t do so until the ninth.
Entering the weekend, Tennessee was 1-5 in games it trailed after the eighth inning with its only win in such situations coming in the series finale against Florida in Gainesville on April 24.
The Vols were 3-4 when trailing after six innings, and 2-5 in games when trailing after seven innings, respectively.
They can now claim three wins on the season in which they trailed 4-0 at some point in the game. In addition to this weekend’s comeback wins over Campbell and Georgia Tech, they also did so against Baylor on March 5.
The lefties step up
Sophomore right-hander Blade Tidwell propelled Tennessee past the Hornets in the NCAA Tournament opener, and although SEC Pitcher of the Year Chase Dollander started against the Fighting Camels, it was the arm of lefty Kirby Connell that saved the Vols.
Connell relieved Dollander with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and inherited the bases loaded while the Vols were already trailing 4-0. The lefty reliever proceeded to get a fly ball to get out of the inning and keep it just a four-run game.
Connell went on to throw a career-high 65 pitches, 41 of which were strikes. He lasted 4.0 innings, only allowing two runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Not only did Connell save the bullpen, but he calmed the storm to allow the Vols' offense to comeback and avoid the loser's bracket as they outscored Campbell 12-3 over the final six innings.
Vitello then had déjà vu on Sunday as his team trailed Georgia Tech early in the game.
Freshman Drew Beam started for Tennessee and was only able to last 3.1 innings. He ran into trouble in the fourth, forcing Vitello to bring in lefty Will Mabrey who inherited runners on first and second, UT trailing 4-0 with just one out in the inning.
Mabrey proceeded to get a strikeout and a fly ball to end the frame and keep it a four-run game. He then proceeded to pitch 3.2 scoreless innings to keep Tech off the board while the offense battled back.
Mabrey allowed five hits over the course of his outing, but was able to consistently strand runners as he didn’t allow a walk. The junior struck out five on 56 pitches, 42 of which were strikes.
Vitello presses all the right buttons
Every move that Vitello made over the weekend paid off for the Vols. Whether it was going to Connell and Mabrey out of the bullpen, pinch-hitting Christian Moore twice, keeping Blake Burke in at designated hitter, pinch-running Kyle Booker, pinch-hitting Jared Dickey to lead off the top of the ninth inning — Vitello pressed all of the right buttons.
Vitello has been labeled as a great recruiter and a great motivator, and rightfully so, but he’s so much more. He’s not just a mascot of sorts like some want to label him as. Vitello can manage a game with the best of them and continues to prove it weekend after weekend.
TWO QUESTIONS
What does the rotation look like against Notre Dame?
Tennessee now turns its attention to Notre Dame in the Super Regional. The Fighting Irish swept the Statesboro regional and will head to Knoxville for a best two of three series beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
It would be surprising for Blade Tidwell to not pitch game one against the Irish, or see Chase Dollander start game two on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN. The more intriguing question is who starts game three on Sunday if the teams split the first two games.
The most likely options would be Chase Burns, Drew Beam or Camden Sewell for what would be a winner-take-all game.
Sewell didn’t get to pitch this past weekend as Vitello was saving him for a potential ‘Game 7’ on Monday had Tennessee not beat Georgia Tech on Sunday night. The senior right-hander seems to be the best option for a possible game three given how Burns and Beam have run into a bit of a freshman wall the last month or so.
Is there any concern moving forward with Tennessee?
Nope.
Tennessee didn’t play perfect baseball in the Knoxville Regional, but no college baseball team is going to play perfect baseball for three straight days, especially in the postseason when the competition is as good as it gets.
The Vols have become a victim of their own success in a way. Everyone expects them to be perfect every inning they’re on the field and that’s just not going to happen.
Sure, Tennessee could have performed better. Particularly with situational hitting and defensively. But over the three games, it hit .342 at the plate and averaged over 10 runs a game. The pitching staff had an ERA of 3.00 with two games coming against two of the best offenses in the sport. And of the five errors, three came from the typically sure-handed Cortland Lawson who just had a tough weekend defensively.
The Vols will be fine. They played well, just not perfect. Which no team in the history of baseball at the collegiate or professional level has done.
ONE PREDICTION
Tennessee advances to Omaha
It’s not going to be easy. Notre Dame is a strong team led by several veterans. Link Jarrett’s clubs are always well-coached and this year is no different.
But how could you pick against the Vols?
They have the best lineup in the country, the best pitching staff, the most talent and the most depth. Also, in case you didn’t hear, the games are being played in the hornet’s nest that is Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tidwell and Dollander will be tough to overcome for Notre Dame, on top of trying to hold down Tennessee’s lineup. The Fighting Irish are capable, and if they pull off that tall-task, you tip your hat if you’re the Vols.
