Tennessee baseball handled business in its opening game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
The Vols downed Miami (OH) 9-2 to begin the Knoxville Regional on Friday night.
Afterward, RedHawk head coach Brian Smiley and players met with the media. Here's what they said.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
Brian Smiley
Opening Statement…
“We kind of knew what we were walking into, facing Mr. [Liam] Doyle and he's a load. When he started landing that off-speed, he honestly started pitching kind of backwards to our guys. It's tough to handle. As the innings went, he kind of started finding that fastball in the zone. When he's got all those pitches working, plus an upper-90s fastball, it's hard to handle, which I think you've seen all year and throughout his career. So, you have to tip your cap to him because he pitched a heck of a game and kept our guys off-balance. We couldn't sit on any pitches. I thought early we came out really trying to strip him of his fastball and then he adjusted and they adjusted and they started landing that off speed early in the count to keep us from really cheating to that fastball. That’s kind of what settled him in.”
On if he was able to watch any of the Wake Forest game and the quick turnaround to tomorrow’s elimination game…
“We saw a little bit. I thought Cincinnati did a good job playing their type of game against Wake and kind of speeding the game up on them a little bit. Cincinnati had that balanced approach of trying to play the short-game style, trying to steal some bases and then, obviously, had some big hits with the home run. For us, tomorrow against Wake, we're just going to have to kind of do what we've done all year and stick to what—at least try to stick to what has worked for us. And that's being patient and disciplined and not missing our pitches wherever we go.”
On what he did to get his guys ready to face the spin and velocity Liam Doyle brings on the mound…
“We tried everything. We've got the technology to plug him into spin ball like everybody else. Once you're out there live—I'm speaking for these guys, they can comment on it, as well—but it's a little different. Again, it's when he started landing that that off-speed early in the count, it’s kind of what—I wasn't in the box, these guys were—but that's kind of the separator. You're going to see the kid pitching the big leagues here before long and that's why, because he can land different pitches at any given time. Then when you get that high spin from velocity, that's a load.”
On what he saw from Tennessee’s offense to get to Cooper Katskee in the fourth inning…
“Yeah, we knew that that Cooper [Katskee] was kind of on fumes and he certainly gave us everything he had. He's coming off a 125-pitch complete game on short rest this week and they were getting him in the air early. He was getting elevated early in the game. They had some loud outs early in the game with not a whole lot to show for it, but Cooper made some pitches. And credit to him, he wasn't giving in. He was still trying to mix pitches. When he was behind in the count, he was fairly successful. Then we had a couple plays that I think we wish we could have back that really kind of opened it up for him or for them. They're a physical, physical offense and they have bat speed up and down their lineup. And you've seen them, they've done damage in the SEC. They've done damage for a couple years with this offense. So, you have to tip your cap to them. They didn't miss some pitches whenever they got it.”
On the experience of playing in an NCAA tournament game…
“This team has come such a long way and we’re so proud as a coaching staff, certainly [I am] as the head coach. [I am] just very proud of where they are now compared to where this team was two years ago, whenever we kind of set out on this adventure and quest of getting to the NCAA postseason. These guys beside me, [Dillon Baker and David Novak], were part of the team that finished towards the bottom of the MAC. Just being able to crawl out of that and end up here in Knoxville with 8,000 people screaming and for them to experience that is really cool and rewarding. They have earned it. They deserve it. I go with that they are saying and appreciate it. They are happy to be here, but we are trying to win the dang games. So, we are going to leave tonight not necessarily happy.”
INF - Dillon Baker
On playing in an NCAA tournament game…
“It's definitely a cool experience. Neither one of us, [David Novak and I], have played in a game with these kind of stakes in a Regional game. So, it's cool to get to experience, especially [since] both of us [are[ in our last season.”
On the difficulty of facing Liam Doyle…
“He's got a big-league fastball. He has a good arm. We knew that coming in. We approached that like, ‘We're not going to let him beat us with fastballs.’ In that third inning, he kind of lost his feel for his fastball. We started to get on the off-speed pitches, but once he started landing the breaking balls again, it was tough to get back on it. It's impressive to see somebody make that adjustment midgame.”
On the mindset for tomorrow’s game…
“Just keep fighting. We're not coming here to lose, we're coming here to win. I don't think we're going to change much of our approach. We came in here today looking to win and we're going to come in looking to win tomorrow.”
On his approach to hitting off Doyle with two strikes…
“In that at-bat specifically, I'm just sitting on the heater, trying to stay on time for the heater and adjust [to] everything else. And [I am] fighting off anything that's landing in the zone.”
C/INF - David Novak
On playing in an NCAA tournament game…
“It’s a really cool experience. We've definitely talked about it, especially since coach [Brian] Smiley has been here. We want to pride ourselves on making it, but not just making it – we want to, obviously, win games. We came here to win and we gave our all today, but it didn't work out. Regionals are awesome and it's awesome to be here, but it’s still baseball. [There is] still a lot of baseball to play.”
On the difficulty of facing Liam Doyle…
“His fastball is the best pitch and early we tried to strip him of that. I think we did a good job, but he did a better job fighting back against it, keeping us off balance with every pitch and then finding that fastball [in] the top of the zone and beating us after it. He was landing some off-speed pitches. Overall, just keeping us guessing.”
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