Tony Vitello shares what changed from first game against Paul Skenes

LSU star pitcher Paul Skenes took home the Dick Howser Trophy this season, awarded annually to college baseball’s best player. And he sure looked like that in the Tiger’s opening game of the College World Series on Saturday, where they defeated Tennessee 6-3.

Skenes is a familiar conference foe for the Volunteers, pitching against them in March and securing a win on that day as well, and following their CWS matchup, Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello broke down the difference between Skenes then and Skenes now.

“He threw backwards,” Vitello said. “Throws a hundred miles an hour and he threw backwards on our guys. From his end you’re doing anything you can to advance in the situation in the bracket where you’re in the winner’s side. And he mixed it up.”

The Tigers defeated Tennessee 5-2 in their previous matchup against Skenes where he pitched seven innings, recording 12 strikeouts, and allowed just five hits and one run. He had a very similar performance versus the Vols in Omaha, allowing just five hits and recording 12 strikeouts yet again but allowing two runs in his 7.2 innings pitched.

“And in order to do that effectively you’ve got to throw strikes and command your pitches, and he did that,” Vitello said. “I don’t know what his changeup numbers are, and my angle is not that great. But I would imagine his changeup usage and strike percentage changeup-wise was as good as it’s been all year. He was effective with his whole arsenal.”

According to Vitello, Skenes pitch variety in particular gave his team problems. But Skenes has been giving hitters problems all season long, becoming just the second LSU pitcher in school history to reach 200 strikeouts. Along with strikeouts, he also led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings and WHIP, even giving some of the most cerebral hitters on Tennessee’s lineup problems.

“But there was a heavier mix, I think, than we expected. I think our guys recognized it right away but easier said than done adjusting on the fly in that situation. But the communication was good by the guys in the dugout what they were seeing,” Vitello said.

Skenes will definitely take the mound again if the Tigers continue their winning ways in Omaha, and given his track record, the Volunteers would likely prefer for it not to be against them. Tennessee will face Stanford on Monday at 2 p.m. ET in an elimination game, while LSU takes on Wake Forest on Monday as well at 7:00 pm, and both games will air on ESPN.