Tony Vitello addresses competitive advantage for Tennessee
After taking care of business in Clemson, S.C., Tennessee baseball is on the road again to compete in the NCAA Super Regionals. Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, head coach Tony Vitello feels comfortable.
The Volunteers will square off against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on June 10 in Hattiesburg, Miss. The game is the first of a best-of-three series to advance to the Men’s College World Series. Vitello believes the game’s location isn’t important this deep into the tournament.
“You get to this time of year, no one is not going to be pouring their heart and soul out onto the field,” Vitello said during a press conference on Thursday. “Whatever competitive edge you’re looking for, it’s got to be based off what your team has become throughout the year.”
Sitting at a 41-19 record, the Volunteers have had plenty of time to become something special. After falling to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament, Tennessee went 3-0 at the Clemson Regional, outscoring its opponents 23-8.
Tennessee’s success didn’t come without a fair share of failures. The team began its season with back-to-back losses. One month later, Missouri, who finished last in the SEC East, swept the Volunteers. It hasn’t been a smooth journey, but Vitello is grateful for the ride.
“Maybe the quickest path or best path from A to B isn’t a straight line, and for us, there’s no way it’s been a straight line,” the 44-year-old head coach said. “It’s kind of our zig-zag path, ups and downs, rollercoaster, whatever it’s been throughout this year, it’s who we are.”
Last season’s shortcomings helped Vitello develop his unfazed mindset. The Volunteers were one of the top teams in the nation last season, winning the regular season SEC title and the conference championship.
After so much build-up, the Volunteers crumbled in the NCAA Super Regionals, falling 2-1 in a series against Notre Dame. Vitello believes these hardships only hardened his team. Now, they’re ready to reach their full potential and find their competitive advantage.
“Who we are is a group of guys that are pretty capable when we’re playing our best or close to it. But, throwing out the word best is ironic because I don’t believe we’ve found that yet, especially over the course of a whole weekend,” Vitello said.