Everything Tony Vitello said following the series-opener with Florida

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello met with members of the media on Friday following the Southeastern Conference lid-lifter between the Vols and Florida Gators where the home team won 5-3. The following is a written transcript from the Tony Vitello postgame press conference.

Up Next: The Vols and Gators return to action Saturday afternoon at (UPDATED TIME) 3:30 eastern time for the second game of the series. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

On his message to the team after the game…

“We talked about a couple of areas, the ‘Welcome to the SEC,’ this is what it feels like. The vibe in the air, the energy, momentum swings. Didn’t expect anything different, but that’s a pretty good introduction for guys where it’s their first year, either on our team or in the league. Also touched on some things we just didn’t do as well as we could do over the course of the game. Some of them, we still made the play or we got a break or we executed, but there were a lot of things. And I’m sure, knowing how Sully (Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan) is, he’s very competitive, I’m sure it’s the same thoughts. As highly contested of a game it was, it highlights every little single play. So, there were just a lot of things I think that we could do better.”

On what he saw on the double play in the 6th and its significance…

“Yeah, it was a tricky ball. Dean [Curley] and Gavin [Kilen] were both converging on it, and the guy said it was a little more of Gavin’s ball, so Dean started to go to the base, so it was one of those awkward choppers. The double play that we turned cleanly without necessarily any interference was also kind of a tricky one, too. So all I saw was the slide. There’s not much leeway there. And I haven’t seen a replay or anything, but I just know there’s not much leeway at all. So, our bench felt like it was either high or, you know, they (the umpires) were all over it to begin with. So, a fortunate break for us and an unfortunate break for them. But Snead did what he needed to do. Come in and get a ground ball in that situation. At the very least, have the game tied on our home field, but we got a little added bonus out of that deal.”

On what he thought of Liam Doyle’s outing…

“It was good. I think both Liams (Liam Doyle and Liam Peterson) – both being named Liam – certainly show you what it is like to see an SEC Friday starter. They gave you a glimpse into the future here of the big leagues for both of those guys, but I think also, and I do not mean to speak for Peterson, but those two guys were amped up. And the hitters were amped up to see them. It was almost kind of like a knockout fighter getting in the ring and swinging like crazy, and maybe you gas out a little quicker than you normally would. I felt like that was the case, at the very least, for [Liam] Doyle. But both lineups, there were moments in there where it looked like the at-bats were not very competitive, and maybe they’d say the same thing, but that’s what great stuff like that will do. It’s almost kind of like a mirage. Everyone was fighting their butt off out there, and because of that, both guys did not last as long as they will once we get a little deeper into the season.”

On being hesitant to take Liam Doyle out in the fifth inning when he was one out away from potentially qualifying for a win…

“I want to be a smart aleck and say I wasn’t hesitant, but I get what you’re saying. You don’t know the right answer, because you’re right. Why would you take a first-rounder out of the game when he’s kind of taken ownership of it. And Tanner Franklin had been hot and was ready either to face that guy – if (Doyle) could have got out of that, got one more pitch, Tanner Franklin was definitely going to start the next inning. So actually bad karma for me in the future, because there was a little bit of hesitancy.

“There’s conversation. It’s like he’s ready, Liam really put it out on the line, there was many foul balls and a close call, so why not go with a fresh arm, and you don’t really know if you made the right move or not until it’s over with, and then who’s to say Liam wouldn’t have struck the guy out instead of a flyout? So just kind of went with what we thought. And again, later in the year, probably a longer leash on our guy or other pitchers for everybody at this point of the year.”

What’s been the key to Tennessee going undefeated so far this season…

“Well I think for our guys, to have to regroup and write a new story after hearing last year, last year, last year stuff, they were very ambitious about it. They’ve also executed it very well. You coach long enough, you see some guys want to take a leadership role and they kind of want to steer the team in their own direction, which is kind of what you want as a coach. You want them to take your advice, but you also went them to do some stuff.

“For them to execute it as well as they have, starting back in August, it’s been this nice steady climb and improvement from things. And instead of there being a big headache or a big mistake, there’s just these little blips on the radar screen that need to be addressed, and they do it, and then they continue to improve. So I’d have to say the camaraderie and the family vibe that’s in that locker room and in the dugout is A No. 1.”

What he liked about Nate Snead’s performance in the late innings after getting out of the jam in the sixth inning…

“His efficiency – 36, 37 pitches to get the work done that he did, and a lot of it was just from attacking the zone. And Liam was doing that and he was out of the zone, and he’s a strikeout pitcher by nature, so maybe he’s hunting extra strikeouts, maybe there’s a little extra effort. Or again, maybe Florida is pretty dang good, or all of the above. So I think his efficiency was the best thing.

“But also you can see with guys like Marcus Phillips and others – I’m trying to think who else – you just see a level of maturity increased from last year where Nate kind of seems to be keeping on plugging along, even though when bad things happen, like the last guy rolls it over, you’d like to get out of the inning, we’re late covering the bag although it’s a fast runner. Just got right back up there and got right back to work.”

On if Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin and Dylan Loy will be available for more work this weekend…

“I think Dylan, and again, Dylan we have used a lot lately but it has been really small doses. I think at some point, certainly. I think that Tanner Franklin probably wants to pitch more than anybody leaving the ballpark or still at the ballpark. Nate put a lot out there tonight, so I’m on the same page as you [reporter]. Tomorrow would be overly ambitious. He always comes to me. He’s the only pitcher who has done that for two years. I have to hear from him, whether I like it or not. So, we will have a conversation but I think what makes sense is because he was efficient tonight, there’s a chance there’s some availability either tomorrow or most likely on Sunday.”   

On the bottom of the order with Manny Marin and Jay Abernathy…

“Jay threw his last throw during pregame in and out, when the outfielders were throwing it, halfway up the backstop. So, it was very noticeable that he and Manny – even Levi [Clark] – were really charged up. As were all of the guys, but you could kind of see a little extra from those freshmen. That’s a good thing because you control it. I think [with] the performance they had, it is hard to argue that they did not. And Levi, we went with a matchup situation there, but he was all over it. Or the swing looked good and it looked like he was right on some pitches. His takes were good. There wasn’t anything crazy there to make it seem like he was trying to do something extra special because it was SEC play. Newy [Chris Newstrom] is sitting there, fully capable of doing the same thing. It is nice they have the right mindset.”

On Hunter Ensley’s veteran presence in the lineup…

“Oh, that’s hard to state. It’s not real obvious too because he is not a real eye-wash guy. I don’t know if subtle is the right word. He is our guys. You kind of want a guy on your team that is Vol Basketball or Coach Heupel football or that is a Pat Summitt player, although I think they all had to. They didn’t have much of a choice with her. For us, we have kind of had a guy that is obviously a leader, but that is kind of the guy who fits everything we are looking for. Starting with the fact that he grew up a Vol fan. He was loyal and when he was younger – not as much now, he was ornery like some of the coaches. So, he kind of has all those traits. So, it’s hard to put into words how great of a leader he is. In that moment, I think he just got as lot more competitive. Not like he wasn’t competing in the other at-bats, but he got in there and got after it and obviously it was a big-time blow.”