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'Friday night SEC guy’: Liam Doyle’s return to Oxford was everything and more

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•04/12/25•

_Cainer

Liam Doyle. Credit: UT Athletics (Caleb Griffin)
Liam Doyle. Credit: UT Athletics (Caleb Griffin)

This one meant a little extra for No. 12. It was a top six showdown between two of the past three national championship winners. It was Tennessee against Ole Miss in Oxford in front of a sold-out crowd from Swayze Field.

Only this time, Liam Doyle was in the visitor’s dugout and earning most of the wrath from the faithful in attendance. The southpaw was returning to a place he called home for the 2024 campaign – but if there were any fond memories of the lefty from the Ole Miss crowd, they hid it well.   

That didn’t stop Doyle who tallied career night on the bump.

“That was unreal, man. I mean, special place for me,” the pitcher said postgame. “I know not too many people like me here, but just to be able to come back here and dominate and do what I was able to do, it’s always fun. SEC on a Friday – doesn’t get much better than that.”

Simply put, it didn’t get any better than Doyle last night. The junior starting pitcher racked dup career highs in innings pitched (8.1) and tied a career highwater mark with 14 strikeouts. He allowed only three hits, walked just two batters and totaled 11 pitches in the start with 73 for strikes.   

“Nerves go away pretty quick for me. Excitement, I use it as fuel for me to continue getting better and keep doing me,” Doyle said. “Obviously, the fastball was good. Trying to just cruise in those middle innings.

“Just being back here, man, it is pretty special.”

The projected first round draft pick in this summer’s upcoming MLB Draft cruised through the order with a perfect three innings to start his day. Luke Hill tallied an infield single to leadoff the fourth and that snapped nine-straight no-hit innings for Doyle – dating back to last week’s combined no-hitter against Texas A&M. Somehow, it was the first hit allowed by Doyle since a knock from South Carolina’s Henry Kaczmar in the sixth inning in Columbia on March 28. 

A wild pitch moved Hill to second base with no outs. Three strikeouts later, that runner was still standing at second base. Doyle let Hill know about it, too, on the way to the dugout. What a moment in the ballgame.

“I don’t know what would really compete with this. Coming back to this spot is pretty special to me and my family,” the pitcher continued. “Being able to do what I do with this team and this coaching staff, with these people around me – family, friends – it’s pretty special. I’ll never take anything for granted.”

The lone blemish on his stat line from Friday night was a two-run homer off the bat of Austin Fawley in the fifth inning.

“I made one mistake pitch all night. It’s going to happen,” Doyle reflected. “[There’s] good hitters in the SEC, playing against a really good team.”

He retired the next six batters into the eighth before a one-out single was left stranded by inning’s end. Doyle was back out for the ninth and was finally removed following a one-out walk. Tony Vitello played the matchup game by calling on righty Nate Snead for the second out before lefty Dylan Loy eventually closed things out with the tying run stranded in scoring position to end the ballgame.

“I am comfortable handing the ball off to anyone on this team,” the junior said. “I know my team is going to be able to take it home for me. Love these guys and it was awesome to be a part of.”

Doyle entered the weekend with a two-strikeout lead for tops on the country at 81. The lefty will leave the ballpark he formerly called home with 95 on the season through his first nine starts with the Vols.  

“He’s an extreme competitor so, again, the extra focus or whatever it was helped him control that emotion and passion,” Vitello said of Doyle afterwards. “Maybe there was extra but to be honest with you, he’s always got that to him. Maybe a little added focus, teammates helped him out behind him, but he was a Friday night SEC guy tonight.”

Tennessee’s Friday night ace has been nearly untouchable his past two starts. He’s now 6-1 on the season and lowered his ERA down to 2.47 across 51 innings pitched following the start in Oxford. For a guy who looked forward to this since the day he committed to Tennessee, what a feeling.  

“Circled this one when I first came here to Tennessee,” Doyle concluded. “I wanted to make it special and wanted to make it big. It was such a great night. I’m so blessed. It was awesome.”

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