A winning formula for Tennessee: Strikeouts for Liam Doyle, highlight reel catches for Hunter Ensley

Liam Doyle, Tennessee’s ace, entered the weekend leading the nation in strikeouts with 115. That’s one more than LSU’s Kade Anderson (114) and it’s even more impressive given the junior didn’t have a true start last weekend in the Auburn series.  

The southpaw did end up throwing twice against the Tigers, the latest on Sunday, but totaled just 57 pitches on the weekend. So, whether it be well rested or just pinned up adrenaline – Doyle was fired up and ready to go Friday night against the Commodores.

“Felt fresh. Obviously, it was a weird weekend last weekend with two outings. I haven’t done that in a while,” Doyle said postgame. “Pretty much stayed on then same routine. Pretty much treated Sunday almost like my bullpen. Did a pretty light flat ground on Wednesday and kept the same lifting and running routine. Everything felt good. I stayed ready and prepped for Friday.”

An expected early pick in this summer Major League Baseball Draft – maybe even in the first few overall selections – Doyle tallied 12 strikeouts on the night. It was the sixth time this season the hurler tallied at least 10 punchouts in a game and the first time since matching a career-high of 14 at Ole Miss on April 11.

The southpaw ended up tossing seven innings, allowing three hits with the 12 strikeouts to just one free-pass (hit by pitch). Doyle (W, 9-2) totaled 100 pitches in the contest with 71 strikes and came within two of a career-high in punchouts. The lefty was solid all night, facing the minimum in four frames and tallied multiple strikeouts in four innings of work. It was his second outing without a walk this season and the first in Southeastern Conference play.  

“It’s fun. I don’t know how many guys he punched out, but we had queso in like then fourth inning,” centerfielder Hunter Ensley laughed postgame. “I kind of get bored out here sometimes. I have to keep the legs loose because I don’t normally do a lot of running. But he’s been incredible. Once again, he’s commanding all 3-4 of his pitches and working ahead. That guy is tough to hit.”

Almost equally as impressive on the night was the centerfielder himself. The veteran tallied a pair of hits on the night and performed another one of those acrobatic slides a home plate to score a massive run of insurance in the bottom of the sixth.

But more than anything, it was Ensley with the glove once again – making a trio of highlight catches in the outfield at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.  

“Hunter’s [seventh inning] catch itself was a game saver. That’s the only way really to describe it. It was earlier in the game against North Carolina [’24 CWS] when he did what he did, but that game was real tight, too,” Tony Vitello said afterwards. “So, you look back on it, it was a game influencer. But I think that one was kind of more of a game saver, more than anything. Was fitting that he caught the last out.”

His best catch of the night came in the top of the seventh with a man on first base. Vanderbilt’s Colin Barczi sent a drive to the wall in straightaway centerfield. The veteran tracked it, leaped and made the catch at the wall. There was great potential of that ball leaving the yard and tying the ballgame. Even if it would have hit the top of the fence and stayed in, a run would have scored. 

“Throw it. Hit it. Ahh. Damn. Don’t know if it is going out of not,” Doyle said as to what was going through his mind during the catch by Ensley. “Obviously, I don’t know a better defensive centerfielder in the country. He’s made a ton of great plays so you always have some confidence that he’s going to catch it. You never really know off the bat. It’s a tough angle from the pitcher’s mound. He’s a great player. It’s like ‘oh my gosh – how did he do that?’ He brought it back and we got out of the inning somehow.

“Roller coaster of emotions.”

Tennessee didn’t need a ton of offense to win on Friday, but it would have been toast without the dominance of Doyle on the mound and Ensley in the field. Two veterans making big time plays on a Friday night in this league.

The Vols needed this one in the worst way. Now, it’s on to try and take the series in Game 2 on Saturday.