What Tony Vitello said after No. 6 Tennessee's 12-2 run-rule loss at No. 5 LSU on Sunday

What Tony Vitello said after No. 6 Tennessee lost 12-2 at No. 5 LSU Sunday afternoon, dropping the series at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge:

What went wrong for Tennessee’s pitching staff in the series finale

“Some guys just looked unsure of themselves throwing the ball. Could have made a couple different plays behind them, but I don’t think that’s as big of a difference as again, reverting back to the guys that were just unsure of themselves with the baseball. I mean, there were moments there where Arv (Brandon Arvidson) threw with conviction and got us out of a big jam. But there’s over 150 pitches for the most part. You know, I don’t know how many we had today, so they all count the same, and we had too many of those like I said that were in that category.”

His decision to pull AJ Russell for Michael Sharman out of the bullpen with two outs in the second inning

“The leadoff hitter (Derek Curiel). Obviously, no one got him out today. I forget what happened when he tried to bunt there at the end (in the seventh inning). But left on left matchup, and we needed to find a way to extend the game. We didn’t have a true starter going today where we were going to get five or six innings, so we needed to extend the game. And then if you’re going to win on Sunday on the road, you’re going to need some guys to help — multiple guys to help finish the game late — but we clearly never got to that point, so we’ll do that again, but he needs to throw a better pitch in that situation.”

Intentionally walking LSU’s Jared Jones, having Tennessee’s Tegan Kuhns pitch to Jake Brown, who hit a three-run homer

“Would prefer Jones doesn’t beat us. The other night, they had first and third, and Dickinson on deck, so obviously we pitched to Jones, had him with two strikes. (Nate) Snead had got him out the night before. So there’s plenty of decisions we would do differently if we could go back, but not that one.”

Challenges of managing an inconsistent bullpen

“It’s kind of make a decision with what you want to do and it’s time to go. A few guys got an opportunity that they’re begging for, or, I’m sure talking about today because of the score, but it’s kind of that time of year to ride your best guys. And I think we have a decent understanding of what guys can and can’t do, but everyone just kind of needs to do their job. We’ve put full weekends together, and it’s hard to look back and say if one thing happens, another, because that wouldn’t be — you know, it’s a whole new weekend if you change the leadoff hitter on Friday (in the ninth inning). But, you know, we kind of know what a good weekend looks like, and each guy just needs to do their job. Those will be the guys we go with.”

His confidence with Tennessee right now

“No, I think there’s plenty of confidence as far as the fight and they’ve come along better the last couple weeks, and how they are with a little — I mean, I’m not doubting the preparation or the competing, or the behavior in the dugout, or the focus, or any of that. It’s just a matter of us going what we think is the best nine out there and the best pitchers. 

“We need to play better at home too. We’re going to be at home for a couple weeks, and our guys need to enjoy that, our fans need to enjoy that. Somehow they need to get synced back up and have that marriage that’s helped us win games on the road, just like these guys again today, we got beat in about every facet. I even almost lost a finger there on the post game handshake (with LSU coach Jay Johnson). But a lot of it, this crowd fuels them. So we need fuel wherever way we can get it while we’re on this homestand. Just need to play well at home.”

if it feels strange to have so many unanswered questions entering May

“Yeah, it’s different. It’s different. There’s been years, though, where we’ve kind of mixed and match. And in ‘23 we were similar, and a couple guys made a stand and took a stand. One just with play on the field, another one verbally. And that’s what we went with. So that’s what we need to do, one game at a time here.”

The lack of success against LSU’s Casan Evans after the first inning

“We still hit some balls well against him, but I don’t know. Maybe he got more in his comfort zone. It was his first start of the year, so we had an opportunity to even get more against them there. But the guy, I don’t know where they’ll slate him, but the guy’s a big leaguer. And we didn’t think he’d make it to college, but he’s here, and throwing the ball pretty damn well. Was their closer, and so he did what he did, what he’s capable of doing. Our guys got rushed a little bit at the plate, but for the most part, talented.”

If he felt Tennessee had the ‘take a stand’ resolve they had on Saturday night

“No doubt, no doubt. Just starting at the beginning. You kind of throw together a pitching plan you got, but just a little uncertainty in the first inning, and it kind of carried over into the rest of the game. So eventually, when the game starts, you got to make plays, and those plays will determine the outcome, and they just had more of it today.”

What Tennessee got from AJ Russell

“Like I said, a little uncertainty at the start, in my opinion. Can go back, watch the video, look at numbers, whatever. Only he knows, kind of approach wise, but for the most part got through the order. We were thinking maybe one more hitter or five more pitches based off kind of what we were talking about, but the guy coming up hits a homer off him. So we decided to make the change we talked about earlier.”

What will make him feel like May will be different than April

“Playing better at home. And would you say one, two or three? And I guess I don’t want to say no more Mr. Nice Guy, but we just need to ride our best guys, ride our best arms and ride what we think is the best lineup. And then also, the third thing, if we’re going to list off a few, is our guys need to use the information that’s available. We’ve now kind of seen everything. The highs, the lows, the close games and not so close games on the road, stuff at home stuff. So they need to utilize the information they have.”