- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 475,292
- Reaction score
- 45
Tony Vitello said Tennessee baseball hasn't set its pitching plan for its first game in the SEC Tournament, but "odds are" Marcus Phillips will be the starter against Alabama.
"We will kind of try and throw the kitchen sink at them," the Vols coach said. "In what order, we hadn't discussed."
Vitello outlined AJ Russell, Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin, Dylan Loy, Brandon Arvidson and Brayden Krenzel as available options.
The No. 8 seed Vols (41-15) face the No. 9 seed Crimson Tide on May 21 (10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network) in Hoover, Alabama. Alabama (41-15) beat No. 9 seed Missouri 4-1 in the first game at Hoover Met to advance to face the Vols, who received a bye as a top-8 seed.
"We are looking to win," Vitello said. "That will be the pursuit we are on, but are also not looking to go crazy with pitch count particularly for the guys who are on short rest."
Phillips was 3-4 with a 3.72 ERA as Tennessee's Game 2 starter for most of the season. He struck out 80 in 67⅔ innings in 14 starts. The junior worked out of the bullpen mostly in the 2024 season, including getting key outs in the SEC Tournament against Vanderbilt. Vitello noted that Phillips is familiar with coming out of the bullpen if UT opted to start someone else against Alabama.
Phillips started in Game 1 at Arkansas in Tennessee's finale regular-season series with Liam Doyle in Game 2 after Doyle was the Game 1 starter all season. Vitello did not name Doyle as an option against Alabama, which could mean he is the choice if the Vols advance to face No. 1 seed Texas (42-11) on May 22 (4 p.m., SEC Network).
"The way we set up the pitching, he is anxious to pitch here," Vitello said. "For that to work, we are going to need to win."
"For everybody else, (it) is put everything you've got into (Wednesday)," Vitello continued.
If Phillips does not start, Russell likely makes the most sense to start. He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances with five starts. He started in Tennessee's Game 3 at LSU in late April. He struck out 20 in 15 innings.
HOOVER: It's not heaven. It's Hoover. The SEC Tournament is a baseball lover's paradise
Vitello also did not mention Tegan Kuhns as an option against Alabama, which is because Kuhns started Tennessee's regular-season finale at Arkansas and would not be available as UT starts the postseason. Kuhns could start if Tennessee advances to the semifinals.
This story will be updated.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tony Vitello on Tennessee pitching plan in SEC Tournament vs Alabama
Continue reading...
"We will kind of try and throw the kitchen sink at them," the Vols coach said. "In what order, we hadn't discussed."
Vitello outlined AJ Russell, Nate Snead, Tanner Franklin, Dylan Loy, Brandon Arvidson and Brayden Krenzel as available options.
The No. 8 seed Vols (41-15) face the No. 9 seed Crimson Tide on May 21 (10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network) in Hoover, Alabama. Alabama (41-15) beat No. 9 seed Missouri 4-1 in the first game at Hoover Met to advance to face the Vols, who received a bye as a top-8 seed.
"We are looking to win," Vitello said. "That will be the pursuit we are on, but are also not looking to go crazy with pitch count particularly for the guys who are on short rest."
Phillips was 3-4 with a 3.72 ERA as Tennessee's Game 2 starter for most of the season. He struck out 80 in 67⅔ innings in 14 starts. The junior worked out of the bullpen mostly in the 2024 season, including getting key outs in the SEC Tournament against Vanderbilt. Vitello noted that Phillips is familiar with coming out of the bullpen if UT opted to start someone else against Alabama.
Phillips started in Game 1 at Arkansas in Tennessee's finale regular-season series with Liam Doyle in Game 2 after Doyle was the Game 1 starter all season. Vitello did not name Doyle as an option against Alabama, which could mean he is the choice if the Vols advance to face No. 1 seed Texas (42-11) on May 22 (4 p.m., SEC Network).
"The way we set up the pitching, he is anxious to pitch here," Vitello said. "For that to work, we are going to need to win."
"For everybody else, (it) is put everything you've got into (Wednesday)," Vitello continued.
If Phillips does not start, Russell likely makes the most sense to start. He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances with five starts. He started in Tennessee's Game 3 at LSU in late April. He struck out 20 in 15 innings.
HOOVER: It's not heaven. It's Hoover. The SEC Tournament is a baseball lover's paradise
Vitello also did not mention Tegan Kuhns as an option against Alabama, which is because Kuhns started Tennessee's regular-season finale at Arkansas and would not be available as UT starts the postseason. Kuhns could start if Tennessee advances to the semifinals.
This story will be updated.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tony Vitello on Tennessee pitching plan in SEC Tournament vs Alabama
Continue reading...
