Tennessee ended the regular season with a thrilling victory, hanging on by the skin of its teeth to beat South Carolina, 5-4. The Vols end the regular season with a 42-14 (20-10 SEC) record.
Tennessee 5 8 0
South Carolina 4 8 0
W — Blade Tidwell, L — Thomas Farr, S — Sean Hunley
The final numbers don’t indicate it but Blade Tidwell was fantastic in his final start of the regular season. Tidwell gave up a home run on the first pitch he threw but cruised for the most part the next six innings. Until the seventh inning when South Carolina ran him from the game, the Gamecocks got a runner in-scoring position just one time. Going into the eighth inning, Tidwell had allowed just one run, three hits and two walks. That’s the freshman’s fourth straight strong start heading into the postseason.
The big inning has been huge for Tennessee the last few weeks and it was no different today as the Vols got four of their five runs in the fourth inning. Russell and Lipcius singled, Pete Derkay doubled Russell home before Connor Pavolony hit a missile off the batter’s eye for a three-run homer.
The top of Tennessee’s order had another poor game. The one through four went just 1-for-16 with a walk. Spence and Gilbert particularly struggled this weekend though Spence looked a little bit better at the plate today. Still, Tennessee needs more from those guys going into postseason play.
If Tennessee would have lost, I think Evan Russell trying to tag up to third on a pop out in foul territory would have been the play of the game. Russell likely scores on a two-out single and Pete Derkay, who would have been up, had a great weekend. Founders Park had absolutely zero juice before that play and was loud and locked into the game from there out.
I don’t think you can sum up Sean Hunley’s performance better than Tony Vitello did, “He has big stones”. Hunley always seems to be great in the biggest moments and that was the case again today. He gave up a soft infield hit and a soft groundout that allowed runs to score in the eighth but he stranded the tying run on second. Then in the ninth, he gives up a leadoff double to the South Carolina eight hitter before striking out the next three batters. Hunley leaned on his fastball big time too. Despite being ahead 0-2 in both the last two counts he didn’t throw the slider once and kept painting the outside corner with his fastball.
Tennessee clinches a top four seed and first round bye in the SEC Tournament with today’s win. If Vanderbilt holds on, they currently lead 3-2, Tennessee will be the three seed in Hoover. If Kentucky wins, Tennessee will win the SEC East and be the two seed.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on Sean Hunley in the ninth
“I can’t say it. Big, big stones. The other thing was, and we talked about it last night, the crowd certainly enriches the environment, but you have to be able to handle it in whichever way you see fit. I was impressed in the way the dugout acted and the way our players acted in the eighth. It just kind of sped out of control there on Blade, but he was throwing strikes, they found a couple of holes, and then Wes Clarke — a dynamic hitter — got him. That’s going to happen, it just seemed to have happened all at once. The guys in the dugout and the guys on the field, starting with the pitchers, had a lot of compose which is essential in this environment.”
Vitello on if he regrets not having someone warm at the start of the eighth
“That’s a tough deal when you’re trying to figure out when to take a guy out and put a guy in, you’re going off of matchups. If you try to bunt somebody, or you try to hit and run, and it works, you look smart. If it doesn’t, you look foolish. So the best thing is to have a little plan. Blade has earned the right to roll as deep into the game as he can. I think the biggest thing is if we would have not put Blade back out there in the eighth, or yanked him after one base hit, the happiest people in the world would have been sitting in the other dugout over there.”
Vitello on what he saw from Blade Tidwell
“He was outstanding and he picked up where he left off last week. Arkansas it the No. 1 team in the country hands down. Kind of an undisputed type group there and for him to throw the way that he did against them gave him a lot of confidence and without that, I’m not so sure he doesn’t pitch as well he does here today, especially after giving up a lead off homer and navigate that lineup.”
Vitello on Connor Pavolony hitting the ground running sincere returning from injury
“It’s a challenge but he’s such a maniac preparation guy that he’s constantly seeing things or doing things to prepare and even in his down time was doing things to maximize the available hours to try and be ready to go when he gets back out here. He’s one of the best catchers in the country and hell if you start in the SEC you’re one of the best catchers in the country but he’s a special one.”
Hunley on what was working for him
“The location of the fastball away to righties was there. I threw a couple sliders when I first got in the game and they looked pretty good but they weren’t seeing the fastball well or getting good contact on it so I stuck with it.”
Hunley on the mindset when he entered in the eighth inning
“Just pitch to contact. Try to get outs. In a game like that when it’s one run, two runs, you just have to pitch to contact and get guys out as efficiently as possible and that’s what happened.”
Hunley on the significance of this series win going into Hoover
“It’s good. It’s a momentum builder. It’s been a long season and I’m really proud of this team. We’ve been through a lot and we’re ready for Hoover and anything after that.”
Hunley on playing in front of a full capacity on the road
“It was really fun. That’s why you come play college baseball for the 100% capacity and all the fans. It was really exhilarating, very fun to be a part of. It’s been a fun year.”
Tennessee 5 8 0
South Carolina 4 8 0
W — Blade Tidwell, L — Thomas Farr, S — Sean Hunley
The final numbers don’t indicate it but Blade Tidwell was fantastic in his final start of the regular season. Tidwell gave up a home run on the first pitch he threw but cruised for the most part the next six innings. Until the seventh inning when South Carolina ran him from the game, the Gamecocks got a runner in-scoring position just one time. Going into the eighth inning, Tidwell had allowed just one run, three hits and two walks. That’s the freshman’s fourth straight strong start heading into the postseason.
The big inning has been huge for Tennessee the last few weeks and it was no different today as the Vols got four of their five runs in the fourth inning. Russell and Lipcius singled, Pete Derkay doubled Russell home before Connor Pavolony hit a missile off the batter’s eye for a three-run homer.
The top of Tennessee’s order had another poor game. The one through four went just 1-for-16 with a walk. Spence and Gilbert particularly struggled this weekend though Spence looked a little bit better at the plate today. Still, Tennessee needs more from those guys going into postseason play.
If Tennessee would have lost, I think Evan Russell trying to tag up to third on a pop out in foul territory would have been the play of the game. Russell likely scores on a two-out single and Pete Derkay, who would have been up, had a great weekend. Founders Park had absolutely zero juice before that play and was loud and locked into the game from there out.
I don’t think you can sum up Sean Hunley’s performance better than Tony Vitello did, “He has big stones”. Hunley always seems to be great in the biggest moments and that was the case again today. He gave up a soft infield hit and a soft groundout that allowed runs to score in the eighth but he stranded the tying run on second. Then in the ninth, he gives up a leadoff double to the South Carolina eight hitter before striking out the next three batters. Hunley leaned on his fastball big time too. Despite being ahead 0-2 in both the last two counts he didn’t throw the slider once and kept painting the outside corner with his fastball.
Tennessee clinches a top four seed and first round bye in the SEC Tournament with today’s win. If Vanderbilt holds on, they currently lead 3-2, Tennessee will be the three seed in Hoover. If Kentucky wins, Tennessee will win the SEC East and be the two seed.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on Sean Hunley in the ninth
“I can’t say it. Big, big stones. The other thing was, and we talked about it last night, the crowd certainly enriches the environment, but you have to be able to handle it in whichever way you see fit. I was impressed in the way the dugout acted and the way our players acted in the eighth. It just kind of sped out of control there on Blade, but he was throwing strikes, they found a couple of holes, and then Wes Clarke — a dynamic hitter — got him. That’s going to happen, it just seemed to have happened all at once. The guys in the dugout and the guys on the field, starting with the pitchers, had a lot of compose which is essential in this environment.”
Vitello on if he regrets not having someone warm at the start of the eighth
“That’s a tough deal when you’re trying to figure out when to take a guy out and put a guy in, you’re going off of matchups. If you try to bunt somebody, or you try to hit and run, and it works, you look smart. If it doesn’t, you look foolish. So the best thing is to have a little plan. Blade has earned the right to roll as deep into the game as he can. I think the biggest thing is if we would have not put Blade back out there in the eighth, or yanked him after one base hit, the happiest people in the world would have been sitting in the other dugout over there.”
Vitello on what he saw from Blade Tidwell
“He was outstanding and he picked up where he left off last week. Arkansas it the No. 1 team in the country hands down. Kind of an undisputed type group there and for him to throw the way that he did against them gave him a lot of confidence and without that, I’m not so sure he doesn’t pitch as well he does here today, especially after giving up a lead off homer and navigate that lineup.”
Vitello on Connor Pavolony hitting the ground running sincere returning from injury
“It’s a challenge but he’s such a maniac preparation guy that he’s constantly seeing things or doing things to prepare and even in his down time was doing things to maximize the available hours to try and be ready to go when he gets back out here. He’s one of the best catchers in the country and hell if you start in the SEC you’re one of the best catchers in the country but he’s a special one.”
Hunley on what was working for him
“The location of the fastball away to righties was there. I threw a couple sliders when I first got in the game and they looked pretty good but they weren’t seeing the fastball well or getting good contact on it so I stuck with it.”
Hunley on the mindset when he entered in the eighth inning
“Just pitch to contact. Try to get outs. In a game like that when it’s one run, two runs, you just have to pitch to contact and get guys out as efficiently as possible and that’s what happened.”
Hunley on the significance of this series win going into Hoover
“It’s good. It’s a momentum builder. It’s been a long season and I’m really proud of this team. We’ve been through a lot and we’re ready for Hoover and anything after that.”
Hunley on playing in front of a full capacity on the road
“It was really fun. That’s why you come play college baseball for the 100% capacity and all the fans. It was really exhilarating, very fun to be a part of. It’s been a fun year.”
