After offenses shined in the first two games of the series, pitching ruled supreme Sunday as Arkansas stayed unbeaten in weekend series this season with a 3-2 win.
Arkansas 3 5 0
Tennessee 2 7 2
W — Kevin Kopps, L — Blade Tidwell
Notes
Blade Tidwell was spectacular today and as good as his seven innings pitched, allowing just two hits, four walks and two earned runs look, Tidwell was even better. After running into a little bit of trouble in the first, the freshman absolutely dialed in, recording 13 straight outs at one point. One of the things that makes Arkansas so impressive is its ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and that’s what they did today. Brady Slavens hit a bloop double with one-out in the seventh inning— on a ball Gilbert would have caught if he had a good read— and then a wild pitch allowed him to advance to third and come home on a sac fly. Wild pitches and passed balls with runners on second and less than two outs killed Tennessee this weekend and again today. Tidwell would come back out for the eighth inning and surrendered a leadoff walk that would turn into the go-ahead run.
At the plate, Tennessee’s offense was quiet all game long, struggling with Arkansas starter Lael Lockhart who struck seven batters while allowing one run in 4.1 innings pitched. Where Tennessee has to be kicking itself is in the fifth and sixth inning. Tennessee loaded the bases with one-out in the fifth and only brought home one run. In the sixth inning, Tennessee had two on with one-out when Arkansas turned to star reliever Kevin Kopps. Kopps got the Hogs out of the inning and took them the distance, surrendering two hits and one earned run.
Tennessee’s bullpen wasn’t bad this weekend but it just allowed a few too many inherited runs to come home and a few too many insurance runs from Arkansas. In the seventh, eighth and ninth innings Arkansas scored eight of its 16 runs on the weekend and scored in seven of those nine innings.
One final takeaway on the weekend before the 3-2-1 tomorrow. Tennessee showed this weekend that it's a national title contender. I think Arkansas proved they were the better team and 100% deserving of the No. 1 ranking that’s been beside its name the last month, but Tennessee wasn’t much worse than the Hogs and had them sweating for a full 27 innings.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on the altercation with Dave Van Horn postgame
“He had some things to say about how he thought we did a good job and it was excellent series and all that, and then probably poor timing on my choice but brought up some off-the-field stuff that really isn’t a big issue. That’s probably more than I should say about it, but that’s kind of what transpired.”
Vitello on the decision to keep Tidwell in in the eighth inning and what he saw from him
“His performance was electric. I don’t know what else went on today or this weekend— whether it belongs in this category or not— I doubt anyone threw as well as he did. Their guy started the game in tremendous fashion as well but to go as deep as he did gave us a great chance to win and obviously both teams had used a bunch of bullpen guys but it was his game to win or lose. Once we knew they were going to bunt we knew Sean (Hunley) was a good guy in that particular situation and unfortunately it didn’t work out but it was a winning performance to the extreme from Blade.”
Vitello on if he thought there was an extra pressure to take advantage of scoring opportunities before Arkansas went to Kopps
“Not really. I think the coaches knew more about him being down in the bullpen warming up than the players did because it was kind of a long break in the action when I think Zebs (Zebulon Vermillion) was on the mound and they were going to bring in Kopps. So I don’t think that was going on for our players and it wasn’t coming on from us. The nature of the game, two good SEC opponents going into a rubber match. I think the heightened sense (of pressure) started at the beginning of the game and maybe our hitters— or their hitters too— squeezed that bat a little tight but until he came into the game I don’t think it was an issue and once he came into the game he made his mark on it.”
Vitello on Brady Slaven’s bloop double in the seventh inning
“I don’t think he (Gilbert) saw it well but it’s the same thing on the ball that came off Slavens’ cap, it was him twice, and I’ll probably start a fight in their dugout but the guy may be their best hitter overall and he takes as aggressive of a swing as you could imagine so when he makes contact with that big swing and the ball doesn’t come off the way you’re expecting you’re one step slower and in both occasions, very miniscule for Rucker, but that’s kind of what went on.”
Connor Pavolony on what he saw from Blade Tidwell
“Command of all four pitches and kind of a killer mentality. He didn’t care that they were No. 1 and you could kind of tell. He was blowing the doors off every now and then. He commanded all four pitches and threw them for strikes when he wanted to and was able to keep them off balance.”
Pavolony on the frustration, not moral victory, that comes with losing to the No. 1 team
“There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to come out and play them just like they played us. At the end of the day, we didn’t get it done. We were just frustrated because we knew that we could have and there were opportunities for us to do it. We’re right there, but this weekend we weren’t, and I think that’s why we’re frustrated more than anything.”
Blade Tidwell on what was different for him today compared to the rubber match against Vanderbilt
“Well I knew going into today that I didn’t want to feel the same way I did after the Vanderbilt outing. I didn’t feel good after that and I kind of wore it until this game and just knew I had to go out there and compete.”
Tidwell on how much he feels like he’s grown since the start of the season
“I think I’ve grown a lot. A lot of my growth has been mental. Some physical but mostly mental, just inner battles with myself mostly and just having that confidence.”
Arkansas 3 5 0
Tennessee 2 7 2
W — Kevin Kopps, L — Blade Tidwell
Notes
Blade Tidwell was spectacular today and as good as his seven innings pitched, allowing just two hits, four walks and two earned runs look, Tidwell was even better. After running into a little bit of trouble in the first, the freshman absolutely dialed in, recording 13 straight outs at one point. One of the things that makes Arkansas so impressive is its ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and that’s what they did today. Brady Slavens hit a bloop double with one-out in the seventh inning— on a ball Gilbert would have caught if he had a good read— and then a wild pitch allowed him to advance to third and come home on a sac fly. Wild pitches and passed balls with runners on second and less than two outs killed Tennessee this weekend and again today. Tidwell would come back out for the eighth inning and surrendered a leadoff walk that would turn into the go-ahead run.
At the plate, Tennessee’s offense was quiet all game long, struggling with Arkansas starter Lael Lockhart who struck seven batters while allowing one run in 4.1 innings pitched. Where Tennessee has to be kicking itself is in the fifth and sixth inning. Tennessee loaded the bases with one-out in the fifth and only brought home one run. In the sixth inning, Tennessee had two on with one-out when Arkansas turned to star reliever Kevin Kopps. Kopps got the Hogs out of the inning and took them the distance, surrendering two hits and one earned run.
Tennessee’s bullpen wasn’t bad this weekend but it just allowed a few too many inherited runs to come home and a few too many insurance runs from Arkansas. In the seventh, eighth and ninth innings Arkansas scored eight of its 16 runs on the weekend and scored in seven of those nine innings.
One final takeaway on the weekend before the 3-2-1 tomorrow. Tennessee showed this weekend that it's a national title contender. I think Arkansas proved they were the better team and 100% deserving of the No. 1 ranking that’s been beside its name the last month, but Tennessee wasn’t much worse than the Hogs and had them sweating for a full 27 innings.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on the altercation with Dave Van Horn postgame
“He had some things to say about how he thought we did a good job and it was excellent series and all that, and then probably poor timing on my choice but brought up some off-the-field stuff that really isn’t a big issue. That’s probably more than I should say about it, but that’s kind of what transpired.”
Vitello on the decision to keep Tidwell in in the eighth inning and what he saw from him
“His performance was electric. I don’t know what else went on today or this weekend— whether it belongs in this category or not— I doubt anyone threw as well as he did. Their guy started the game in tremendous fashion as well but to go as deep as he did gave us a great chance to win and obviously both teams had used a bunch of bullpen guys but it was his game to win or lose. Once we knew they were going to bunt we knew Sean (Hunley) was a good guy in that particular situation and unfortunately it didn’t work out but it was a winning performance to the extreme from Blade.”
Vitello on if he thought there was an extra pressure to take advantage of scoring opportunities before Arkansas went to Kopps
“Not really. I think the coaches knew more about him being down in the bullpen warming up than the players did because it was kind of a long break in the action when I think Zebs (Zebulon Vermillion) was on the mound and they were going to bring in Kopps. So I don’t think that was going on for our players and it wasn’t coming on from us. The nature of the game, two good SEC opponents going into a rubber match. I think the heightened sense (of pressure) started at the beginning of the game and maybe our hitters— or their hitters too— squeezed that bat a little tight but until he came into the game I don’t think it was an issue and once he came into the game he made his mark on it.”
Vitello on Brady Slaven’s bloop double in the seventh inning
“I don’t think he (Gilbert) saw it well but it’s the same thing on the ball that came off Slavens’ cap, it was him twice, and I’ll probably start a fight in their dugout but the guy may be their best hitter overall and he takes as aggressive of a swing as you could imagine so when he makes contact with that big swing and the ball doesn’t come off the way you’re expecting you’re one step slower and in both occasions, very miniscule for Rucker, but that’s kind of what went on.”
Connor Pavolony on what he saw from Blade Tidwell
“Command of all four pitches and kind of a killer mentality. He didn’t care that they were No. 1 and you could kind of tell. He was blowing the doors off every now and then. He commanded all four pitches and threw them for strikes when he wanted to and was able to keep them off balance.”
Pavolony on the frustration, not moral victory, that comes with losing to the No. 1 team
“There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to come out and play them just like they played us. At the end of the day, we didn’t get it done. We were just frustrated because we knew that we could have and there were opportunities for us to do it. We’re right there, but this weekend we weren’t, and I think that’s why we’re frustrated more than anything.”
Blade Tidwell on what was different for him today compared to the rubber match against Vanderbilt
“Well I knew going into today that I didn’t want to feel the same way I did after the Vanderbilt outing. I didn’t feel good after that and I kind of wore it until this game and just knew I had to go out there and compete.”
Tidwell on how much he feels like he’s grown since the start of the season
“I think I’ve grown a lot. A lot of my growth has been mental. Some physical but mostly mental, just inner battles with myself mostly and just having that confidence.”
