Tennessee takes game two and the series over Florida in come from behind fashion. Tennessee picks up its second straight series win over the Gators and will go for the sweep tomorrow.
Florida 4 9 1
Tennessee 5 4 0
W — Mark McLaughlin, L — Trey Van Der Weide, S — Kirby Connell
Notes
I mean, what can you say about this team at this point. These guys just find ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best and really jump on teams when they make mistakes. No better example of that then tonight in the sixth inning.
Tennessee trailed 3-0 and had just one hit, none since the first batter of the game and Florida gift wrapped Tennessee a present with five straight walks, including two from Jack Leftwich on four pitches. One of them came with Max Ferguson trying to lay down a bunt, just inexcusably bad baseball by the Gators. Drew Gilbert grounded into a double play and it looked like Tennessee may not fully capitalize on the opportunity but a Jordan Beck single tied the game and a Luc Lipcius double gave Tennessee a 4-3 lead. A wild pitch allowed Lipcius to reach third and the Vols made Florida pay as a Connor Pavolony infield hit gave Tennessee some cushion.
Kirby Connell will get all the shine tonight, and he deserves it, but don’t overlook what Mark McLaughlin did. He got Tennessee out of the fourth inning and then threw two more scoreless innings to keep the Vols within striking distance as Aleman dealt.
Now onto Connell, He’s just been fantastic for this team and tonight was no different. He came in in the seventh inning and got the nine out save. He allowed a pair of infield singles in the seventh and eighth inning but shut the Gators down in both innings. He gave up two hits and a run in the ninth but got the job done with a pair of big time, 3-2 strikeouts looking to secure the win. He struck out five tonight without allowing a walk.
Tennessee now sits in sole possession of first place in the SEC and will look to pick up the sweep tomorrow with Blade Tidwell on the bump.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on Kirby Connell
“Warrior. It was big for him but ginormous for our club. We had a long inning there so Mark was throwing the ball really well for us but we wanted to go to one of our key relievers we were yet to use. … It looked like he (Connell) had a hold on things and we just needed to play good defense behind him. Of course when you’re throwing strikes you may give up a hit or two but he was more than impressive.”
Vitello on balancing enjoying the history being made with keeping the end goals in mind
“No arrogance to this comment at all, but since our coaching staff took over here there've been a lot of firsts. Knocking down walls, expanding this, artificial turf. I’m not saying we’ve broken a bunch of records or anything like that because there’s guys like Helton and Burke here so it’s going to be tough to do that. There’s been a theme of the first time in a while for a regional or first this or first that and I think it just goes to the newness of our approach and our staff and current players putting their spin on the program. It fits in that theme. In far of where it fits in the scheme of things— it’s kind of April and preseason, midseason, all that stuff gets forgotten pretty quickly. … We’re still looking for our best baseball and we’re in an absolute gauntlet of an SEC schedule and we’re right in the thick of it right now.”
Connor Pavolony on the team personna
“We’re going to win. Period. Anyway we have to. Anyway we have to get it done. We can be down five, we can be down 10, we can be down three like we were tonight and at the end of the day I think you see it a lot we play for each other.”
Pavolony on the mindset once Florida’s pitching showed a chink in the armor
“Pour it on. I think you saw it, when he (Aleman) started walking guys the energy just went up-and-up and the stadium got louder and he got sped up a bit and Leftwich came in the game and I think he got sped up as well. That was just one of those moments that you have to continue to pour on more steam for a lack of a better phrase. At the end of the day we were just trying to make him throw as many pitches as we could and grind him down. I think he (Aleman) could have gone longer if he wanted to but the way the energy was in the stadium I don’t think it would have been very good for him to do that.”
Connell on his two 3-2 strikeouts in the ninth
“The first one I wasn’t trying to do too much, just let the defense play a little bit and it turned out being better my way than his way and I honestly just tried to let the defense play. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t try and overpower him. The last one was a little breathtaking, going out there. The games on the line a little bit and it’s going to come down to one pitch and one pitch only and it kind of worked out.”
Florida 4 9 1
Tennessee 5 4 0
W — Mark McLaughlin, L — Trey Van Der Weide, S — Kirby Connell
Notes
I mean, what can you say about this team at this point. These guys just find ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best and really jump on teams when they make mistakes. No better example of that then tonight in the sixth inning.
Tennessee trailed 3-0 and had just one hit, none since the first batter of the game and Florida gift wrapped Tennessee a present with five straight walks, including two from Jack Leftwich on four pitches. One of them came with Max Ferguson trying to lay down a bunt, just inexcusably bad baseball by the Gators. Drew Gilbert grounded into a double play and it looked like Tennessee may not fully capitalize on the opportunity but a Jordan Beck single tied the game and a Luc Lipcius double gave Tennessee a 4-3 lead. A wild pitch allowed Lipcius to reach third and the Vols made Florida pay as a Connor Pavolony infield hit gave Tennessee some cushion.
Kirby Connell will get all the shine tonight, and he deserves it, but don’t overlook what Mark McLaughlin did. He got Tennessee out of the fourth inning and then threw two more scoreless innings to keep the Vols within striking distance as Aleman dealt.
Now onto Connell, He’s just been fantastic for this team and tonight was no different. He came in in the seventh inning and got the nine out save. He allowed a pair of infield singles in the seventh and eighth inning but shut the Gators down in both innings. He gave up two hits and a run in the ninth but got the job done with a pair of big time, 3-2 strikeouts looking to secure the win. He struck out five tonight without allowing a walk.
Tennessee now sits in sole possession of first place in the SEC and will look to pick up the sweep tomorrow with Blade Tidwell on the bump.
Quotes
Tony Vitello on Kirby Connell
“Warrior. It was big for him but ginormous for our club. We had a long inning there so Mark was throwing the ball really well for us but we wanted to go to one of our key relievers we were yet to use. … It looked like he (Connell) had a hold on things and we just needed to play good defense behind him. Of course when you’re throwing strikes you may give up a hit or two but he was more than impressive.”
Vitello on balancing enjoying the history being made with keeping the end goals in mind
“No arrogance to this comment at all, but since our coaching staff took over here there've been a lot of firsts. Knocking down walls, expanding this, artificial turf. I’m not saying we’ve broken a bunch of records or anything like that because there’s guys like Helton and Burke here so it’s going to be tough to do that. There’s been a theme of the first time in a while for a regional or first this or first that and I think it just goes to the newness of our approach and our staff and current players putting their spin on the program. It fits in that theme. In far of where it fits in the scheme of things— it’s kind of April and preseason, midseason, all that stuff gets forgotten pretty quickly. … We’re still looking for our best baseball and we’re in an absolute gauntlet of an SEC schedule and we’re right in the thick of it right now.”
Connor Pavolony on the team personna
“We’re going to win. Period. Anyway we have to. Anyway we have to get it done. We can be down five, we can be down 10, we can be down three like we were tonight and at the end of the day I think you see it a lot we play for each other.”
Pavolony on the mindset once Florida’s pitching showed a chink in the armor
“Pour it on. I think you saw it, when he (Aleman) started walking guys the energy just went up-and-up and the stadium got louder and he got sped up a bit and Leftwich came in the game and I think he got sped up as well. That was just one of those moments that you have to continue to pour on more steam for a lack of a better phrase. At the end of the day we were just trying to make him throw as many pitches as we could and grind him down. I think he (Aleman) could have gone longer if he wanted to but the way the energy was in the stadium I don’t think it would have been very good for him to do that.”
Connell on his two 3-2 strikeouts in the ninth
“The first one I wasn’t trying to do too much, just let the defense play a little bit and it turned out being better my way than his way and I honestly just tried to let the defense play. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t try and overpower him. The last one was a little breathtaking, going out there. The games on the line a little bit and it’s going to come down to one pitch and one pitch only and it kind of worked out.”
