Tony Vitello's Key Insights: How Tennessee Crushed Indiana State and Dominated Vanderbilt Over the Weekend

On Tuesday evening, after Tennessee's win against Indiana State during their midweek game, baseball coach Tony Vitello spoke with the media. Below you can find both the recorded video and a written transcription of theTony Vitello postgame press conference.

Up Next: No. 15 Tennessee is set to host No. 11 Vanderbilt at Lindsey Nelson Stadium this weekend for the last home series of the regular season. The first pitch on Friday night will be thrown at 5:30 PM Eastern Time on the SEC Network.

Open the Youtube video

In Tennessee showing intensity from the start against Indiana State …

I believe it was due to the buildup from the previous weekend combined with the mental shift between the final play on Sunday and the initial move for Monday night’s game. There were various decisions we needed to make, including allowing sufficient time for rest and planning our strategy accordingly. The atmosphere leading up to the match couldn’t have been better.

I believe last Friday marked our finest performance this entire season, though opinions may vary. To excel on offense, one must assert dominance, which can manifest as taking a hit-by-pitch, choosing walks over swings at bad balls, or capitalizing when opponents falter with errors. The key lies in maintaining aggression upfront. Similarly, on defense, consistency comes from hitting your spots accurately; however, I feel the players embraced an attacking mindset right from the start.

Regarding Tennessee's right fielder Reese Chapman currently experiencing a hitting slump, how his solo home run against Indiana State might impact him moving ahead. …

Sure, I believe it's more about staying composed—I wouldn't call it nervousness. So far, I haven't noticed anything different from him in that regard. Instead, what stands out is how much effort he puts in; hence, he steps up to hit the ball early and often. This lets him demonstrate his strength by hitting home runs without needing too much power behind his swings. He can achieve this across various sections of the stadium. Additionally, he performs exceptionally well when focusing on centerfield.

It didn't wrap up well for (Chapman) at the end of the (Auburn) series, but he also had some strong swings against (Auburn right-handed pitcher Samuel Dutton), who might be their top pitcher when looking back. So, I believe keeping it straightforward is key here; there isn’t anything overly complicated happening. However, this has been a decent morale boost for him. Even though people may dislike admitting it, youngsters sometimes require tangible outcomes as validation to feel proud of themselves, despite that not being ideal. Ideally, they should recall that such successes aren’t guaranteed and aren’t necessary to recognize their potential for achieving remarkable feats.

When modifying the top of the lineup, place Andrew Fischer second, followed by Hunter Ensley in third position, then Dalton Bargo at fourth, with Dean Curley rounding out the top five. …

That was more or less the plan we had a few weeks back. Instead, we opted for another alternative we discussed earlier. While that has worked well enough, it isn’t perfect. Therefore, I believe this new approach will be beneficial, and I intend to discuss it further with my teammates tomorrow. Our squad isn’t structured in such a way that decisions can be made unilaterally; your input would typically require consulting me first as part of the process. This setup neither implies superiority nor inferiority—it simply reflects how things work here. If everyone comes ready and agrees with their assigned tasks, it might turn out even stronger since Chris Newstrom excels both at playing right field and second base, Bargo shines when he plays either left field or third, and several others are capable behind the plate too. Tonight, Levi Clark performed exceptionally well. Hence, having these various roles available allows us to leverage each player’s strengths optimally, fostering an environment where teamwork drives success.

What prompted Tennessee to become more assertive on offense? …

I believe it was a frustrating weekend. Obviously, there were valid reasons for this, but instead of letting it bring you down, you could choose to rise above it. It seems like they made wise decisions over the past few days.

About how their recent matches have psychologically prepared them for this weekend's intense showdown against Vanderbilt. …

I mean, these are all intense rivalries over the weekends. When we played down in Baton Rouge against this program—one of the most historic ones in college baseball—their largest-ever audience turned up, making ticket prices quite steep. Whether it be players like Manny (Marin), Stone (Lawless), or Levi (Clark); or newcomers such as Gavin (Kilen); or even Brandon Arvidson—who previously joined us from a junior college—I feel we've covered every angle here. For instance, during games in Oxford, some opponents tried to confront two of our teammates—Liam Doyle and Andrew Fischer—and similar incidents occurred when playing in Baton Rouge. Now, each time an opponent faces us, they encounter many of the same challenges—we handle tough conditions together after all. Over time, we have experienced just about anything—from long weather-related delays to varying winds at Lindsey Nelson Stadium and differing kinds of spectators.

So, I believe the key is for them to identify their strongest potential and figure out how to leverage it. As mentioned, last Friday was uncertain due to the weather conditions, so we couldn't determine what might have occurred. However, this team has been showing signs of readiness lately through their behavior and performance fluctuations. It wasn't just me who noticed; several coaches commented similarly. Therefore, having the upcoming three days to fine-tune preparations could really help showcase their capabilities when tested again on a Friday.

Regarding whether it's more difficult for the staff during a year when there isn’t a consistent daily schedule. …

Perhaps somewhat, yet it has its enjoyable aspects. You enjoy sorting things out and generating various concepts, engaging in amicable discussions, et cetera. Should anything arise, such as tonight’s scenario, your aim isn’t to leave anyone shortchanged—no one should miss their chance to bat or appear. However, spreading everything uniformly might not always pan out well either. Ultimately, all you wish for is everyone being thrilled about the team playing and winning. The finer details aren’t so crucial. Thus, this doesn’t seem significant to me; I also believe making excuses won’t help much. Years back, I trained someone who felt like crying into his Wheaties each morning after changing positions daily. If playing bothers them, perhaps they shouldn’t stay. It frustrated me greatly watching those plays. Regardless of when players step onto the field during innings or otherwise, these young athletes consider themselves fortunate indeed. They appreciate even having meals provided post-game.

Regarding Gavin Kilen returning from injury, the positive impact on the lineup will be significant. …

I believe when it comes to Gavin, this ties back to our previous discussion. The fact that he's stepping up to assume a new role and embracing the change is positive. It might seem straightforward, yet everyone has had experience at these various roles. Over the years, he’s spent considerable time as a shortstop, which makes me confident in how well he'll adapt to being moved higher up and switching positions; essentially, continuing to contribute effectively. While he isn’t someone who will grab much attention through direct leadership, occasionally he offers constructive feedback like pointing out areas needing improvement. Mostly though, he leads quietly by setting an example both defensively and offensively. His competitive spirit drives him without complicating things—simply focusing on the game—which ideally should inspire others around him.

Based on his understanding of Vanderbilt, …

“I'm not too familiar beyond knowing there’s quite a few returnees. There are also new additions who are still young but have been frequenting major circuits; these newcomers can easily secure playing time and contribute effectively right away, much like how some of our current players interacted with younger teammates before. We'll assess once we gather more information. Likely, this will turn out to be another SEC squad, known for being disciplined, having strong coaching, competing hard, and pushing us to bring out our top game across three intense days. However, personally speaking to John Wilkerson, my preference leans towards starting on Fridays without complaints. It'd certainly be preferable to stick to the planned 5:30 PM kickoff under typical weather conditions and usual crowds at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. This allows our team to follow their preparation routine similar to previous weeks and then evaluate ourselves based on those games."

Regarding how Tennessee managed to reverse its fortunes in the 2023 season, seeing other teams improve their performance keeps him optimistic. …

I mean, someone might overreact. Honestly, I feel like very little needs changing. John clarified things during our radio conversation. If you had to pick one aspect to modify, what would it be? At this stage, we should ensure our starting pitchers find themselves in favorable situations. Our pitching staff has always been highly rated for some reason; clearly, these players have talent. The key now is placing them in positions where success can flourish. When these pitchers take the mound—even under unusual circumstances—they must perform according to their nature. Additionally, defensive play and baserunning come into focus. Perfection may remain elusive, yet hitting strategy requires adjustment too. Hitters shouldn't aim to heroically rescue the team with every turn at bat. Instead, they ought to adopt a fresh mindset daily—perhaps improving upon previous approaches. Other than that, significant changes aren’t necessary. (For instance,) I’d prefer revisiting certain matches to secure victories instead—as mentioned previously several times—but your current query isn’t about that. Nonetheless, I grasp your concern. Moments etched indelibly in memory stemmed from athletes persistently striving despite challenges. Teams displaying imperfections followed by timely cohesion often maintained positivity and adhered steadfastly to routine rather than seeking drastic shifts.

The post All the comments from Tony Vitello regarding their midweek 12-1 victory over Indiana State and their performance during the Vanderbilt game this past weekend. appeared first on News in A Day .