Baseball
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Vols, Vitello reach pinnacle
It was a long time in coming, but the Tennessee Volunteer baseball team finally arrived.
A week ago Monday night, the Vols topped Texas A&M 6-5 in the rubber game of a three-game set to win the NCAA Division 1 College Baseball World Series. The title was the school’s first since 2009 when the Lady Vols claimed the Indoor Track and Field championship. There were a few individual track and swimming titles sprinkled in along the way, including an individual swimming title last year.
I don’t care who you are, national titles are hard to come by.
It’s rare for a team to jump into the fray the first time and win it all, though it’s happened before. I’ve said for years, both in print and on the air, that it was going to take Vols’ coach Tony Vitello a little time to reel in a gold trophy. As I have mentioned in the past, it took Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin a few years to finally reach the peak, and his teams have won it all twice and been in the finals twice. For Tennessee, the pieces came together.
Personnel, timing and the breaks all play a part in winning a title.
And how about Huntingdon’s own Hunter Ensley. The Tennessee junior certainly made a name for himself both on offense and defense during his stay in Omaha. You could make a case for him to have been tournament MVP, but there were others who were just as worthy of those accolades. He made big plays in center field, went long in the clutch, scored on an acrobatic play to win a game and had a good overall tournament.
And to think he almost went to UT-Martin on a football scholarship.
Christian Moore was a menace to the Aggies, and everyone else in the field. So was Dylan Dreiden and so many others. When the Vols needed to ring the bell, those guys were holding the rope.
Starting with the thrilling comeback against Florida State in the opening round, where Tennessee rallied for the winning run in the ninth inning to remain in the winner’s bracket. The Vols edged the Seminoles 12-11. From that point on, you had the idea that this team wasn’t going to go home without the hardware.
Even after losing the opening game of the final series, one had a notion that the loss might have motivated the Vols. It may have been the wakeup call this team needed.
In Monday night’s final, Tennessee built a big lead thanks to two-out rallies, but I felt apprehension. Knowing what I know of A&M, and the use of aluminum bats, no lead was safe. I suspect many UT fans felt as if they were sitting on pin cushions during those last three or four innings.
But Tennessee held on and isn’t it interesting that Hunter Ensley was the guy that scored the big run for the Vols in the final game? Carroll County has a nice legacy of outstanding college baseball players making a name in the SEC.
And speaking of the SEC, this makes five national titles in a row…all from different teams. That says something about this league. And to emerge from that fray to jump into a more formidable shark tank in Omaha, then win it all, says something about this team.
I remember former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer, during his pre-Fiesta Bowl presser in Knoxville back in 1998, said that winning is great and all, but sometimes you create monsters. Tennessee coach Tony Vitello has been in his laboratory, fashioning a horrid beast: a fan base that now has high expectations. I can assure you, nobody in the fan base or roaming around the athletic department has higher expectations than Vitello.
Some people are fearful that Vitello may leave. It’s not very likely. Why would he? He has infinite support from fans, donors and the athletic department. He’s winning in a tough league and the fan base loves him. Is it possible that another college might swoop down and snag him? Possibly, but where else would he want to go, except perhaps back to his alma mater Missouri.
That’s not likely.
And college baseball isn’t like pro football or pro basketball. Major League Baseball seldom raids college head coaches to fill managerial roles, largely because of its minor league system. Vitello would be crazy to abandon this program for a Class A managerial job. I don’t think he’d want the pay cut.
For the moment, Tennessee baseball is fine. I think Vitello has a chance to win a few more titles before he calls it a day or moves on. Vitello works for an athletic director that is very proactive when it comes to his coaches and programs. Same for the UT Chancellor Donde Plowman. Both have offered legions of support to baseball.
Right now, looking across the vast tapestry of Tennessee athletics, it’s good to be a Vol or Lady Vol fan.
More than that, it’s good to be a Tennessee baseball fan.
Jim Steele can be reached on X @steelesports or at pressbox1@gmail.com.
A week ago Monday night, the Vols topped Texas A&M 6-5 in the rubber game of a three-game set to win the NCAA Division 1 College Baseball World Series. The title was the school’s first since 2009 when the Lady Vols claimed the Indoor Track and Field championship. There were a few individual track and swimming titles sprinkled in along the way, including an individual swimming title last year.
I don’t care who you are, national titles are hard to come by.
It’s rare for a team to jump into the fray the first time and win it all, though it’s happened before. I’ve said for years, both in print and on the air, that it was going to take Vols’ coach Tony Vitello a little time to reel in a gold trophy. As I have mentioned in the past, it took Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin a few years to finally reach the peak, and his teams have won it all twice and been in the finals twice. For Tennessee, the pieces came together.
Personnel, timing and the breaks all play a part in winning a title.
And how about Huntingdon’s own Hunter Ensley. The Tennessee junior certainly made a name for himself both on offense and defense during his stay in Omaha. You could make a case for him to have been tournament MVP, but there were others who were just as worthy of those accolades. He made big plays in center field, went long in the clutch, scored on an acrobatic play to win a game and had a good overall tournament.
And to think he almost went to UT-Martin on a football scholarship.
Christian Moore was a menace to the Aggies, and everyone else in the field. So was Dylan Dreiden and so many others. When the Vols needed to ring the bell, those guys were holding the rope.
Starting with the thrilling comeback against Florida State in the opening round, where Tennessee rallied for the winning run in the ninth inning to remain in the winner’s bracket. The Vols edged the Seminoles 12-11. From that point on, you had the idea that this team wasn’t going to go home without the hardware.
Even after losing the opening game of the final series, one had a notion that the loss might have motivated the Vols. It may have been the wakeup call this team needed.
In Monday night’s final, Tennessee built a big lead thanks to two-out rallies, but I felt apprehension. Knowing what I know of A&M, and the use of aluminum bats, no lead was safe. I suspect many UT fans felt as if they were sitting on pin cushions during those last three or four innings.
But Tennessee held on and isn’t it interesting that Hunter Ensley was the guy that scored the big run for the Vols in the final game? Carroll County has a nice legacy of outstanding college baseball players making a name in the SEC.
And speaking of the SEC, this makes five national titles in a row…all from different teams. That says something about this league. And to emerge from that fray to jump into a more formidable shark tank in Omaha, then win it all, says something about this team.
I remember former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer, during his pre-Fiesta Bowl presser in Knoxville back in 1998, said that winning is great and all, but sometimes you create monsters. Tennessee coach Tony Vitello has been in his laboratory, fashioning a horrid beast: a fan base that now has high expectations. I can assure you, nobody in the fan base or roaming around the athletic department has higher expectations than Vitello.
Some people are fearful that Vitello may leave. It’s not very likely. Why would he? He has infinite support from fans, donors and the athletic department. He’s winning in a tough league and the fan base loves him. Is it possible that another college might swoop down and snag him? Possibly, but where else would he want to go, except perhaps back to his alma mater Missouri.
That’s not likely.
And college baseball isn’t like pro football or pro basketball. Major League Baseball seldom raids college head coaches to fill managerial roles, largely because of its minor league system. Vitello would be crazy to abandon this program for a Class A managerial job. I don’t think he’d want the pay cut.
For the moment, Tennessee baseball is fine. I think Vitello has a chance to win a few more titles before he calls it a day or moves on. Vitello works for an athletic director that is very proactive when it comes to his coaches and programs. Same for the UT Chancellor Donde Plowman. Both have offered legions of support to baseball.
Right now, looking across the vast tapestry of Tennessee athletics, it’s good to be a Vol or Lady Vol fan.
More than that, it’s good to be a Tennessee baseball fan.
Jim Steele can be reached on X @steelesports or at pressbox1@gmail.com.
