The Tennessee Volunteers are set to kick off the NCAA Tournament this weekend by hosting the Knoxville Regional, having secured the No. 14 national seed. Despite a rocky finish to the regular season, the team managed to clinch two critical wins in Hoover, solidifying their top 16 seed placement.
The excitement is palpable as head coach Tony Vitello prepares for the upcoming matchups, with particular attention given to Friday night’s opening game against 4th-seeded Miami-Ohio. The opposition brings a formidable ace to the mound, posing a significant challenge for the Volunteers’ offense. This raises strategic questions for Vitello: should he go with Cooper Katskee or save him for Saturday, deploying Marcus Phillips instead?
Vitello appears inclined to stick to tradition, likely opting for Liam Doyle on Friday night, as he mentioned, “Yeah, more than likely.” While Vitello confirmed that final decisions would depend on their upcoming bullpen sessions, he emphasized the importance of outcompeting their opponents rather than overthinking strategy. He noted that home crowd support has often played a crucial role in their success during this time of year.
Doyle, despite his recent struggles which included ten earned runs over his last two outings, will benefit from eight days of rest, potentially aiding his performance. This is particularly significant as he has been managing a blister issue in recent weeks. Vitello expressed confidence in Doyle’s condition, pointing out that the earlier outings weren’t as subpar as they might seem due to the caliber of the teams faced.
On the other hand, Marcus Phillips, with a 3-4 record and a 3.67 ERA this season, and AJ Russell, who looks to be back to full health after a solid stint against Alabama, provide valuable options for the coaching staff.
The first pitch for the Volunteers’ matchup against Miami-Ohio is scheduled for Friday night at 6 p.m. ET. Prior to this game, Wake Forest will take on Cincinnati at 1 p.m. ET in a double-elimination format, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
With a potentially promising weekend ahead, the Volunteers will look to turn their recent challenges into triumphs on the field, hopefully fueled by the support of their home crowd.