If the Tennessee Volunteers struggle this weekend in the Clemson Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament, it won't be due to significant straining in the days leading up.
The Vols are experiencing a 10-day break between last Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Texas A&M in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament and this Friday's NCAA opener against the Charlotte 49ers. The game between second-seeded Tennessee (38-19) and third-seeded Charlotte (34-26) has a 6 p.m. start on ESPNU.
"I think this time off has really been big for our team," Vols senior left fielder Jared Dickey said Tuesday in a news conference. "We took two days off whenever we got back and kind of just got to work after that. I think it was really good for us, because the season is such a grind and takes a lot out on your body.
"I also think it helped us reset as a team."
Dickey said that he and his teammates even enjoyed time by the pool and playing ping-pong, which is a far cry from the past two seasons when Tennessee reached the SEC tournament championship contest, losing to Arkansas in 2021 and defeating Florida last year.
That the Vols played just once in Hoover, Alabama, was not Tony Vitello's objective going in following an impressive 11-4 finish to league play in the regular season, but he has seen an upside, too. His roster has battled its share of injuries and illnesses this season, with junior catcher Cal Stark returning to practice Monday after being sick.
"They've been allowed to rest their immune system but also just rest in general," Vitello said. "You're seeing guys bouncing around with a little bit more energy. Also, as we strategized with our bullpen and getting the pitching thing sorted, I think some guys had been pushed pretty good and were starting to feel a little sore, so those guys got to reset."
Vitello did not reveal Tennessee's rotation for the regional but added that the Vols "don't plan to reinvent the wheel." If they open with Andrew Lindsey on Friday, that would pit the 6-foot-3, 216-pound junior from New Johnsonville, Tennessee, against his former team.
Lindsey went 6-2 with a 4.89 earned run average for the 49ers in 2021 before choosing to sit out last season, and he is 2-2 with a 2.54 ERA so far this year, having opened each of Tennessee's final six weekend series.
"I think you'll see the exact same guy that we've seen all year," said junior pitcher Chase Dollander, who was replaced several weeks ago by Lindsey as the Friday starter and moved to Saturday. "He's a very cool, calm and collected guy, and it's hard to get him flustered. I've tried in the locker room, to be honest, but he's a really good guy and a huge competitor."
Said Dickey: "I talked to him about it yesterday, and there are not many guys from Charlotte who are there anymore when he was. Maybe he'll know a few things about what their coach will do, but I don't think there will be anything too crazy going on."
Charlotte's roster contains sophomore outfielder Cam Fisher, who went to Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville and leads the 49ers with 30 home runs. The 49ers also have senior infielder Austin Knight, who played 25 games for the Vols during the 2019-20 seasons before transferring.
"Obviously those guys will have a little extra motivation against us," Dickey said.
Though Clemson is the top seed, the Vols don't expect to look past the 49ers. Tennessee traveled to Charlotte two years ago for a midweek matchup and lost 9-0, and that Vols team wound up in the College World Series.
Of course, that was then and this is now, and the now for the Vols has included a lot of rest and preparation.
"The vibe is very relaxed and calm," Dollander said. "We have that good mix right now between being calm and competitive."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.