Dramatic victories have been in solid supply for Tennessee’s baseball program during the Tony Vitello era, with the 9-8 topping of Wright State in a 2021 NCAA regional, the 6-5, 14-inning outlasting of Clemson in a 2023 NCAA regional, and the surreal 12-11 triumph over Florida State in last June’s College World Series serving as three quick postseason examples alone.
When it comes to dramatic defeats that Vitello’s Vols have endured, the 6-3 loss at LSU early Saturday morning has to be in the conversation.
Using the latest stellar pitching performance from Liam Doyle, the No. 6 Vols took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning only to surrender six runs to the No. 5 Tigers. Third baseman Dean Curley committed two errors for Tennessee at the start of the inning, and Jared Jones made the Vols pay by capping the comeback with a three-run home run over the wall in center field.
Friday night’s series opener was delayed more than three hours by rain, which resulted in a 10:55 p.m. Eastern first pitch. The thriller ended Saturday at 2:17 a.m.
“We were one strike away and didn’t get it done,” Vitello told reporters afterward on the field. “Free bases in the inning was not a good idea.”
The past two national champions returned to Alex Box Stadium on Saturday night, with the late collapse by the Vols in the opener having no carryover whatsoever. Tennessee starter Marcus Phillips pitched six scoreless innings of one-hit ball before allowing consecutive home runs to open the seventh, and the Vols used a six-run eighth inning to break free for a 9-3 triumph.
Tennessee’s eighth inning was highlighted by a two-run single to right by Dalton Bargo and a three-run homer to left by Cannon Peebles, who finished the night with five RBIs. Gavin Kilen added to the big bounce-back performance with three hits.
The Vols improved to 35-8 overall and to 13-7 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Tigers dropped to 35-9 and 13-7.
Saturday’s announced paid attendance of 13,376 set an Alex Box Stadium record.
Doyle allowed one hit Friday night in nearly seven full innings and lowered his ERA to 2.23. Tanner Franklin recorded the final out of the seventh, and Nate Snead worked the eighth and ninth, with the final inning opening with Ethan Frey’s sharp grounder to third that Curley fielded impressively before sailing the throw high.
Snead then struck out Steven Milam, but Curley bobbled a Jake Brown grounder to put runners on first and second. The errors were the 10th and 11th of the season for Curley, who served as the designated hitter Saturday.
“There are physical parts to it, but I think it’s just mental,” Vitello said of Curley’s struggles in the field. “I don’t know if anybody gets him on that first play — maybe they could — but because the throw was high, you start thinking about it.”
Dalton Beck’s single to center field scored both Frey and Brown, but the Vols still had a 3-2 lead with two out and a 1-2 count on Derek Curiel when he ripped a single past Snead to score Tanner Reaves. The blast by Jones marked just the third time in LSU history the Tigers prevailed after being shut out through eight innings while trailing by three or more runs.
The Vols and Tigers will play their series finale at 3 p.m. Sunday, and it will be televised by the SEC Network.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.