The Official #1 Tennessee vs Notre Dame Super Regional Games Thread (Fri 6/10 6PM EST ESPN 2) ( Sat. 6/11 2PM EST ESPN ) (Sun. 6/12 1PM EST ESPN)

[Boomer78]

How y’all feeling today? Think the boys come in focused and take the game? Or nervous that this might be our last game?

Pretty nervous actually. I’ve not been real comfortable with the way the Vols have played lately. Suspect starting pitching, fielding errors and certain players really struggling at the plate. But it’s baseball, every game is a new opportunity, hope they come to play today.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’m feeling pretty dang good, I woke up and the sun still shining and there’s a baseball game today and I feel pretty dang good about it…..
View attachment 463097

If I had a view like that, I’d probably feel pretty dang good, too

 

[tn4elvis]

Pretty nervous actually. I’ve not been real comfortable with the way the Vols have played lately. Suspect starting pitching, fielding errors and certain players really struggling at the plate. But it’s baseball, every game is a new opportunity, hope they come to play today.

I’ve been the same way as you. We are talented enough to win most of the time not playing clean baseball.

 

[OldTimer]

Does anyone know if Manning will be at the game today?

 

[Orange_Rush]

BTW. MS St had to play this ND team in the supers last year. State dropped a game to them as well. Do yall remember what State ended up doing? (I Know the drive bys dont)

True. The one difference is that MS St won the first game and then lost the second. However, I still think Tennessee wins the series.

 

[CDB]

I’m very pro electronic strike zone because it throws out human error which can be a huge determinant of wins and losses. Think about the 1-1 pitch. A bad call can literally change the at-bat there, and ultimately can change a game’s outcome.

Taking the human element out of it makes the game colder. I miss the human emotion part of it. That being said, it is a necessary evil. The umps/refs have brought it on themselves. In every sport, but especially baseball and basketball, some officials feel the need to make themselves too much a part of the game, adversely affecting the outcomes.

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

We have Steenstra who played a lot last year, but I'm not sure who would play left in that situation. I just think we need to stack the deck with 9 righties then when they pull their guy sprinkle Burke, Dickey, Booker etc in

They’ve used Ortega in utility situations (1B, possible look at C)…. Wonder if he could play LF and Steenstra at 2B. All just hypothetical. I’d still take our current lineup with Dickey or Scott in LF.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

They’ve used Ortega in utility situations (1B, possible look at C)…. Wonder if he could play LF and Steenstra at 2B. All just hypothetical. I’d still take our current lineup with Dickey or Scott in LF.

I couldn't remember if Ortega had played OF he was one I was thinking about. I get why people want Dicket, Booker and Burke in the lineup I'm just thinking matchup.
Also another thing Tony could do, put Blades name in at DH then when that spot comes up he can decide where he needs to go. Corbin did that at Vandy a lot one year.

 

[NorCalVol67]

How we feeling this morning people?

We Awright!

GBO!!!

Nervous for the first time this season.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

BTW. MS St had to play this ND team in the supers last year. State dropped a game to them as well. Do yall remember what State ended up doing? (I Know the drive bys dont)

State wasn’t the best team in the nation or sec just played well when it counted.

 

[dale1998]

Completely agree.

My issue is what happens when it has a technology issue and it will? We already have replay adding another 30 minutes to the game. Let’s get the software programmers fixing the issue for another 30 minutes to an hour then we can have 5-6 hour games.

 

[BP4Prez]

I couldn't remember if Ortega had played OF he was one I was thinking about. I get why people want Dicket, Booker and Burke in the lineup I'm just thinking matchup.
Also another thing Tony could do, put Blades name in at DH then when that spot comes up he can decide where he needs to go. Corbin did that at Vandy a lot one year.

I like that idea

 

[VolPack22]

My issue is what happens when it has a technology issue and it will? We already have replay adding another 30 minutes to the game. Let’s get the software programmers fixing the issue for another 30minutes to an hour then we can have 5-6 hour games.

They still have an umpire behind the plate in case the system misses the pitch or is blatantly out of the zone. It wouldn’t be perfect but definitely a lot better than what we have now.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’ll say this much, I don’t feel good about today at all with how we’ve been playing…..BUT Notre Dame better deliver the knockout punch today and end it, or we’re taking the series tomorrow with Gilbert back. If Notre Dame let’s us get up off the mat, we’ll win. I’m just nervous about our pitching.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Blade pitches have been up much of the season imo. He’s been able to get away with it until today. The first HR pitch was a hanging slider, a pitch good CBB players can smash.

That first pitch was a hanger, but the mystery is him pitching in the meat of the zone on 0-2. That’s not normal.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

I had two friends sitting in MVP right of the plate. They said he said F terrible, F horrible, but then was tossed at FU when the ump told him to calm down. Not sure the distinction matters. He’d been escalating over several innings.

So, if he said FU directly to the ump then yeah thats gonna get you run 10 our of 10 times warning or not.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

Which is why the ump needed to have a conversation with Tony to let him know if he didn’t get a handle on his player then he’s gone. I haven’t been able to find if an umpire talked to Tony at all. If they didn’t then that was mismanagement on the umpire’s part.

The Crew Chief said Drew had been warned in the second inning. It was his second chance.

 

[VolPack22]

The Crew Chief said Drew had been warned in the second inning. It was his second chance.

But he didn’t talk to Tony did he?

 

[mr.checkerboards]

But he didn’t talk to Tony did he?

Doesnt matter. Drew is a 22 year old college athlete. He needs to control himself better.

 

[VolPack22]

Doesnt matter. Drew is a 22 year old college athlete. He needs to control himself better.

A male’s brain doesn’t fully develop until they are 25. He should have talked to Tony.

 

[BreatheUT]

I couldn’t sleep so am posting this thought. As poorly as they played tonight, I’ve a feeling they’ll play better tomorrow. Will it be enough to win the game? We’ll see but I think this team has a lot of pride and veteran leadership and they don’t want to finish their season on such a sour note. They will play for each other and for Drew to give him a chance to return and play Sunday. It definitely is a heck of challenge and their backs are absolutely against the wall, but our guys are capable of battling back and still has the depth to withstand Drew being absent in the lineup for a game. Because that’s what it boils down to. Do everything possible to get the win and focus on Sunday when that bridge presents itself. GBO.

But don't press just stay locked it.

 

[drylo]

So, if he said FU directly to the ump then yeah thats gonna get you run 10 our of 10 times warning or not.

Yes, but I’m skeptical of that account (though I can’t know for sure, admittedly). Drew would not have acted shocked if he had said that. Also, there wasn’t much time for an exchange where the ump told him to calm down. It looked like Drew just kind of kept muttering to himself as he stepped further out of the box.

 

[drylo]

Doesnt matter. Drew is a 22 year old college athlete. He needs to control himself better.

We all agree that his commentary was ill-advised. The umpire is much older and should have a cooler head and be less emotional in that moment.

 

[ALStateLineVol]

I’ll say this much, I don’t feel good about today at all with how we’ve been playing…..BUT Notre Dame better deliver the knockout punch today and end it, or we’re taking the series tomorrow with Gilbert back. If Notre Dame let’s us get up off the mat, we’ll win. I’m just nervous about our pitching.[/QUOTE
I agree but more concerning for me is we have been down by 4 runs or more in each of last 3 games. Discipline at plate, unforced errors, and starting pitchers not making it to 4th inning in this same time span is troublesome. Not sure if it is focus, pressure, reading social media too much, or what, but if it doesn't change today, our season will end today. They will have lots of confidence and will be throwing their best pitcher, it's up to us to knock them down. For the first time this year, it will be interesting to see how this team reacts with this much pressure.

Go Vols!!

 

[VolNRaleighNC]

I’ll say this much, I don’t feel good about today at all with how we’ve been playing…..BUT Notre Dame better deliver the knockout punch today and end it, or we’re taking the series tomorrow with Gilbert back. If Notre Dame let’s us get up off the mat, we’ll win. I’m just nervous about our pitching.

I’m actually nervous about our bats today. We’ve looked at more 1st strikes right down the pike then I thought was humanly possible. Add Bertrand’s stuff in there and this is not a good recipe.