Tennessee baseball opens the season with a dominant and convincing sweep over Hofstra, outscoring the Pride 36-2 in the three-game series. None of the three games went a full nine innings as the BaseVols bats were too much for Hofstra in the season's first series.
Several players took off at the plate throughout the three games and led Tennessee's offensive firepower. Young and old, transfers and old names, all showed off the ability to be Tennessee's next big name.
"I think there's some guys that like to play," Vitello said postgame. "And you got a guy like (Austin) Breedlove there that finishes the game. He was better today than he's been in any scrimmage since he's been here. I think we got some guys that like to compete and maybe there's even more."
Vitello also talked about finding ways to get so many guys an opportunity to play in the opening series, which seemed to be a factor in seeing a wide variety of guys impress at the plate this weekend.
"They, almost to a fault, work with every player the exact same way. Just trying to get guys better regardless of what their role is on the team. I thought the guys did a good job of being hooked up — you sign up for three nine-inning games, but it's what we got. You got 21 total innings and I thought they were hooked up for every inning, is my point."
The Vols looked locked in for the majority of the three-game series. Vitello credits part of that to the competitiveness and camaraderie throughout this year's team.
"It is difficult to do that in this day and age. To hand the baton off to somebody and have them pinch hit for you and be willing to knuckle them up or whatever. You can feel a vibe in the dugout when everyone is pulling for a guy. If you don't have everybody doing that, it is negative.
"I've been that guy when I'm starting, and the other second baseman wants me dead, and you can feel it. It just doesn't work. I don't know how you coach it. You get the sum being greater than the parts when a bunch of guys are doing that."
Vitello has built a great culture on Rocky Top, which was more evident than ever in Tennessee's trip to Omaha last season. The Vols had to battle back in the championship series against Texas A&M to win two straight games and claim their first national championship.
This year's BaseVols seem to seem to have the same DNA with new players, and it's obvious it is working on the field with dominant performances against Hofstra.