Tennessee Baseball: Tony Vitello has great reaction to returning from suspension
Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello returned to the dugout on Sunday, after serving a four-game suspension, for the Vols' series finale against the Florida Gators. Vitello was suspended after bumping an umpire during Tennessee's 9-2 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide the previous weekend. Fortunately for Vitello (and Tennessee), the Vols kept the momentum going on […]
Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello returned to the dugout on Sunday, after serving a four-game suspension, for the Vols' series finale against the Florida Gators.
Vitello was suspended after bumping an umpire during Tennessee's 9-2 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide the previous weekend.
Fortunately for Vitello (and Tennessee), the Vols kept the momentum going on Sunday by beating Florida 6-4 in extra innings.
Tennessee was down 4-1 going into the 9th inning, but the Vols rallied to tie the game and eventually took the lead thanks to a two-run home run from Christian Moore.
After the game, Vitello was asked about returning to the bench. And he had a great response.
"A tremendous character win by our guys and kind of bailed me out because I would have looked like a clown coming back and ruining things the way the team has been playing," said Vitello.
Vitello also joked in an interview with VolQuest's Ben McKee that he saw that his "value is very low" after watching assistant Josh Elander lead Tennessee to four straight wins during the suspension.
There's no doubt this Tennessee baseball team has found something special this season. Vitello is obviously the architect, but the success of the team isn't dependent on just one man. Vitello recognizes that and he's secure enough in himself as a coach to share the credit with every player on the roster and every coach on the staff.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC
