Tony Vitello makes statement that will anger LSU baseball fans
The Tennessee Vols are still alive in the College World Series. Despite falling behind 4-0 to Stanford on Monday, the Vols managed to grind out a 6-4 win to keep their championship hopes alive. Tennessee will face the loser of the matchup between Wake Forest and LSU (which will be played on Monday night). Speaking […]
The Tennessee Vols are still alive in the College World Series.
Despite falling behind 4-0 to Stanford on Monday, the Vols managed to grind out a 6-4 win to keep their championship hopes alive.
Tennessee will face the loser of the matchup between Wake Forest and LSU (which will be played on Monday night).
Speaking of LSU, Vols head coach Tony Vitello, who earned his first College World Series win on Monday (as a head coach), made some comments after Tennessee's win against Stanford that Tigers fans probably won't appreciate.
Vitello suggested that Vols right hander Chase Burns is the best pitcher in the College World Series.
And he said that while acknowledging that Tennessee faced LSU's stud right hander Paul Skenes on Saturday.
Burns has been terrific out of the bullpen and I don't think there's any team that wants to face him in Omaha.
But there's no one that wants to face Skenes, either (he held Tennessee to two runs on just five hits over 7.2 innings on Saturday).
If LSU beats Wake Forest on Monday and then Tennessee beats Wake Forest on Tuesday, then it would set up a rematch between the Vols and the Tigers on Wednesday. And Skenes would likely start that game for LSU.
In the event that LSU loses to Wake Forest on Monday night, the Tigers and the Vols would face each other on Tuesday night (Skenes likely wouldn't be starting on short rest…though anything goes in an elimination game).
I"m guessing that LSU will be posting Vitello's words in their locker room if they end up facing the Vols again.
In other words, it could be quite the showdown if LSU and Tennessee meet again in the College World Series with some added drama thanks to Vitello's bold quote on Monday.
Featured image via Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK