In college baseball, mid-week games are generally seen as chances for powerhouse programs to get an easy victory over smaller schools and take a break from the challenges of conference play.
Tuesday’s game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium is an exception for the Tennessee baseball team, as No. 25 Tennessee Tech comes to town riding a 25-game winning streak, which is the longest in the country. The Golden Eagles (34-5) have not lost a game since March 10.
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello understands how difficult it is to win 25 games in a row.
“Right now, with the parity that exists … to do that is remarkable,” Vitello said. “Even to go to Omaha a couple times in a row or do anything that is repetitive of that nature is harder than it has ever been.
“(We are) kind of taken aback by it, but we have to make sure that we take care of our business, and they can do whatever they are built to do.”
Coming off a series win against No. 14 Texas A&M, the Vols’ four-game home-stand concludes with Tuesday’s game against Tennessee Tech. Tennessee holds a 10-2 record in midweek games this season.
The Golden Eagles are averaging over 11 runs per game offensively. They have scored more than 20 runs four times this season.
“They have to be pretty good if they are putting up the numbers that they are,” Vitello said. “I think we kind of need to do what we did this weekend … It sounds like Tennessee Tech — in particular offensively — is as good as it gets.”
Tennessee leads the series history with Tennessee Tech 69-29-1, including a 41-9 record in Knoxville. The Vols won last year’s meeting 6-0 and have won 35 of the last 38 contests between the two teams.
The last time Tennessee Tech beat Tennessee was in 2012. For the Vols, it is not about the 25-game winning streak.
“That’s really tough, but we are not really thinking about that,” sophomore Jay Charleston said. “We are just going in and playing Volunteer baseball, and hopefully we get the (win).”
Charleston is coming off a three-hit performance in Sunday’s series-clinching win over the Aggies. He credits the mentality that his coach has instilled in him.
“I really just think it’s more preparation, pre-game, stuff like that,” Charleston said. “Just being ready for when we step out on the field, and we will have success when we prepare right.”
Tennessee Tech leads the nation in multiple offensive categories, including hits (524), home runs (95), team batting average (.356) and team on-base percentage (.454). The Golden Eagles return six starting position players from last year’s NCAA Regional appearance.
“If we try to do more because the numbers are there or the streak is there, we are in trouble,” Vitello said. “If we don’t show up with the same readiness that we had today, it might get ugly in the opposite way.”
The Vols will likely call on sophomore pitcher Will Heflin to make his third midweek start. Freshman Sean Hunley, who had been the midweek starter, was moved into the weekend rotation against Texas A&M.
“It seems like that’s the way we will go,” Vitello said. “We will probably repeat the way we went this weekend for the Georgia series.”
Heflin threw 5.1 shutout innings in his first start, and he followed it up with 6.0 shutout innings last week in a win against ETSU.
First pitch of Tuesday’s contest is set for 6:30 p.m. The game will be available to watch on the SEC Network.
