Consistency is one of the most important conduits of success.
As a group, it’s a trait Tennessee baseball is still searching for 33 games into the season. Offensive slumps, bullpen struggles and poor fundamentals are just some of the red flags that have emerged throughout the early goings of the Josh Elander era.
The Vols knew that a midweek win over Northern Kentucky wouldn’t erase the sting of another dropped SEC series. They know there is plenty more work to be done to get to the form they want to be. At the end of the day, though, the scoreboard read 12-6 in Tennessee’s favor when the proceedings with the Norse were all said and done. As Elander gathered his group in the outfield postgame, he mixed one of his usual philosophies with something new.
He issued a challenge.
“Anytime you win, it’s a good day, period,” Elander said. “But if you don’t fix the things that can hurt you down the line, it’s going to hurt you, and you’re not going to win games.
“My challenge for the team was, we’ve been through the mud here a little bit. The next time we’re there, whether it’s Friday or two weeks or three weeks, it’s ‘oh no, here we go again,’ or it’s ‘hey, we’ve been here before.’”
Bo Rhudy found himself bruised in Tennessee’s weekend struggles against LSU. He surrendered three earned runs against the Tigers. The junior hurler was only able to record one out in the opening game of the slate before allowing a pair of home runs.
The Chickamauga, Georgia, native answered his head coach’s challenge before he even could deliver it. Rhudy picked up the win on this Tuesday night, posting 1.2 innings of scoreless ball while striking out three. He found success in a leverage spot.
“I thrive in those situations,” Rudy said. “I’ve always loved them. I go in, and I want to be the guy in those situations. Going in on Sunday after the outing Friday, it was kind of tough.
“Baseball is a game of failure, so you have to have a short-term memory. Going back out there and just competing and doing the best you can is all you can do.”
The Vols’ most recent case of consistency kept things rolling to help power them over Northern Kentucky. Blake Grimmer enjoyed a four-RBI night, blasting a pair of homers to give him big flies in three of his last four games.
He contributed to Tennessee’s big six-run eighth inning, a frame it needed to have to gain some breathing room from a stingy Norse contingent. Outside of the game situation, it provided some positive affirmation for a Vols’ offense that’s been prone to quiet outings.
“It was kind of a relief, a little bit just to see the offense get the job done there,” Grimmer said. “Tack on a few more after that and give us a little cushion.”
As they head back to the road for a weekend set with Mississippi State, Elander’s sentiment came through clear.
“It was a good message just knowing what we’re walking into this weekend,” Grimmer said. “It’s a great opportunity for us, as a team, as a whole. We’re excited.”
