No one has to tell the Tennessee baseball team the importance of playing a complete game.
In last weekend’s three-game sweep by Miami, the Vols (10-5) saw one inning push each game out of reach. On Friday, it was a game-opening four-run inning by the Hurricanes. On Saturday, it was a five-run eighth inning. Then on Sunday, it was a six-run sixth inning.
“It was really pitching,” UT coach Rod Delmonico said. “If you give a good team an opportunity, a good team will jump on it.”
Delmonico said he hopes his team can learn quickly heading into this weekend’s SEC-opening series at No. 10 Auburn (16-4). The Tigers were on a nine-game winning streak until Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to top-ranked Georgia Tech.
“They’re as hot as can be,” Delmonico said. “They’ve got most of the same guys they had last year. So we’re pretty familiar with their hitters, it just comes down to execution.”
Friday’s starting pitcher Ben Riley said Tennessee should be ready for the heart of the schedule.
“I’d like to see us bounce back,” Riley said. “Obviously last weekend was a test, so I would just like to see us get back on that winning track. Conference play is the meat of the schedule, so I think we’ll be ready.”
Other than Riley, Luke Hochevar and Derek Tharpe are scheduled to start this weekend. Delmonico said he was confident in his bullpen, especially juniors Dusty Johnson and Beau Massey, who he expected would see playing time.
Riley said he thought this weekend’s series would come down to pitching.
“I know that they have a good pitching staff also,” Riley said. “So it’s going to be a pitcher versus pitcher weekend … So all you can do is give your team a chance to win.”
Riley is the team leader in innings pitched and has a 3.81 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched.
Hochevar made his first career start against Louisville and Miami. The freshman pitched seven-shut out innings against the Cardinals and struck out a season-high 10 batters against Miami.
Delmonico said he was looking forward to seeing how his pitchers handled the challenge.
“I’d like to have a couple more wins (before opening SEC play),” Delmonico said. “We’ve played a fairly tough schedule … I think Miami’s 13th or 14th in the country, and Auburn rates right in there at about 9, 10 or 11. We played Miami close, so I think we can do that same against Auburn.”
