The top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers are gearing up to host Evansville starting Friday night in Knoxville. Head coach Tony Vitello addressed the media, sharing his insights on the major challenges the team might face.
Tony Vitello Discusses Key Challenges Leading into Super Regional vs. Evansville
“I think managing the adrenaline and intensity will be crucial. Our crowd is a big advantage, but we need to be careful not to get too overexcited. I believe our players have handled this well. Being home for the second consecutive weekend in a playoff atmosphere should give our players a clear idea of what to expect and how to handle it,” Vitello explained.
Hosting regional and super regional tournaments is familiar territory for the program, but Vitello highlighted that the crowd can sometimes have a negative impact. “One downside from last weekend was when we were in a position to win the regional against Southern Miss on Sunday night. Our players were overly excited about closing out the game, and for about three or four innings, there was too much tension. Whether it’s trying too hard, being overly tense, or dealing with too much adrenaline, these are common challenges in postseason games, especially at home in front of a hyped-up crowd. Our players need to enjoy the experience because they’ve worked hard to get here, and then they just need to focus on playing the game,” Vitello added.
