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Tennessee Beats Eastern Kentucky for 150th Win of Tony Vitello Era

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When the final out was recorded in Tennessee’s Tuesday night matchup against Eastern Kentucky, the seventh-ranked Vols could officially

Jake Nichols

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When the final out was recorded in Tennessee’s Tuesday night matchup against Eastern Kentucky, the seventh-ranked Vols could officially celebrate their last non-conference win before starting SEC play against South Carolina this weekend.

But celebration was in order for another midweek milestone, too.

In beating the Colonels 7-1, Tennessee clinched the 150th victory of the Tony Vitello era.

It also marked the 150th win in Vitello’s head coaching career, as he was an assistant at Missouri, TCU and Arkansas before being hired by John Currie in June of 2017.

Four years later, he had the Vols in Omaha for their first College World Series appearance since 2005.

The 2022 Vols are now 16-1 on the season, while Vitello is 150-69 (.684) in his five seasons at the helm.

The 150-win feat is especially impressive given that Vitello had to navigate through a COVID-shortened season in 2020, with UT only playing 17 games before the remaining games and tournaments were canceled due to the pandemic.

Against the Colonels on Tuesday, Trey Lipscomb led Tennessee with a 2-for-5 effort at the plate.

The third baseman knocked a two-RBI home run in the first inning before launching a grand slam in the second frame.

Conner Davis responded with a two-out, full-count solo shot for the Colonels in the top of the fourth, but Christian Moore continued his hot streak with a bomb to answer in the bottom half.

UT finished with seven runs on nine hits with three homers (now at an NCAA-leading 46 this season), while Zander Sechrist picked up his second win of the season on the mound.

Sechrist allowed just one run on one hit, fanned seven and walked one in five innings of work.

The Vols also rotated through their bullpen, getting scoreless innings out of Will Mabrey, Mark McLaughlin, Ben Joyce and Redmond Walsh — each of whom pitched one frame.

Up next, the Vols will open conference play against South Carolina (9-6) on Friday in Knoxville at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Game Two (at noon ET Saturday) can be seen on the SEC Network. 


Cover photo via Jake Nichols

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Jake Nichols
JAKE NICHOLS

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