Volunteer Country

Vols Lose Pitching Ace Before Start of Regular Season

Tennessee baseball loses another piece of their pitching rotation ahead of the start of the season.

Jack Foster

Tennessee baseball is slated to return for the 2022 season on February 18 with a three game home series against Georgia Southern. Coming off a College World Series appearance, Tony Vitello will look to further develop his program that has seen a rapid increase in production since he came to Rocky Top. This season, he will have to do that without sophomore ace Blade Tidwell, a key part of the Vols' pitching rotation and the preseason favorite to start on Friday nights.  

According to Tim Owens of WATE Sports, Tidwell will be on the shelf for a significant portion of the season with a shoulder injury, and it is 'unclear' if the sophomore will be able to make his way back on the diamond this spring. 

Tidwell had a phenomenal freshman year on Rocky Top in 2021, leading all pitchers in starts with 18 and had the best ERA with a 3.74. The Loretto, Tennessee, native pitched a 10-3 record last season, the second most wins by a freshman in UT history.

The 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team member is not the only Volunteer arm to sustain an injury this offseason, as pitcher Seth Halvorsen is set to miss the beginning of the regular season with a fracture in his throwing elbow, according to head coach Tony Vitello. 

The two injuries leave the Vols down a sure-fire weekend starter and another solid piece in the weekend rotation.

The Vols rotation will now lean on veteran Camden Sewell, Chase Dollander, Chase Burns and others.

Tony Vitello's squad is just over three weeks from kicking off the season and are ranked No. 17 in the Baseball America's Preseason Top 25, No. 19 in the D1 Baseball Preseason Top 25 and No. 21 in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 25. 

Photo Credit: Tennessee Athletics

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Jack Foster
JACK FOSTER

Jack is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville majoring in Journalism/Electronic Media. Jack grew up in Paris, Tennessee, but now spends the majority of his time in Knoxville doubling as a student and sports journalist for Volunteer Country. Jack has been a sports junkie since he was a young kid and always watched NFL football with his dad on Sundays. Jack still follows the NFL religiously, as he is an avid fantasy football player. Jack started with Volunteer Country in May of 2021 and has since helped provide full coverage of football, baseball and men's and women's basketball. Jack also works as a recurring member of WUTK's Rock Solid Sports show on Wednesdays and Fridays, and he also serves as head sports producer of The Volunteer Channel's Vol News, a student-run show at the University. When Jack is not watching or covering sports, find him on the golf course or back home spending time with his parents, younger sister and friends. Follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram by clicking "Twitter" and "Instagram" to see all of his work with Volunteer Country as well as student media.

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