Vols Ready to Make Run For National Title in Omaha

Said Vols coach Tony Vitello:”At some point, you know, the umpire is going to yell out, play ball and it’s going to turn into warfare.”

The Tennessee Vols quest for a baseball national title starts on Friday night against Florida State in Omaha.

Said Vols outfielder Hunter Ensley:”You know, everyone wants to come play here.

Kind of the main event.  You get in front of all the people, but come game time it gets going.”

Since the current tournament formant set in 1999 no number one seed has won the world series. Something Tennessee is trying to change.

Said Ensley:”I think something you see floating the internet and stuff like Twitter. It definitely is impossible to not see it.”

Said Vitello:”It’s difficult to get here And once you’re here, it’s even more difficult to win. And part of that is the talent that’s here.”

Tennessee has been here three of the past four years, so they know the big stage that is Omaha.

Said Vols pitcher Drew Beam:”There’s not many times in your life you get to play in front of 26, 000 people, so. To me, it almost doesn’t make me more nervous or more, you know, amped up. It just is, it’s a cool atmosphere, so you kind of embrace it.”

Since Tennessee has been here before, players like Hunter Ensley is able to give advice about what to expect on this stage.

Said Ensley:”Sometimes you get out on the field and get under the lights, you want to. Go a little too fast or do too much. So I don’t know. I think my message to everyone would just be slow everything down and, you know, focus on what’s actually going on in the game.”

Said Vitello:”There’s been a good understanding of what a nine inning game is. You don’t want your guys getting too high or too low or dog cussing somebody in the third inning and you got six innings left or you’re down or you’re up. It’s been a mature group. “