Tennessee baseball’s poor weekend is getting even worse as home plate umpire John Brammer ejected Tony Vitello from the first game of the Vols’ double header against Missouri Sunday afternoon.
With the Vols trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning, Chase Burns was called for a balk while the Tigers had runners on the corners with one-out. The balk scored a run to extend Missouri’s lead to 5-0.
Tony Vitello came out of the dugout, making a remark at distance to Brammer before the home plate umpire gave him a quick toss. Vol Network’s John Wilkerson described it was not one of the more emotional protests from the always passionate Vitello.
It’s been a poor SEC opening series for Tennessee as the Vols dropped the series opener 9-1 Friday night before falling behind early in game two Sunday. An improved Missouri team jumped on Tennessee’s strong starting pitching Chase Dollander and Chase Burns to open both of the first two games of the series.
More From RTI: Live Updates By Game Two Of Tennessee’s Series With Missouri
The series finale will begin roughly 30 minutes after the seven-inning game two of the series ends.
Associate head coach Josh Elander will serve as Tennessee’s active head coach for the rest of game two. Vitello can rejoin the team for game three.
Vitello has been no stranger to ejection in his Tennessee tenure. The sixth-year head coach’s ejection at his alma mater is the third of his career. Umpires ejected Vitello in his first season against Kentucky and against last season against Alabama.
While Vitello hadn’t been ejected from a game this season, he did serve a three-game suspension for Tennessee’s weekend series against Dayton due to NCAA violations committed in the recruitment of Kansas transfer Maui Ahuna.
Rocky Top Insider will have continued coverage of Tennessee’s SEC play opening series at Missouri throughout Sunday’s double header.
One Response
His inability to control his his emotions is inexcusable. CLASS… he has none!