Tennessee baseball used five home runs and a strong Andrew Lindsey start to power past Kentucky, 10-6, in the Friday night series opener in Knoxville.
Lindsey threw a season-high 103 pitches in his first win of the season and allowed only six hits and three runs (two earned) in six innings of work.
Offensively for Tennessee, super-senior designated hitter Griffin Merritt led the way with 5 RBI, hitting two home runs to become the Vols’ top home run hitter on the season with 16.
Lindsey and Merritt met with the media after the Vols’ win, where both reflected on their performances and more.
Everything they said is below.
Andrew Lindsey
On season high in innings and pitches:
“It feels great. I felt good today. Thanks, coach for leaving me out there. It felt really good”
On what worked well:
“Mixing pictures well, keeping the hitters off balance. Threw some, a couple change-ups, shook off the one I probably shouldn’t have but wanted to throw it and get a little more experience with it. But just a two-seam, cutter was working all day.”
On working around early baserunners:
“Yeah, you always want to get that first hitter out but if you can work your way around it and keep them from crossing home, it’s always a good inning. Minimize the damage.”
On resetting after the error:
“Yeah, you just have to move on. You can’t let things like that continue to roll over into the next pitch, so, I think it was Tiger Woods that had a five-second rule where you can think about it for five seconds then you just have to move on. So, just kind of move on and execute the next pitch.”
On what happened with the error:
“Red (Redmond Walsh) was making fun of me because he said it looked like I shot the ball instead of threw it. I really don’t know, I guess I was kind of in-between a full throw and a toss but, just gotta focus more on the little things there, I guess.”
On recording first win in possible last home outing:
“I’ve been searching for that win. Obviously, we’ve won the past couple weeks with my start but it just hasn’t gone to me. Yeah it feels good to get a win in that column and excited to do it in front of the home crowd.”
On AJ Russell:
“Yeah, Prince Queso’s always doing his thing, getting the Ks. Love, love seeing him get his, his outings and his outs.”
On who came up with Prince Queso:
“I believe it was on Twitter somewhere. I think, was it you (Mike)? No, I saw it on Twitter somewhere.”
On Cal Stark’s great effort behind the plate:
“Yeah, he’s got great energy. I love when a catcher comes out and he’s got the energy and he knows he’s gonna have your back. I love Cal’s energy, I love throwing to him, he works hard back there and it’s always a good day.”
On preparation for Kentucky’s running game:
“Have a little bit of understanding that they might try a few different things as far as small ball goes, just trying to get things to work for their offense. Just a couple thoughts on it, knowing that it’s there and something that they pride themselves on and try to execute in their game.”
On being aware of Kentucky’s small ball style:
“Yeah I think they tried it twice on me, I don’t think they got one down. Oh they did to Burke, but, we handled it. We practiced bunt plays. Just handled it.”
On facing Jared Dickey in practice:
“I haven’t had to face him in a minute. I think the last time I faced him, I hot him on a cutter in, so, I got you, Dickey.”
On the last time he faced Griffin Merritt:
“I think that was in the fall, so Christmas happened between now and then. I don’t remember.”
Griffin Merritt
On his two home runs:
“I hope that is the same thing towards the end of the year, but I don’t want to mouth off to Blake right now. He can kind of put me in the dust pretty quick. But I just felt good at the plate. I felt good the last couple weeks. Just went out there and executed. Trying to put good swings on the ball and if they go, they go. I am not up there thinking hit a home run. But if I do what I have trained to do, I feel like it puts me in a good position to drive the ball. It is always nice when guys get on base and we can put together big innings because of it.”
On Tennessee’s seven-run third inning:
“I think it started with a walk. I think Maui (Ahuna) walked and that is huge to go get a leadoff guy on base. I think it is a little thing that gets overlooked a lot. But Maui got on base and Hunter (Ensley) destroys that ball to left, (Jared) Dickey gets into one. We got guys on base. I think for us an offense, it is important for us to have as many people as we can on so when we do run into some — because we will — it is nice when they are not solo homers.”
On hitting line drive homers:
“I have really just been trying to work to stay through the ball. Sometimes when you spin off it, you can kind of flare a ball up high. When you get it flush, I am just trying to get to the contact and stay through it and stay on it. V has worked with me a lot on not spinning off the ball. Staying through it helps me. My bat might be on path with the ball in it and through it so it is more of a flush feeling of contact.”
On how impressive Jared Dickey’s consistency is:
“I think is the hardest thing to do in baseball as a hitter at least. Everybody wants consistency. It is extremely difficult to do. Hats off to that guy. I think it is pretty easy to see why he is having so much success. He is willing to do whatever it is in that at-bat to be successful. If they shift, he is willing to put down in a bunt for a hit. He gets to two strikes, he is willing to shorten up and chop a ball through the middle. If he is in an advantage count, he is willing to do damage. He is just a really good hitter. Consistency like you said is the hardest thing to do in this sport. When you have an approach like that, it gives you the best chance to be consistent. He is just a good hitter. He can do a lot of things. He has a lot of tools in his belt to be able to use. As a hitter, that is the best thing you can have.”
On the reason for his recent success:
“Just staying focused on what I can control and trying to prepare the same way everyday, whether if I know I am in there and I am not — or if I am not, showing up to the field and taking my BP and prep work the same way every day. If I am not in there, just trying to stay locked in. Sometimes, you are not in there and you can kind of doze off or you are frustrated and something and you tune out of the game. For me, staying locked into the baseball game so if I do come in later, I feel like I am prepared. It is not a surprise to me. Then you get in the box, things can speed up.”
