Tennessee baseball is seven games into its national championship defense, winning all seven games and run-ruling its opponents in five of them.
The Vols’ first four wins came against lifeless Hofstra and a UNC Asheville game devoid of pitching. But Tennessee faced a real test against Samford this weekend and played some competitive games while adding three more wins. Tennessee faces North Alabama in a midweek game on Tuesday before traveling to Texas to face a pair of top 25 teams in the Astros College Classic next weekend.
What have we learned about Tony Vitello’s eighth Volunteer squad in the season’s first seven games? Taking a look at five takeaways in this edition of the Tennessee baseball notebook.
Marcus Phillips Is Tightening His Grip On The Saturday Starting Spot
Tennessee gave junior Marcus Phillips the ball on the first two Saturdays of the season but after an up-and-down sophomore season, it did not feel like Phillips had locked down that spot.
Phillips hasn’t been perfect in his first two starts but he’s been solid. The command has been shaky at time still including two walks against Hofstra and three walks against Samford. But he’s allowed just one earned run in 8.2 innings pitched and was dominant for stretches against Samford, retiring 11 straight Bulldogs at one point.
Tony Vitello’s comments about Phillips tell the story through two weeks.
“For right now, it seems that Marcus will start a lot of games,” Vitello said on Saturday.
The Freshmen Are Here
There was as much hype for Tennessee’s group of freshman hitters as any other in Vitello’s tenure entering the season. Jay Abernathy, Manny Marin, Levi Clark and Chris Newstrom all entered the season with buzz and they’ve lived up to it.
All four players have started at least two games and are combining to hit 20-for-42 (.476) and are getting on base at a staggering .589 rate.
Marin is a smooth defensive option and Abernathy is a good at-bat machine and a weapon when he gets on the bases having already stolen five bases this season. Vitello called Newstrom a guy that craves the competition of game days. The right-handed bat has five RBIs and has proven to be a good defensive option in left field.
Then there’s Clark who has three home runs in 16 plate appearances including the go-ahead eighth inning grand slam on Saturday.
The quarters emergence is making Vitello’s life difficult. When SEC play comes around, some of these guys will inevitably run into some struggles. But all are pushing for playing time right now and it’s muddying up Tennessee’s quest for a consistent, every day lineup.
More From RTI: Everything Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Baseball Finished Sweeping Samford
Stone Lawless Is Emerging As A 1B Catching Option
Another young player emerging in the first two weeks of the season is redshirt freshman catcher Stone Lawless. The right-handed bat has started three games behind the plate. Following the Sunday game, Vitello said he couldn’t quantify just how much Lawless has improved defensively from his first to second college season.
Lawless has always had the pop in his bat and he’s proving it this season. He’s hitting four-for-eight with a home run, a double and four RBIs.
Despite a rough weekend against Samford, Cannon Peebles has been solid this season too. I don’t think Peebles is going to lose the starting job like he did last season. But Lawless is emerging as option 1B for Tennessee behind the plate and will be involved this season.
Reese Chapman Running With Opportunity, Dalton Bargo Isn’t
Juniors Reese Chapman and Dalton Bargo were in similar spots entering the season. Both were key bench players and part time starters last season. They are two dudes looking to step up as stars for a lineup that lost an abundance of them.
Through seven games, Chapman has the consistency he’s often lacked his first two seasons. Hitting in the bottom third of Tennessee’s lineup, Chapman is hitting nine-of-22 with a double, two home runs and eight RBIs. Chapman has locked down the right field job that was his to lose entering the season.
Bargo is a utility man that can help Tennessee in a number of spots and has not hit the ground running and locked down a starting spot this season. It hasn’t all been bad for Bargo. He’s tied for a team-best three home runs due to a pair of midweek blasts against UNC Asheville.
But in six weekend games, Bargo is hitting one-of-19 with a home run. Bargo is still going to get opportunities and he could turn it on. But with the freshman’s success and Bargo’s sputtering start, the former Missouri transfer is struggling to take the reigns of one spot.
Sunday Starting Job Very Uncertain
While Phillips is locking up the Saturday starting job, the Sunday spot remains up in the air. Nate Snead was solid, but not great, there the first weekend of the season. Then Vitello went to Snead in a big spot out of the bullpen on Saturday against Samford instead of saving him to start Sunday.
Junior college transfer Brandon Arvidson started against UNC Asheville and against Samford and was average in more of an opener that starter role.
Both freshman Tegan Kuhns (illness) and sophomore Dylan Loy (minor injury) have yet to throw in games this season but should be returning soon. With no one grabbing the reigns of a weekend job to this point, one of those guys feels bound to earn that job long term. But for now, things are still up in the air.
