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Raleigh: Vols learning to fight for victories
UT leads, falters, rallies to edge Presbyterian
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For three innings, Tennessee looked like a team primed and ready to take on LSU this weekend.
After that, first-year head coach Todd Raleigh would rather forget with a quick fast forward to the bottom of the 10th inning.
It was touch and go there for a while against Presbyterian College on Wednesday.
The Vols (9-4) squandered a five-run lead and had to rally for an 8-7, extra-inning victory against the Blue Hose at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
"We obviously didn't play like we did (against MTSU on Tuesday)," Raleigh said. "But trying to be positive, we did come back.
"I'm not happy, but I'm happy we're learning to fight a little bit because we had every reason to lose that game."
Sophomore transfer Tanner Moore played hero when he laced a one-out, walkoff double to center to score Jeff Lockwood from first in the 10th.
"It was a good day," Moore said. "We just need to stay consistent with our play, but I love the heart that everybody showed because that's the one thing that's going to help us in the long run."
Until the 10th inning, the bottom five hitters in UT's lineup were a combined 0-for-18. Lockwood led off the 10th to snap that hitless stretch.
Senior left fielder Shawn Griffin and freshman center fielder Kentrail Davis were the hitting stars against the Blue Hose.
Griffin was 4-for-4 with three RBIs and Davis continued his torrid pace with a 4-for-4 day and a walk.
"On Sunday, we were down to the last out in the first game against Eastern Michigan, two outs and he drills a double," Raleigh said of Griffin. "He has been huge for us and he carried us today."
UT provided starter Zane Stone with a 5-0 lead after two innings, but things went south in a hurry.
The Vols committed three errors in a two-run fourth for the Blue Hose (5-7). In the fifth, reliever DJ Lefler hit the first two batters he faced, walked one and uncorked a wild pitch to allow two more Presbyterian runs and make it a 5-4 game.
The Blue Hose - led by Steven Henry's 4-for-4, two double day - got two more runs in the sixth, including a leadoff homer by Jared Combs off Ryne Simpson.
The Vols regained the lead when Andy Simunic (2-for-4, three runs) and Davis opened the bottom of the seventh with singles, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Cody Brown and scored on a two-run single by Griffin.
Meanwhile, Danny Wiltz and Aaron Everett (1-1) helped slow the Blue Hose momentum out of the bullpen.
"We have a very young team and we try to do too much at times," Griffin said. "Today, Danny Wiltz and Aaron Everett come in and they're the band aid that stopped the bleeding and gave us a chance to win that ballgame.
"That's a team win. That's how it works."
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Posted by Cherokee on March 13, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's likely to be a tough season. Anything could happen I guess, but I've seen this enough times to know that when you struggle against these small schools in the pre-conference season, that almost always portends a real rough time once the rigors of SEC play begin, where the competition will be light years ahead of most of what we've seen so far. At least we have a huge win over Texas under our belts though.
Posted by utchris2003 on March 13, 2008 at 12:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Its going to be tough, but it sounds like Raleigh is doing a good job with so many young players. The SEC is one of the toughest and most talent rich conferences in the country for Baseball. It sounds like the building blocks are there with some solid pitching for the future and stud freshmen like Davis. Stay behind them and they will come through in the next year or two.
Posted by loudonloudmouth on March 13, 2008 at 12:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I show up for the game and once again was amazed to see that Raleigh had once again attempted to out think himself and once again change a lineup that gave him error free ball and a chance to win. No Polk, no Grisham and no Forsyte. These guys contribute in ways not seen on the stat sheets. What did we get, more errors and another barn burner of catch up. The day left most of us regulars scratching our heads as I am sure it did the team as they wonder, who will be playing when the big show begins this weekend. If he stays hell bent on what he has tried lately, it's going to be a long season.
Posted by GreerVol22 on March 13, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
loudon, ever do any real cooking? There is meat, there are potatoes, carrots, seasoning, and a stove. How you put those together, cooked at the right time at the right temp will determine the quality of the stew.
Raliegh has to figure out combinations by trial and error, just like Pearl did early on, to see who is gellin'. Give it time, enjoy the game for what it is and be thankful you can actually see them play.
Posted by tigervol9802 on March 13, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Loudonloudmouth probably has his Delmonico shrine he pays homage to every night.
Posted by loudonloudmouth on March 13, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Greevol22 and tigervol9802 what I witness has nothing to do with cooking nor shrines. I dare say either of you have paid to go to a UT baseball game in your life. You have to be there to understand. If you aren't going to do that then use a few click of your mouse and go to the UT baseball site and see the stats yourself. They speak for themselves. All I am saying is that you DO NOT two days away from SEC start sending mixed signals to your teams as to who your starters will be. After all, they too are human.
Posted by liveinloudon on March 13, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My question to Raleigh is Do you realize you are a coach of an SEC team?
He keeps going on an on about the victory over MTSU and I keep asking myself who is MTSU. I think he forgot that UT plays SEC ball. We barely beat MTSU just like we barely beat Prespatyrn. If we can barely beat those types of teams we are in trouble. Loudonloudmouth says the team needs to know what is going on and not wonder daily who will be playing. This is SEC college ball not Little League. If you want the team to play confidently you must instill confidence.
Just to make it clear I was very happy to see Delmonico go. My question is who choose this guy? A Pearl he is NOT
Posted by GreerVol22 on March 13, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
tiger, its useless. The loudon sisters have already determined in all of 13 games, that Raleigh is not fit to be coaching at UT.
They would prefer a Delmonico that only in contract years produced good fundamental baseball, great draft picks, and World Series calibur teams.
Posted by tigervol9802 on March 13, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually I make about 5-10 games a year, pretty much depending on work and family. If the situation allowed it, I'd be there every game. When in college, I was.
My biggest worry about any new coach at UT has come to light though - the Pearl factor. As our friends from Loudon have already shown, if you don't win off the bat, then obviously you were a bad hire.
Posted by liveinloudon on March 13, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not being a fan of Delmonico I must admit that so far the best players on the team are his recruits....Morgado and Davis. Neither being from Tennessee. I just dont get the constant whining about more recruiting should be from the home state. Do we really care dont we just want to get the best players.
The softball team at UT is pretty darn good and most all of the players are not from Tennessee..Same with the girls and boys basketball team.
Dont we just want to win
Posted by givim6 on March 13, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To the Loudon twins:
You may watch the games but it's obvious you don't understand coaching.
I agree with the others; there's some tweaking going on that will pay dividends later in the season. He will find the right combo and be competitive.
Give him a chance. Geeeeeez.
Posted by Tbaseballfan on March 13, 2008 at 7:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Loudon.....why are you not the coach of UT, since you seem to know so much????? Most of the teams have a volunteer coach, maybe you should go for it.
Posted by liveinloudon on March 13, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
From the looks of things they could use a FEW VOLUNTEER coaches!!
By the way...Drafted by MLB out of high school MOrgado, Lima, Hernandez and Davis...from Florida and Alabama..none from Tennessee....sorry
Also Lance McLain transferred out and by the time that the coach was named most other teams had already used all of the scholarships that they had available so options were limited
Posted by liveinloudon on March 14, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ok...foolmore what round did you get drafted in? no more needs to be said!!
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