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Frustrating day for the Tennessee offense in tough, one-run loss

On3 imageby: Eric Cain06/08/25_Cainer
Hunter Ensley. Credit: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Hunter Ensley. Credit: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s a shame Tennessee lost the ballgame because it was a well-played contest. Both teams pitched the baseball well. Both teams played pretty solid defense. The difference in Tennessee’s 4-3 loss in the Fayetteville Super Regional opener? One team hit the baseball better than the other.

Diving down deeper into the box score, Arkansas starting pitcher Zach Root was the difference.

“I think a lot of guys were really good out on that field, because there’s a lot of talent, but the difference was (Arkansas starter Zach) Root,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said in postgame. “Be easier to specifically analyze when you re-watch that video, but I think it’s kind of an easy one to say that we would have liked to of, and potentially could have done better, but he had it going on today too.”

Root retired the Tennessee lineup in order the first time through. The streak got u to 12-straight before the leadoff man reached base to begin the fifth inning. From there, Dean Curley finally got to the southpaw with a two-run home run out in left-centerfield.

That was the only hit the Vols would muster against the Razorback starter as he allowed four base runners total off one hit, two walks and one (defensive) error.  

“Gavin (Kilen) was aggressive on the first pitch. He’s a little out front, and then Fisch (Andrew Fischer) just missed one,” Vitello said of the at-bats against Root. “But after that, he (Root) got it rolling downhill a little bit on us. So, I think the key against him is to get him off the stretch, get somebody on base, and we just did not do that enough.”

The score was close all game, but the paths were much different as the Razorbacks tallied 10 hits in the ballgame. Tennessee plated its three runs on two home runs, the only hits of the ballgame for the Big Orange. Arkansas plated one on a wild pitch, two on a home run and one more on an RBI single later in the ballgame.

Marcus Phillips stranded five men on base as the Hogs started the contest just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-12 with runners on base. Tennessee’s righty benefited from two massive double play balls and stood his ground when runners threatened.

“He (Marcus Phillips) was throwing that sinker and we were hitting into double plays,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said postgame. “We set up some good innings and then he did a great job pitching his way out of it and he kept it close.”

The final score was going to be close regardless, but thanks to Andrew Fischer’s solo home run in the ninth, it ended in a one-run defeat. It’s a game where the opposing pitcher absolutely dominated, yet the Vols were never out of it.

With the season on the line Sunday afternoon, Tennessee’s offense needs a better day. There’s plenty of confidence in that happening – as there should be – as the Vols have swung the bat well the past month on the diamond.

Tennessee and Arkansas battle for Game 2 of the Fayetteville Super Regional on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET.

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