Tennessee's Tony Vitello sends message to his team after Vols drop series to Vanderbilt

The Tennessee Vols won the opening game of a three-game series against the Vanderbilt Commodores this past Friday, but UT dropped the next two games of the series which resulted in the program's fourth straight SEC series loss. 

UT has now lost five of its last six SEC series. 

Tennessee's series loss to Vanderbilt was also the Vols' fourth straight SEC series loss at home. 

In three of the Vols' last four series losses in Knoxville, Tennessee won the opening game of the series before dropping the second game of the series, and then, ultimately, the rubber game of the series. 

Playing better on Saturdays (which is typically the second game of a weekend SEC series) is something that Vols head coach. Tony Vitello mentioned on Sunday (after the loss to Vandy) that Tennessee needs to be better at moving forward. 

"Saturday needs to be better," said Vitello. "Day two needs to be better. I don't give a s--- who's pitching or who's playing. (Vols Friday starter) Liam Doyle comes out, and the guy's a freaking warrior, and our guys take on that personality. Unfortunately, it's the SEC so the other team usually has a warrior like JD Thompson, or a guy that's going to be in the big leagues, should be in the big leagues right now, down there in Baton Rouge (Kade Anderson). So it's usually kind of a back and forth. But then the next day isn't what it needs to be. I could give you a few conspiracy theories. I think you guys brought that up, I was on the scoreboard.

"But I don't really know. I just know what I'm watching, and that can affect and carry and put a little more pressure into day three. So, ideally you want to be the same type of team every day, but each day's got a new personality....if anything, maybe like their coach, some of the players are just trying too hard, as opposed to not trying enough, or maybe thinking a little too much, as opposed to not thinking at all."

Winning on Saturdays is certainly critical to winning a weekend series. As Vitello pointed out, dropping the second game of the series puts added pressure on winning on Sundays. And the Vols, for whatever reason, haven't handled that pressure on Sundays very well over the last month. 

Vitello acknowledged on Sunday that the outside noise can have an impact on how his team plays. 

"When the outside noise is loud enough, it starts to creep in, and that can affect you or affect the team as well," said Vitello. "But it's kind of up to us, as a wise man told us at the beginning of the weekend, was, the best teams or the best things to do in tough times, in particular, is to get closer together."

The Vols will get a chance to end the regular season on a high note this weekend when they travel to Fayetteville for a weekend series against the Arkansas Razorbacks.