Tony Vitello puts Tennessee Vols starter on blast after loss to Vanderbilt

"Nothing," Tony Vitello said in response to what Tennessee could do better after Vanderbilt stole eight bases on Saturday. "(Cannon) Peebles threw two guys out. We got a different starting pitcher tomorrow, so the other guy (Marcus Phillips) needs to get better at it, or he's not going to pitch." 

Vitello went on to note the pattern of recent, let's say, less than stellar showings from Phillips on the mound recently for Tennessee. 

"The A&M game, other than LSU, it's kind of been about five, six innings, four runs, and again, we're in the fourth inning, it's 4-2 and we didn't get over. It was kind of a quirky play. (Vanderbilt's Jonathan) Vastine hit the base, hit the white base, and Fisch (Andrew Fischer) was able to still maintain the play, but Vastine can run. The inning got extended right there by mistake, so it turned into the five-run inning deal, and I think ultimately that kind of changes things a little bit down the road for how the rest of it all went, too."

Vitello's frustration came from Vanderbilt continuing an alarming trend against Phillips - stealing bases.  The Vols' Saturday starter has seen opponents rack up stolen bases against him at an alarmingly higher rate than the rest of Tennessee pitching. As of late April, that rate was 88.2% success against Phillips compared to 73.6% for the rest of the pitching staff.  He allowed 8 steals in Tennessee's 4-1 loss to Kentucky on April 19, although he managed to battle and allow just 2 runs (none earned) with 8 strikeouts and keep the Vols in that game. 

Tennessee will only go as far as its starting pitching beyond Friday night ace Liam Doyle takes them. Right now, it's taking a lot of opposing players around the base paths, and that's something that's likely going to have to change for the Vols to reach Omaha for the fourth time in the last five seasons.