What USM Coach Scott Berry, Golden Eagle Players Said About Tennessee Baseball
Tennessee baseball is headed to the College World Series, knocking off Southern Miss in the Hattiesburg Super Regional.
It was the end of legendary Southern Miss’ coach Scott Berry’s career and the Golden Eagles’ coach spoke kindly of Tony Vitello and his program following the game.
Here’s what Berry and Southern Miss players said about the Vols over the course of the weekend.
More From RTI: Tony Vitello’s Best Coaching Job Sends Tennessee To Omaha
Scott Berry
Following Sunday’s games
On What Changed After Tennessee’s Six-Run Fourth Inning
“I don’t know, I’d say Dollander got a lot of confidence in that situaCon. He gives up a four-spot and [Southern Miss 1B Christopher] Sargent’s three-run homer. His team just like if it was our team, we answer back and that guy on the mound feels like it’s not by himself and that he’s got others around him. The team responded. They were able to lead off that inning with a double and situaConal hibng got them all through in the right side. And we had four errors throughout the game and a couple of those runs came off an error that would’ve kept it, I wish, a two-run game with four innings led to play, but that’s how it goes someCmes. I think Dollander probably fed a bit off of that and how his team responded.”
Following Monday’s game
Opening statement
“First of all, I want to congratulate Tennessee on their berth to the College World Series. I know they work hard just like we do and certainly they came out and played very well today. Most deserving of that to move ahead and we wish them to best in Omaha.”
On Tennessee’s pitching
“It was really good. I honestly thought that Beam, as far as starters, I thought he had the best stuff of the three and the other two were pretty good. The biggest thing is that the freebies weren’t there to build some momentum for us, we couldn’t string the hits together and that’s a credit to them. Not being able to let us have any momentum, that we had to work to get on with base hits, and we hit some balls hard, especially off Beam. Burns was a little different creature. Sitting there in triple digits, that’s pretty tough there with him. Very elite pitching. We knew that going in, the numbers indicated that. The two guys today I thought were really good. Of course, the one guy, Combs, that they brought in to deal with a situation to get out of it, they just really never gave us any chance to get going.”
Pitcher Tanner Hall following Sunday’s games
On Tennessee’s Success in Fifth Inning
“They were just really gebng their Cmely hits. It wasn’t really something I felt like I was doing differently. I felt like I was making the same pitches. I definitely leO a pitch or two up to make it a li2le easier for them, but they definitely capitalized on the mistakes I made and along with some mistakes in the field and I think that’s why they were able to get that momentum and keep going and make that inning a lot longer than it should’ve been. I was making pitches but they were gebng good swings off and pubng the ball in play and that’s something you have to do in the game, especially when your backs are against the wall. I felt like they did really well that inning to capitalize.”
Shortstop Dustin Dickerson following Sunday’s game
On Chase Dollander’s Performance
“He’s a really good pitcher. We got to him early on and he kind of se2led in aOer that. He’s got an electric fastball and three other pitches that he can land for strikes that keep you off-balance. His fast ball got some more live as the game went on and that’s a credit to him and how good he is.”
Infielder Danny Lynch following Monday’s game
“It’s like Coach Berry said, the walks weren’t there. Beam, he had really good stuf fand he was in the zone. When you have really good stuff and you’re not getting the freebies, it’s going to be tough to score. You’ve got to string together a bunch of hits and we weren’t able to do that. Then obviously Burns came in and he has electric stuff. He gave us a little bit there in the ninth but we couldn’t string it together.”
Source: Rocky Top Insider
