KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On a warm April Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Tennessee beat the Texas A&M Aggies in a run-rule, 10-0, in game one of the 2024 finals rematch. This game marked the second no-hitter this season.
This season has had two different outcomes for both teams after each made the finals last year. The Vols picked up where they left off after winning it all with a record of 28-2. They are still the #1 team in the country and look to go back-to-back for the first time since the South Carolina Gamecocks did it in 2010 and 2011.
The Aggies, on the other hand, have gotten off to a slow start. Despite a preseason #1 ranking, they have struggled mightily, especially in SEC play, with a 14-15 record.
The Vols started off hot in the first three innings with two home runs by Andrew Fischer to take the early 4-0 lead. Add on hits by Dean Curley, Reese Chapman, and Manny Marin, and they started the game hot.
After a scoreless fourth, Tennessee got back on the board with a leadoff solo shot by Dean Curley. This was the Vols’ third home run in this game so far. Another run was about to score that inning, but Dalton Bargo was thrown out at the plate on a close call.
The scoring didn’t end there as in the sixth inning, Ariel Antigua and Dalton Bargo had two different RBI singles, and Hunter Ensley hit a three-run homer that brought Bargo and Dean Curley home. Andrew Fischer almost got his third home run of the game as well, but the ball was caught right at the warning track.
Fischer had this to say about his success as a hitter when Doyle pitches, “I guess historically, I feel like I kind of hook it up a little bit more naturally, just when he pitches… I feel like, if you went back to my games last year at Ole Miss… I might have hit over 500 when he was pitching for our team, and there’s just something about it. When he pitches, I pick it up. And part of the reason you want to go to the same schools [as him].”
Starting pitcher Liam Doyle was lights out. His outing included six of the seven no-hit innings with eight strikeouts. He likely would have gotten a complete game if not for a blister on his left hand. Doyle said, “I wouldn’t want to come out of the game, but [it’s the] coach’s decision, I respect the coach’s decision.” He said about the injury, “It’s fine, just like a little nagging injury. Nothing to worry about.”
Head coach Tony Vitello said this about his reaction to the blister, “it was the first time, [I knew] because, like, I said, I was freaking out. Very poor composure. I didn’t know what was going on at first, and then Frank just calmly went out there, and we didn’t get charged to visit, because it was kind of a health checkup, and there wasn’t really anything you could do for it. It’s just causing a little bit of a distraction, if you will.”
After that happened, Dylan Loy came in relief to complete the combined no-hitter. Vitello said this about Loy’s efforts in relief, “efficient. And, you know, sometimes you get in that situation, and you can overcomplicate it, but he looked like himself. And I think in there was a speed bump… [but] he’s consistent, reliable. Doesn’t guarantee his success every time, but at least you know what you’re getting out of the guy.”
The Vols play a double-header to close out the series on Saturday, April 5th at 3 pm for game one and 7 pm for game two at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.