Nichols: In Season-Ending Loss, Tennessee Chooses Relationships Over Records and Labels

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — What are villains? What are heroes?

In a nutshell, they are what we make them: evil monsters who emit and evoke the worst things we can imagine, or valiant superheroes who can do the impossible.

This season, the Tennessee baseball team has been both.

To the rest of college baseball, these Vols have been the villains: the bat-slamming, bird-flipping group that loves to win games and wreak havoc while doing so.

They embraced that identity last year, then lived it wire-to-wire this season.

And to the kids waiting by the right field fence for autographs, even after the Vols’ season-ending loss to Notre Dame? 

Well, to those children, they’re heroes: the same ones who take visits to East Tennesee Children’s Hospital or even throw a few balls after what many would consider to be a tragic ending to an incredible season.

So they lived that label wire-to-wire, too.

At the core, though, these Vols are more than villains or heroes.

They’re more than any label that any fan, broadcaster or writer can apply — they’re humans.

Just look at Cortland Lawson, who sank to the ground and kept sitting, kept watching, as Notre Dame celebrated its 7-3 win on Sunday.

Just look at Drew Gilbert, who swung for the fences every time he stepped to the plate, so eager to deliver in his return that he kept missing and popping flies instead.

Just look at Tony Vitello, who defended his players in his final press conference of the season, but not before taking a moment to acknowledge the enormity of what these Vols accomplished.

“57 wins,” Vitello said, his voice cracking. “That’s a lot.”

But ultimately, it’s the nine losses that will sting most — none more than Sunday, when the Irish took down the Vols on their own sun-scorched home turf in Game 3 of the Knoxville Super Regional.

And all it took were three decisive innings, a time

frame for which Vitello took the blame.

"A coach's job is to put his guys in position to succeed, and I didn't do that,” he said. “That will stick with me.”

So will the 3-1 lead Tennessee held with seven outs to go, the Vols and their fans practically sniffing the destination that seemed all but certain: Omaha.

Instead, David LaMacca tied the score with a tw-out, two-run shot, and Jack Hannigan sent the Irish into oblivion with a solo homer for a 4-3 lead.

They followed suit with three more insurance runs, and the pressure that once hovered began to weigh heavily across Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Then, when Evan Russell grounded into the game-ending double play, the dam finally broke.

Gone was the pressure, along with the Vols’ hopes for a national championship.

Gone was the talk, along with the massive amount of talent that had backed it up all season.

And gone was a second-straight trip to the College World Series, which had seemed all but certain given the way Tennessee punched back on Saturday.

“It’s the way that it goes,” said Vitello matter-of-factly. “I’ve had people that played baseball that have said, ‘Can’t wait to see you in Omaha.’

Ask any team in the country that gets there — it’s not automatic. I don’t think anyone had that in their mind because of what our accomplishments were.”

Whether Tennessee’s players were looking ahead or not isn’t known and won’t be known. Not now, maybe not ever.

But the fans? Oh yeah, they were ready. Flights had been booked, hotel reservations made, restaurant visits planned, all for a team that appeared destined for the mountaintop.

Instead, off they go — Evan Russell, Christian Scott, Ethan Smith, Camden Sewell, Trey Lipscomb, Luc Lipcius, Redmond Walsh, and likely Gilbert himself — to another stage of life.

But first, they had to hug.

And boy, did they, the emotions coming out in right field as players embraced and cried and laughed and cried some more.

How could they not, given what had just happened? How could they not, given what Vitello had just told reiterated?

“He said we put them in a really good position to keep this dynasty going,” said Lipcius. “So much emotion because everyone loves everyone. A fantastic team and an unforgettable one.”

One that embraced its labels, sure. One that cherished each member? Definitely.

And that’s the final analysis on this team — at least for yours truly.

Villains to some. Heroes to others. Talent that could, in full transparency, have won many more games than the total that was ultimately achieved.

But above all, a locker room full of people, relationships, and a culture that — thanks to Vitello — will thrive for a long time to come.

“Those guys out there, I’d give up every record just to have one more day with them,” summarized Walsh. “One more game, one more practice.”

“One of my favorites of all time,” added Lipcius. “But the relationships are never over.”