Tony Vitello Announces Starting Pitchers For Opening Weekend Series for Tennessee Baseball

Tennessee head baseball coach Tony Vitello during the Tennessee Orange & White scrimmage baseball game at the Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tenn., on Friday, November 8, 2024. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers begin their national title defense on the diamond Friday night as the 2025 baseball season begins. Head coach Tony Vitello has announced the first two starting pitchers.

For the first time in school history, the Tennessee Volunteers begin their national title defense in 2025. The year of 2024 was filled with yet another College World Series appearance, yet it culiminated with a national title for the first time in school history after head coach Tony Vitello had placed the Vols in the College World Series for the third time in just four seasons.

Entering the 2025 title defense run, the Vols are preseason ranked No. 4 according to ESPN entering the season and have reasonable title odds to repeat as champs. They will be bolstered by yet another lineup comprised with ample firepower at the plate. Though Tuesday's news revovles around the pitching staff.

Vitello announced Tuesday that LHP Liam Doyle will be the Friday night starter in the season opener against Hofstra, and RHP Marcus Phillips will start on Saturday. He did not announce the Sunday starter just yet.

Doyle is in his first season with the Vols, having transferred from Ole Miss where he made (11) starts during the 2024 season, and leading the Rebels with (84) strikeouts. It's Doyle's third school after beginning his career with Coastal Carolina.

Saturday's starter, Marcus Phillips is in his second season with the Vols after spending most of the 2024 season as the closer for this baseball program. Now he will become a starter for the first time in his collegiate career.

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