Tony Vitello Updates the Status of Injured Players, Recaps James Madison Midweek Stretch

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.– Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello met with the media following Tennessee's 10-2 on Wednesday to recap the Vols' midweek stretch against James Madison, the status of injured players and more.

In the first game, the BaseVols eked past James Madison with a 9-8 victory in extra innings. Tennessee and JMU were tied 7-7 when the Tuesday night bout was delayed until Wednesday afternoon, where the two squads eventually played a 10-inning game in which Tennessee came out on top by one run.

The Wednesday night game saw the Vols look much sharper at the plate, and Will Mabrey dazzled on the mound in relief. Tennessee would tie the single-game program record of seven home runs. And Jared Dickey hit two of those, further solidifying himself as a serviceable bat for a deep Tennessee lineup.

The Vols were without Drew Gilbert in both games against the Dukes, as the junior outfielder is still dealing with a hamstring injury. Catcher Charlie Taylor was also out for Tennessee in the midweek battles with a finger injury. UT had to finish game two against James Madison without second baseman Jorel Ortega due to an ankle injury suffered when a Duke performed a slide into second.

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello updated the status of Taylor and shed more light on what happened to Ortega during the post-game press conference on Wednesday night.

"He's going to try to catch a bullpen tomorrow," Vitello said of Taylor. "We were hoping for Friday but that might be pushing it a little bit. Jared's capable but when Chuck is healthy it's a three-headed monster back there" (at catcher with Dickey and Russell).

"I don't know [his status]," Vitello said regarding Ortega getting banged up. "Had a lot of people ask me because everyone loves him. It was a clean and legal slide that caught him flush in the ankle. He went to the training room so I'm not sure where that will leave him."

As for Gilbert, Vitello continues to declare they are being cautious with the star junior.

"He's coming along slowly, better than we thought he'd be when we got back from Houston," Vitello said of Gilbert. "Even if we were in the middle of SEC play, it would call for us to be cautious. A lot of times with hamstrings, it can be one step forward, two steps back."

Without Gilbert, the Vols were still able to deliver seven home runs in Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Wednesday night and make it a clean sweep of James Madison in the midweek two-game series.

Up next for Tennessee is a doubleheader against Rhode Island on Friday, beginning at 2 p.m. ET, with the second game starting 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first. The Vols and the Rams will also play Sunday at 12 or 1 p.m. ET to close out the final non-conference weekend series of the season.

Vitello's entire post-game press conference is in the video at the top of the article.

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