Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander will admit it. When Oklahoma went up six runs in the first inning, it would’ve been understandable for the Vols to roll over.
Tennessee had already clinched the series by winning the first two games, with a 9-7 result in Game 1 on May 14 and a 9-4 victory in a Game 2 that started on May 15 and ended the following day because of lightning. The Vols had accomplished what they set out to at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
But Tennessee started chipping away, and even as Oklahoma added to its total, the Vols drew closer. By the fifth inning it was a three-run game, and by the seventh they were within two. They pushed the Sooners to the brink, bringing the tying run to the plate on multiple occasions.
Although they ultimately couldn’t find that breakthrough moment in Game 3, which ended in a 12-9 loss on May 16, the Vols (37-19, 15-15 SEC) showed their fight all series against the Sooners (31-20, 14-16).
“Guys just staying in the fight – that’s what I wanted to see,” Elander said on May 16. “… At any point our guys need to have the confidence, regardless of what the score is, they have the ability to come back.”
In each of the first two games, Tennessee went down 3-0 within two innings. It scored four runs in the third inning both times to erase its deficits and kept the pressure on the remainder of the contest, capping the regular season with their second-most runs in an SEC series this season.
First back-to-back SEC series wins
Taking two of three games from Oklahoma accomplished something the Vols were yet to all season: win consecutive SEC series.
The last two weeks have featured some of the most consistent play from Tennessee all season. It had repeatedly missed opportunities to capitalize on momentum earlier in the season, which ultimately landed it as the No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament. But recent results provide reason to believe the Vols might be turning a corner at the most important time on the calendar.
The series victory against Texas, which finished second in the SEC, was comprehensive. The explosive offense the Vols flashed against the Longhorns carried over to Oklahoma City, and they ended their regular season with wins in seven of their last nine games.
Levi Clark finished the regular season strong
Sophomore Levi Clark has added an extra dimension to Tennessee’s lineup with his resurgence in the final five weeks of the regular season. His two-run home run in Game 3, which traveled 432 feet, was his ninth in SEC play, tied with Henry Ford for most on the team. In SEC play, Clark hit .292 with a team-leading 27 RBIs.
Clark’s batting average dipped to .175 on April 7, but Elander continued to express confidence that Clark would break out of his slump. Since then, Clark has raised his average 59 points to .234.
In games where Clark homers, the Vols are 9-2.
Landon Mack was badly missed – again
Landon Mack was unavailable to pitch in the final game of the series, missing his second consecutive start because of arm soreness. Elander reiterated that Mack remains day-to-day.
The Vols have missed Mack dearly in his two missed starts. They allowed a combined 25 runs in those games against Texas and Oklahoma, giving up at least four runs in the first inning both times. Oklahoma had a six-run first inning, although the Vols’ infield didn’t do the pitching staff any favors with multiple errors.
“With the limitations we have with the (bullpen), we need length from the starters,” Elander said.
With pitching depth a concern, the absence of Mack would be a major blow to Tennessee’s hopes of making a run in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Up next
The Vols will play No. 15 seed South Carolina (22-34, 7-23 SEC) in the first round on May 19 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama. They face a five-game path to the title through the 16-team, single-elimination bracket.
If Tennessee beats South Carolina, it would play No. 7 seed Arkansas (36-19, 17-13) in the second round on May 20 (5:30 p.m., SEC Network), with the winner matching up with No. 2 seed Texas (40-12, 19-10). That quarterfinal would be played on May 22 (4 p.m., SEC Network).
Semifinals will be played on May 23 before the championship game on May 24.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: emmett.siegel@knoxnews.com; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What Tennessee baseball’s series win vs Oklahoma means for SEC Tournament