Dan Fleser
When Liam Doyle did a hyperactive half lap around the pitcher’s mound Monday night, gesticulating and pointing into the Lindsey Nelson Stadium crowd, my memory joined the Tennessee pitcher on his joyous romp.
My recollections sent me all the way back to 1994, watching the Rolling Stones perform in Columbia, S.C. Lead singer Mick Jagger was strutting around a stage that night in the same manner that Doyle prowled the infield during an 11-5 victory over Wake Forest. He drew the curtains on an NCAA Regional final, sending the Vols to a Super Regional at Arkansas this weekend.
The Vols’ junior left-hander was at his Jagger best while throwing 31 emotionally charged pitches in 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no hits, issuing no walks, striking out five and earning his first save of the season. The game and Tennessee’s season were teetering when he entered three days after throwing 104 pitches against Miami (Ohio). The physical demands alone were unusual. And there was the moment to consider. . . .
UT coach Tony Vitello noted afterward how many of his pitchers want the baseball, no matter the day or the circumstances. Many of them have qualities similar to Doyle’s. But none are better than him at rising to an occasion like Monday, to where he seemingly filled the spotlight completely. A superb talent and able showman merging to be an inspiration.
The combination was an unspoken reason why first baseman Andrew Fischer, who transferred with Doyle from Ole Miss and has his own flair for the dramatic, was at a loss afterward to express his appreciation: “I respect him more than I can describe with words.”
There’s only a select few pitchers during the Vitello era who have been to reach the same emotional pitch as Doyle while also maintaining the composure required for their craft. Chase Dollander and Chase Burns were wired the same way. The sight of Burns bursting off the mound, charging off the field and into the dugout following an inning-ending strikeout in a 2023 Super Regional game at Southern Miss was compelling viewing. Burns’ review of his performance was equally entertaining
“I think my eyes probably went black right there. Don’t really know what happened. . . . Just wanted to hype up the team. Was it too much? Maybe. Who knows.”
Doyle could relate.
Burns concluded by saying: “Sorry for everybody who hates it. We won, that’s all that matters. And we’re gonna keep going.”
Those Vols went all the way to Omaha, Neb., and the College World Series.
These Vols have reached a Super Regional for the fifth consecutive season. No other program has matched the consistency. There’s a lot of meat-and-potatoes baseball that goes into such a feat. Then there’s the special sauce that someone like Doyle supplies.
Small wonder that Vitello, a fiery, emotional sort himself, sprinted to his pitcher after Monday’s victory and the two of them leaped together in celebration before the coach wrestled him to the ground.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way than having Liam throw the last pitch.”
This was his show to close and assure Tennessee’s show goes on.
Dan Fleser is a 1980 graduate of the University of Missouri, who has covered University of Tennessee athletics since 1988. He is a member of the Tennessee Sportswriters, U.S Basketball Writers and Greater Knoxville Sports Halls of Fame. He can be reached at danfleser3@gmail.com.