SEC Network+ / Orange and White Nation
Tempers flared in a Sunday afternoon baseball game between Tennessee and Auburn. A forceful tag by a Vols defender caused benches to clear in the first meeting of a doubleheader.
Those tensions were eventually calmed before the home team smacked a walk-off hit to end the matchup in extra innings. Fireworks were then reignited in Game 2!
Auburn entered the day leading 1-0 in the three-game set after a 6-1 win in the opener. The Vols evened things up with a 5-4 win on Sunday.
That contest went to extra innings before Chris Newstrom ended the game with an RBI single in his final at-bat.
In the top of the 11th frame, a confrontation at home plate sparked a reaction from both sides. The Tigers attempted to take a lead before having a baserunner tagged out after rounding third base. That tag was unnecessarily forceful.
Before Chris Newstrom’s walk-off winner, things got just a tad heated between Tennessee and Auburn #Vols pic.twitter.com/FGrZTA6k22
— Sam Rothman (@samrothman_) May 4, 2025
Both dugouts ran onto the field before being separated by coaches and officials. An ugly scene was avoided despite the disrespectful act.
Benches semi clear in Knoxville 👀
Liam Doyle puts the tag on Auburn runner in run down. Someone from the broadcast team tried to cut away to commercial and then came back lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/lj1p56LdjL
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 4, 2025
It wouldn’t the only contentious moment of the afternoon.
Tennessee baseball coach goes bananas after ejection.
Early into Game 2 of the doubleheader, Tony Vitello was tossed by the umpiring crew. He then made it a point to voice his displeasure to each official on the diamond before walking back to the clubhouse.
Tony Vitello let every umpire know how bad they are at their jobs.
This has possibly been the worst umpired series I’ve ever seen pic.twitter.com/XNGLyS0K44
— Sam (@sthorn_23) May 4, 2025
That reaction is nothing new for Vitello, who’s gone viral in the past for his responses to being tossed. He’s one of the fieriest coaches in the league, and his team takes on that persona. Vitello has a history with Auburn, too.
In 2022, he erupted on the Tigers after a batter flipped his bat in the coach’s direction. His ensuing temper tantrum went instantly viral.
Tony Vitello was unable to provide a spark for his team on Sunday, which fell behind 7-0 early in that rubber match. He could only watch the Vols’ comeback attempt from the locker room.