Sports

Tennessee Rips No-Doubt HR Moments After Cameras Catch Wake Forest Baseball Coach’s Foul Language

#College Baseball
by
Tennessee baseball player Andrew Fischer celebrates a HR.

© Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / © Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images


Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

The Tennessee baseball team moved onto a Super Regional after beating Wake Forest on Monday night, 11-5. Tensions ran high in that winner-take-all matchup.

Both sides took issue with both umpiring and potentially unsportsmanlike conduct. One particular moment from the back-and-forth stuck out.

UT First baseman Andrew Fischer pleaded for Vols fans to show up and show out for what could’ve been the team’s final game. He wanted Tennessee to have a true homefield advantage with the season on the line.

Vol Nation did just that. A packed house came out to watch the home team book its ticket to the next round of postseason play. They were loud and proud in support of the program.

It showed almost immediately, when fans erupted on home plate umpire Casey Moser for missing what they believed to be a strike three call on a Wake Forest hitter. The atmosphere only intensified when a two-out, two-run homer from catcher Matt Conte followed.

Conte would be a popular name in the contest. On multiple occasions, he was involved in drama with the opposing team.

In the fourth inning of play, Tennessee’s Levi Clark threw his bat down in disgust after being hit by a pitch. He then exchanged a few words with Conte before being escorted down the first base line.

Later in the game, Vols catcher Cannon Peebles said something to Conte after a striking out at the plate. Conte was celebrating an out. Peebles took offense. It led to a Tennessee ejection. The Vols will be without their starting catcher for Game 1 of the Supers.

“[Wake Forest] Catcher celebrated the strikeout as he should. Cannon [Peebles] said something back to him as he should not… I don’t know if it had something to do with a warning being out there or not… It was a foolish mistake.”

-Tony Vitello

Tennessee baseball has a reputation for stirring the pot with their over-the-top antics. The team’s confidence can often be viewed as disrespect. The Vols weren’t the only ones riding the emotions of this particular game, though.

Cameras capture Wake Forest baseball coach’s foul language before Tennessee HR.

The Vols blew the game open with seven runs in the fourth frame. They turned a 2-1 deficit into an 8-2 lead. The final blow came off the bat of Andrew Fischer.

Prior to stepping into the batter’s box, Fischer did his best to pump up the crowd that he’d begged to come to the ballpark. Television cameras captured the moment before panning to the Wake Forest dugout for a reaction.

Footage caught head coach Tom Walter mouthing what appeared to be a not-so-nice message to the batter. Fischer responded by launching a no-doubt home run three pitches later.

What was said remains unclear. Lip readers have an idea. Neither Wake Forest nor Tom Walter have commented on the situation.

That home run offered the best possible response to the apparent trash talk. It was a kill shot.

The Demon Deacons would inch a bit closer, getting the score to 8-5 before the Vols retaliated to make the score 11-5 late. With the win, Tennessee advanced to face SEC rival Arkansas in a college baseball Super Regional. Wake Forest’s season is over.