It's been a long road back from elbow surgery for Tennessee pitcher Rob Catapano, and he took another step forward Sunday.
Catapano, a former Farragut High School and University of North Carolina pitcher, went five innings and allowed one hit and no runs in the Vols' 3-2 victory over Kennesaw (Ga.) State in 11 innings at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
UT (6-5) split two games against both Kennesaw State and Binghamton (N.Y.).
"It was big. We needed that win," Catapano said. "We've got a great team. Hitting is contagious. It's good to end the weekend with a win."
Catapano gave the Vols their fourth solid start. In the four games, UT starters Bryan Morgado, Steven Gruver, Stephen McCray and Catapano pitched a combined 27 innings and allowed 13 hits and three earned runs. The starters combined for 22 strikeouts and three walks.
Catapano had three strikeouts and no walks, but hit a batter.
"All four games, it's the best since I've been here, not even close," UT coach Todd Raleigh. "Our pitching is unbelievable and to think we got four starts like that, and how we didn't go 4-0, too many double plays and too many leaving people on."
Kennesaw State (4-8) took a 2-0 lead into the ninth and was within a strike of the victory. Cody Hawn had a two-out RBI single and Cody Stubbs pushed across the tying run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Blake Forsythe had the game-winning RBI single in the 11th giving Steve Crnkovich (1-0) the win.
Catapano threw 62 pitches, 43 for strikes. Raleigh had Catapano on a pitch count.
"That was his longest (outing) and it was good, but maybe next time we can get him out there a little more," Raleigh said.
Catapano pitched two innings for the Vols before Sunday, when he got his first start.
"I didn't know I was on a pitch count, which I think is better, just not to think about it," Catapano said. "I felt great out there, just to be out there for the first start and to help the team out. It's just fun to be out there. I had a good time."
Catapano pitched two seasons for North Carolina (2007 and '08). He was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 innings with no starts as a freshman and was 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA with seven starts as a sophomore.
Catapano had surgery in July of 2008 to remove bone spurs from his elbow and had his elbow shaved down. It was 18 months before Catapano pitched again in UT's season-opening series against Xavier.
"I feel good," Catapano said. "It's nice to be out on the mound again competing. I try not to think about it and just let it go and have fun."
Dave Link is a freelance contributor.
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Comments » 6
Ironcity writes:
Don't come into our house Kennesaw and Bingington and expect a sweep of the once mighty Vols. One week Raliegh is talking about this being his best hitting team the next week he talks about this being the best pitching team. I look up and we are 6-5. Clearly our coach is trying to keep a positive outlook but it appears to me he is grasping at straws.
Futurecoach16 writes:
This team, on paper (and seen in the first 2 weekends), is by far the best hitting team Raleigh has had. It just sucks that they all seemed to go into a slump at the same time. If this team can get back to hitting and the pitching stays the same, this could be awesome. At least the slump came early in the year, so they could still get out of it before SEC play.
madmax22 writes:
Raleigh plays for too many big innings and needs to play some small ball until this team starts hitting with consistency. Kennesaw played small ball and without a couple of outstanding fielding plays by pitcher Matt Ramsey in the 7th to get out of a jam, KS would have won the game. Raleigh is just not a good x and o coach.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Are we sure that Raleigh is not Buzz Peterson or that idiot Dave Clausen?
live2fish writes:
Look, Todd is a piss poor coach and everyone knows it including himself. He's on his way out, just let him self destruct and we'll have a better coach next season.
Southland writes:
just watched the Vols give up a 2 run lead in the ninth and lose in the 10th to WKU Compare the record 6-6 to other SEC teams and you will see we are in bad bad shape as a baseball team. Delmonico sure looks good to what we are now. Bad hire and I would say that followed a bad fire
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