Tennessee suspends baseball coach Tony Vitello for Dayton sequence

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee suspended baseball coach Tony Vitello on Friday for the Volunteers’ weekend sequence with Dayton whereas college officers, Vitello and the NCAA deal with a violation in this system.

Officials introduced the suspension proper earlier than the third-ranked Volunteers opened a three-game set with Dayton. Josh Elander is changing Vitello as performing head coach. The college stated an replace can be offered Monday.

“Coach Vitello has acknowledged his mistake and accepted full responsibility,” Tennessee stated in a press release. “We appreciate his cooperation in the process and his dedication to do right by the student-athletes in the Tennessee baseball program.”

Tennessee cited NCAA bylaws for stopping any additional particulars being launched. But shortstop Maui Ahuna has but to be cleared to play for Tennessee after transferring to the varsity final June.

Ahuna was an All-Big 12 participant at Kansas who batted .396 with eight homers and 48 RBIs. The Vols have been the No. 1 total seed within the NCAA event final yr, solely to lose to Notre Dame within the tremendous regionals.

Vitello was suspended for 4 video games final season by the NCAA for chest-bumping umpire Jeffrey Macias throughout a confrontation in a sport towards Alabama. Vitello teamed up with a fraternity to lift cash for the Wounded Warriors Project with a chest bump for a $2 donation.