To update: The spa had a midweek inspection plaque but no weekend inspection plaque.
So the problem in the Vandy-Tennessee game is that the sticker on the bat was from a midweek game and didn’t have an updated sticker for the weekend series.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) April 1, 2022
It was widely expected that the Tennessee-Vanderbilt baseball series would be an intense rivalry battle between two disliked teams. The first controversy of the series was not long in coming.
Tennessee’s Jordan Beck hit a home run in the top of the 1st inning. Beck’s homer didn’t count, however, as he was called an “illegal bat.” As reporters noted and the video shows, the bat in question had an inspection sticker, adding to the confusion. Vols skipper Tony Vitello was predictably unhappy with the call and laid on the SEC crew at Hawkins Field.
JORDAN BECK HOME RUN JUST WAS RECALLED WITH NO STICKERS ON THE BAT. OMG pic.twitter.com/dcmoz5NmNr
– 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast 🎙 (@11point7) April 1, 2022
The bat clearly had a sticker on it… wtf happened. pic.twitter.com/aRfSlpVss5
– 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast 🎙 (@11point7) April 1, 2022
In the 2nd inning, Luc Lipcius hit a 2-run homer. He did a pseudo-bat exam after crossing the slab.
Tennessee’s Luc Lipcius hits home plate with a homer and immediately grabs the bat in taunt. pic.twitter.com/yBVxSgrtby
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) April 1, 2022
It’s going to be quite a weekend in Nashville. The Vols are up 2-0 by the end of the 2nd inning. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.