Tennessee
Tony Vitello explains his ejection in Tennessee baseball vs Auburn series finale
Tony Vitello thought Levi Clark went around on a check swing in the fourth inning of Tennessee baseball’s series finale against Auburn.
The Vols coach also thought Auburn’s Eric Guevara went around on a check swing in the fifth inning. Only Clark’s was called a swing and the different rulings were on Vitello’s mind as he stormed from the dugout and headed toward an ejection.
“Probably the comparison of the check swings of Levi versus — Levi won’t like hearing it, but I think he went,” Vitello said. “I think both guys went.
The Vols coach was tossed in UT’s 8-1 loss in the series finale at Lindsey Nelson Stadium as Tennessee lost its third straight series.
It was Vitello’s first ejection since March 19, 2023, against Missouri. It is the fifth in his career. He was ejected against Kentucky in his first season in 2018, against Vanderbilt in 2021, and against Alabama in 2022.
Why Tony Vitello was ejected in Tennessee baseball vs. Auburn
Vitello ran onto the field after pitcher Brayden Krenzel walked Guevara to score a run in a run in the fifth inning. The third ball to Guevara featured a check-swing call that Vitello was displeased with.
Vitello went to home-plate umpire John Brammer after Krenzel walked Guevara on the following pitch. He then yelled at third-base umpire Javerro January, who was behind the plate in Game 2. He had fire for second-base umpire Ben Levin, who had Tennessee irate with his strike zone in Game 1. He finished with a brief exchange with first-base umpire Richard Riley before heading into the dugout.
January was the umpire who tossed Vitello.
Vitello indicated there was probably “spillover” from the first game when tensions arose and Vols pitcher Liam Doyle was tossed in the 11th inning. Doyle was ejected following an exchange at home plate with Auburn’s Bristol Carter after Doyle tagged Carter out trying to steal home to end the inning.
“If anything, these guys that are out there between the lines should probably get to say some things to each other and probably should be granted that right,” Vitello said.
The Vols trailed 6-0 when Vitello was ejected after Krenzel walked in back-to-back runs.
UT lost the opener 6-1 to the Tigers then won 5-4 on a walk-off single in the 11th inning in Game 2.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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Tennessee
Trump pardons former Tennessee House speaker and his aide, who were convicted on federal corruption charges
President Donald Trump pardoned former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren, who were convicted on federal corruption charges.
Casada, a Republican, was sentenced in September to 36 months in prison after being convicted on 17 charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Cothren, the aide, received a shorter sentence.
Casada confirmed the pardon on Thursday in a statement to NBC affiliate WSMV in Nashville, saying: “Yes the president called me today and granted me a full pardon. I am grateful of his trust and his full confidence in my innocence through this whole ordeal.”
In a statement, a White House official confirmed Trump’s decision to pardon Casada and Cothren and blamed the Biden administration for over-prosecuting the two men.
“The Biden Department of Justice significantly over-prosecuted these individuals for a minor issue involving constituent mailers — which were billed at competitive prices, never received a complaint from legislators, and resulted in a net profit loss of less than $5,000. The Biden DOJ responded with an armed raid, perp walk, and suggested sentences exceeding 10 years — penalties normally reserved for multimillion-dollar fraudsters,” the official told NBC News.
The investigation of both men began during Trump’s first term — and the raids of their homes — were conducted in January 2021, while Trump was still in office. The judge who oversaw the case and handed down Casada and Cothren’s sentences was appointed by Trump in his first term.
The charges against Casada and Cothren centered on a consulting firm they founded with another lawmaker, called Phoenix Solutions. Prosecutors alleged that the former House speaker and his aide used the company to illegally funnel money to themselves for campaign and taxpayer-funded work, including by organizing a $52,000 mailer program for Tennessee lawmakers.
Prosecutors said they used a false name — Matthew Phoenix — to run the company.
Several years before Casada was charged, he served as House speaker in Tennessee, but resigned in 2019 after a no-confidence vote by his fellow lawmakers. The vote came in the wake of another scandal involving Casada and Cothren, where the two were accused of exchanging sexually explicit text messages about women. Casada apologized for the texts and said that they were “not the person I am.”
The president this term has also pardoned several other former politicians, including former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, former Tennessee GOP state Sen. Brian Kelsey and former GOP Las Vegas City Councilmember Michele Fiore. He also commuted former GOP Rep. George Santos’ prison sentence.
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