Will The Rams Run It Back?
Tennessee dominated Georgia Southern from start to finish Sunday, scoring in the first inning and not looking back to earn a 14-0 victory.
The win completes the opening-series sweep of Georgia Southern as the Vols leave the opening weekend 3-0.
Here’s notes and quotes from the win.
FINAL NUMBERS
NOTES
– Freshman Drew Beam made his Tennessee debut, getting the start as the Vols looked to complete the series sweep. Beam served as the opener, turning in three scoreless innings, surrendering one hit and three walks while striking out one.
Beam was solid in the debut, repping a fastball that sat low 90s and topped out at 94 MPH. The Eagles got very little hard contact off the right-hander, but Beam struggled putting batters away with his offspeed, leading to three walks.
– One weekend into the series and it looks like Camden Sewell is going to move into the high use bullpen arm Sean Hunley was a season ago. Sewell turned in two perfect innings out of the bullpen on Friday and allowed just one baserunner in two scoreless innings Sunday.
Sewell certainly has the talent to be a weekend starter, and Vitello said he would start games this year, but the senior has the makings for the role Hunley served last season.
– After Tennessee’s offense leaned on the longball the first two games of the series, the Vols tallied 14 runs on Sunday without hitting a home run. The Vols’ offense unleashed a consistent onslaught on the Eagles, scoring runs in six of eight innings.
Twelve different Vols recorded hits and 10 recorded RBIs.
– Jordan Beck didn’t have a hit the first two days of the series, but came alive in the finale going three-of-three with two RBI singles, a double and a walk.
Tennessee had preseason stars struggle early in the season last year, but had the hitting depth to win despite it. The Vols’ need Beck to be the preseason All-American he is and Sunday was a good step forward.
– With all Tennessee replaced from last year’s team and the injuries they had in the preseason, that’s a fantastic opening weekend for Tony Vitello’s squad.
The Vols outscored Georgia Southern 33-3 for its fourth straight opening series sweep.
– Tennessee will be back at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday when they host Tennessee Tech and UNC Asheville.
QUOTES
Tony Vitello on Drew Beam
“I think it’s another version of Chase Burns. I mean, I think Chase is pretty dang advanced but Beam has stuff too that’s advanced. It’s very evident that he played quarterback in high school. He kind of has that athleticism, he can field his position, he has leadership skills to him and, to me, he’s not a guy that gets nervous. He may come into a situation where he doesn’t get the job done, but it’s not going to be because the lights were a little too bright. That’s a good combination for a freshman and I was glad we were able to do it. I think that’s a first for coach Anderson and I— to have two freshmen start opening weekend.”
Vitello on how appealing using Sewell like Hunely is
“For me or him? He wants to start, but so does everyone else on the pitching staff. I think, for now, you’re just trying to get guys to gobble up innings or manage innings because we do not have guys built up to throw seven or eight innings. I think it’s appealing to use Camden is any role and he’s shown that whether it’s close or just come in and get out of a jam, long relief or obviously start as well, which he’ll do that at some point this year too.”
Vitello on scoring 14 runs with zero home runs
“There were some competitive at-bats where guys just grinded their way on base but the highlight of the day is there were multiple balls hit into the right-center gap for right-handed hitters and a couple times lined missiles down the right field line. You have to be a really good hitter to hit a ball as a right-handed hitter sharply down the right field line on a line or vice versa for a lefty down the third base line. Call it back side or oppo hitting or whatever, that was kind of the highlight of the day instead of home runs. I’ll take it any way we can get it.”
Drew Beam on pitching injuries opening up an opportunity for him
“I knew there were some shoes to fill, and so did the rest of the team. I think we did a good job of filling them or the time being, but, again, it’s going to be a great blessing when they come back. We’ll just be even deeper with our pitching.”
Jordan Beck on Seth Stephenson
“He’s honestly my favorite player on the team, if I can have one of those. I just like watching the kid run. He can do a lot of different things on defense and on offense. He’s definitely a tool for us.”
Beck on if he learned anything about this team this weekend
“To be honest, I think this is the group I saw all fall. We have a dangerous team top-to-bottom. I think you could flip the lineup anyway you wanted to. With the staff we have and the reliever we got, I think this is exactly what I expected.”
