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Freshman pitcher Cam Appenzeller will start Tennessee baseball's first-round game in the SEC Tournament.
The No. 10 seed Vols play (37-19) against No. 15 seed South Carolina (22-34, 7-23 SEC) in Hoover, Alabama, on May 19 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
It will be the second career start for Appenzeller (5-1, 4.81 ERA) and first against an SEC team. The other was a one-inning start against West Georgia on April 28.
"Ton of confidence in him always and I know he's excited to get the ball tomorrow," Tennessee coach Josh Elander said on May 18.
Appenzeller spent the first half of the season as one of the best freshmen in the SEC, holding a 1.49 ERA after allowing two runs in five innings at Mississippi State on April 10. He struggled in his next four SEC appearances, giving up 18 earned runs in 8.1 innings, but looked closer to his earlier self in his final regular season appearance against Oklahoma. In 2.2 innings against the Sooners on May 14, Appenzeller allowed two runs.
“He’s a guy we’re excited about when we get down there,” Elander said. “He likes the big moment.”
Elander said that he hasn't decided who will start should Tennessee advance. If the Vols do beat the Gamecocks, they would play No. 7 seed Arkansas (36-19) in the second round on May 20 (5:30 p.m., SEC Network)
"It'll be completely day-to-day from there," Elander said. "... We want to make sure that the guys are in a good position, they're built up. Some guys maybe need a little bit more rest, some guys need to throw some more, so it's a delicate balance. As we go through each game, it'll be attack the first game and then figure it out from there."
Starter Landon Mack (4-4, 4.67 ERA) remains day-to-day as he continues to deal with arm soreness. Mack was scratched from his scheduled start against Texas on May 10 the day before and was then ruled out of the next week’s series against Oklahoma.
Elander said Mack will be on the 34-man roster for the SEC Tournament.
Other usual starters Tegan Kuhns (5-4, 3.39 ERA) and Evan Blanco (7-3, 4.56 ERA) would be on short rest if they were to pitch before a potential quarterfinal matchup with No. 2 seed Texas (40-12) on May 22 (4 p.m., SEC Network). Kuhns pitched five innings in the series opener against Oklahoma on May 14 and Blanco threw six innings the next day on May 15.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Elander started Cam Appenzeller for Tennessee baseball in SEC Tournament
Continue reading...
The No. 10 seed Vols play (37-19) against No. 15 seed South Carolina (22-34, 7-23 SEC) in Hoover, Alabama, on May 19 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
It will be the second career start for Appenzeller (5-1, 4.81 ERA) and first against an SEC team. The other was a one-inning start against West Georgia on April 28.
"Ton of confidence in him always and I know he's excited to get the ball tomorrow," Tennessee coach Josh Elander said on May 18.
Appenzeller spent the first half of the season as one of the best freshmen in the SEC, holding a 1.49 ERA after allowing two runs in five innings at Mississippi State on April 10. He struggled in his next four SEC appearances, giving up 18 earned runs in 8.1 innings, but looked closer to his earlier self in his final regular season appearance against Oklahoma. In 2.2 innings against the Sooners on May 14, Appenzeller allowed two runs.
“He’s a guy we’re excited about when we get down there,” Elander said. “He likes the big moment.”
Elander said that he hasn't decided who will start should Tennessee advance. If the Vols do beat the Gamecocks, they would play No. 7 seed Arkansas (36-19) in the second round on May 20 (5:30 p.m., SEC Network)
"It'll be completely day-to-day from there," Elander said. "... We want to make sure that the guys are in a good position, they're built up. Some guys maybe need a little bit more rest, some guys need to throw some more, so it's a delicate balance. As we go through each game, it'll be attack the first game and then figure it out from there."
Starter Landon Mack (4-4, 4.67 ERA) remains day-to-day as he continues to deal with arm soreness. Mack was scratched from his scheduled start against Texas on May 10 the day before and was then ruled out of the next week’s series against Oklahoma.
Elander said Mack will be on the 34-man roster for the SEC Tournament.
Other usual starters Tegan Kuhns (5-4, 3.39 ERA) and Evan Blanco (7-3, 4.56 ERA) would be on short rest if they were to pitch before a potential quarterfinal matchup with No. 2 seed Texas (40-12) on May 22 (4 p.m., SEC Network). Kuhns pitched five innings in the series opener against Oklahoma on May 14 and Blanco threw six innings the next day on May 15.
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Elander started Cam Appenzeller for Tennessee baseball in SEC Tournament
Continue reading...
