Tennessee baseball’s stay in Hoover was quick this week with the Vols winning their first game before falling to Arkansas in its second game at the SEC Tournament.
Despite a relatively short stay, there were some positives for Tennessee. Near the top of the list was Cam Appenzeller turning in a strong appearance while making the first SEC start of his career. Josh Elander gave Appenzeller the ball in Tennessee’s 11-6 tournament-opening win over South Carolina.
Appenzeller allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five batters in five innings pitched. The lefty threw a career-high 84 pitches. It was not an elite outing for Appenzeller but still a solid performance after a shaky back half of SEC play.
“I was throwing well, but there was a lot of good things that happened during the game that helped me out,” Appenzeller said following the game. “I mean, just the past four or five outings, it’s been a bit of a grind. I haven’t had my best stuff, but I’m working my way to get back there.”
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Tennessee head coach Josh Elander pushed back a bit on the claim that Appenzeller didn’t have his best stuff against the Gamecocks, stating that Appenzeller has all that he needs to be effective.
“I think with him, he’s saying ‘my stuff, my stuff.’ He’s up to 92, 93 early in the game today,” Elander said. “But his tempo, he said he thinks he’s moving slow, I think for him at times moving slower in his mind, I mean, I don’t want to speak for him, but when his tempo of his delivery, when he gets into the back hip and rides down the mound, his arm sequence is so much better and it gives him more take off the heater and more angle when he tries to drive it into the right-handed hitters.
“But he’s tough on himself. But his stuff’s plenty good enough. It’s always been good enough, and only will continue to get better as he gets older and is around Keegan and the resources we have at Tennessee. His stuff is just fine.”
Appenzeller was one of the best pitchers in the SEC the first half of SEC play. He didn’t allow an earned run in his first 20 innings pitched in SEC play. Through five appearances in five series, Appenzeller allowed just two earned runs in 23.1 innings pitched (0.77 ERA).
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While Appenzeller wasn’t perfect against South Carolina, it was a step in the right direction for the talented left-handed pitcher. Even through the struggles, Elander has had no option but to ride with Appenzeller as one of Tennessee’s top bullpen arms along with Brandon Arvidson.
With Tennessee thin on reliable bullpen pieces, they need Appenzeller to produce in the postseason. His five inning outing against South Carolina was a good sign that he can do just that.
