Tennessee baseball got back in the win column on Saturday night, knocking off LSU 4-1 to even up the weekend series behind dominant pitching from Tegan Kuhns and Cam Appenzeller.
Following the game, Tennessee head coach Josh Elander discussed Appenzeller’s dominance to start the season, bouncing back and much more. Here’s everything Elander said.
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On what was working so well for Tennessee freshman LHP Cameron Appenzeller
“I think it was his fastball command, how he was attacking the strike zone, but just the poise out there is — it’s well beyond his years. Just to go out there in that game, in that environment, our crowd was amazing. I heard it was another record crowd, and so thankful how they continue to support us. But Appy, was Appy. That’s what he’s been doing. It’s what we saw on the recruiting trail for years and years. The moments never too big, and he’s just gonna fill up the strike zone.
“But I think really the difference was tonight, he was driving the heater glove side. He always has been able to do that, so in to righties, but then also both sides of the plates, so the fastball really becomes two different pitches. He threw some breaking balls, some of them even backed up. I know (LSU second baseman Seth) Dardar swung through one at the top, but just attacking the strike zone, good pace, good poise, and pretty special performance by him.”
On how big it was for Appenzeller to strike out LSU CF Derek Curiel in the fifth with runners on second and third in a three-run game:
“It’s huge. I mean, Curiel is a big leaguer. I mean, he’s been famous for a long, long time, and he’s obviously — hit the homer yesterday and the play he made in center. But two guys just going at it, competing, but I thought Appy was doing a good job of getting the fastball to different quadrants of the strike zone, and that’s a guy that doesn’t chase out of the strike zone either, right? So it’s a very difficult deal of two future big leaguers going at it. Just the poise to continue to attack the strike zone, have faith and not lose that guy. You walk him there, it could create all kind of a mess, but Appy just being Appy.”
On where Appenzeller ranks amongst the other star freshman pitchers Tennessee has had during his tenure
“Yeah, that’s a great question. I think it’s too early to maybe put a stamp on it. I mean, I think Drew Beam comes to mind. It’s just what he brought to this program. I know (Chase) Burns didn’t finish his career here, but he was amazing. Blade Tidwell, there’s been a lot of guys, but the thing with Appy that’s so unique is he’s really so low maintenance, and bought into getting better and better and better each day. He’s done a great job with Reyn (Tennessee pitching coach Josh Reynolds) getting that fastball where he’s able to get it to both sides of the plate. And again, I think he’s going to be a really good one here.”
On how impressive it was for Appenzeller to maintain his poise as a freshman
“On the recruiting trail it was funny because he was always just kind of laid back. We would meet with him on the road and just kind of be chilling, and that’s just kind of his personality. The moment never gets too big. I really think it’s a credit to his parents and how he was raised. I mean, he does things the right way, and there’s really no ego there for a guy that has had all the accolades throughout the course of his high school career and turns down a ton of money to come to school, and he’s never come up in my office and said, ‘I need to start on Friday night,’ or anything like that. And not that that necessarily would be a bad thing. But, you know, he just wants to win, and he wants to be here at Tennessee, and I’m very thankful he is.”
On how he would assess Tegan Kuhns’ outing
“Gritty. Taking that ball, I don’t think it really squared him up all the way. That’s a terrifying moment. I think that needs— that theme needs to be done. Baseballs flying at our players’ heads one way or the other.
“But just toughness, he pops up and automatically is like, hey, I’m good, I’m good, I’m good. But I thought Woody (trainer Jeff Wood) did a good job of kind of making sure he was in a good spot, and the umpire did too. There was really no rush. But just visiting with him, that’s been the beauty of going into the dugout. I can get up and kind of look him in the eyes and get a feel for it. And we wanted to get him back out there again one more time to get through the catcher at the bottom (of the line). And then he gave us everything he had tonight. And long-term, no issues, but he competed well, and that’s what we needed tonight.”
On if there’s a point where Appenzeller does so well that they have no choice but to put him in the rotation
“That’s a good question. We’ll talk with the staff, but I think right now it’s working. He’s putting us in position to win games. There’s 100% a chance that he could be in there at any point. But I think that’s the unique thing about Appy.
Before his time here is done, he will pitch a lot more as a starter than he does out of the pen. There’s no doubt about it. But we’ll continue to have those conversations as we navigate the emotional wins and losses that we’ve been going through— is what puts our team in the best position to win. And luckily, Appy that’s his only concern as well.”
On how Tegan Kuhns has handled his role changing the last few weeks
“I mean, Tegan and I recruited him, go way back. I think there’s a huge trust factor between him and I. We just have really open and honest conversations. And I told him again, some little things about you got to be quicker to the plate and make sure your glove’s covered up.
And what Tegan does is respond. He’s a tough kid and he wants to win. He’s gonna compete. And when you see those guys make those adjustments and really buy into asking what is gonna help them, not only here but in the long term, it will help him if he doesn’t give up those free 90 feet or whatever it may be. So just continue to communicate with him. He’s a guy who just wants the ball. And today he ends up getting another day of rest, which I think only benefits these guys long-term. But just proud of the way he competed because he just wants the ball in his hand and give us a chance to win.”
On how much Cam Appenzeller’s emotion helps the team
“I think it’s huge. And I just talked about it on the radio, too. It’s not like he’s like ‘Hey, everybody look at me!’ He’s celebrating the moment with his teammates. And I just think there’s a calming presence when you get out there and you kind of know what you’re going to get.
“Ironically, it kind of reminds me of my college roommate Matt Purke, [he] was a guy that kind of came onto the college scene and was amazing. We’ll see what Cam ends up becoming when it’s all said and done. But it was energy, strikes, and tempo. And there’s some similarities there for sure.”
On how he’d assess the offensive performance
“Well, this time of year, hey, you’d like to get double-doubles, it’s what we love, not the in-and-out version. 10 runs and 10 hits… but we’re about winning games. That’s where we’re at this time of year. I know Henry Ford – we got the iPads in the dugout now – he’s hitting balls at 106 (mph) at 22 degrees (launch angle) and they’re getting caught. (Derek) Curiel makes an amazing play, but Manny (Marin) tags a few.
“Our guys are really buying into, ‘Hey, we just need to find a way to get it done together,’ and so I don’t think they’re really worried about this and that. [They] continue to take good swings. I think every guy that pitched in tonight’s game has a chance to pitch in the major leagues. All those guys were famous recruits or turned down a lot of money to come to school. So, you knew it was going to be kind of a scratch-and-claw, gritty game. And I told the team, we were, for the first time in a while, a benefactor [where] a ball goes through the wickets of some guys, a couple wild pitches go away, and a 2-strike hit.
“Keep talking to them all the time, but the more they get [that] ‘Hey, these are the reasons that you can win or lose a game.’ We want those guys to execute when the moment comes.”
On how good it was to see Jay Abernathy get an RBI knock with two outs and two strikes in the fourth
“It’s huge. Huge. He’s a guy that we still believe in, and it hasn’t gone well for him out of the gates in SEC [play], but he’s still a dynamic talent. He’s been an unbelievable teammate. And I just went back – I was up here really late last night, I was stung a little bit – Jay plays the game hard, right?
“And his teammates love him and trust him. That’s not a discredit to anybody else that could have been in the lineup, but that was the theme tonight. The way he kind of played on Tuesday, and behind the scenes, no ego, just continuing to stick with the process and get his work in, his early work, his swings, and defensively he’s – whether it be at second or center – he can really do it.”
