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Tennessee

Drew Beam shares key to his pitching success vs. Charlotte

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•06/05/23•

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Photo by Chris McDill | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tennessee pitcher Drew Beam has a bright future. The budding star never shined more brilliantly than in the Volunteers’ 9-2 win over Charlotte on Sunday night.

A career night for Drew Beam

Beam pitched for six innings, throwing a career-high 10 strikeouts and zero walks in the victory to advance to the Super Regional. After the game, the 6-foot-4 sophomore discussed the key to his standout showing.

“The curveball was definitely the main pitch that I had going today. I played well off the fastball,” Beam said during the postgame press conference. “We had a good game plan, trusting what [Coach Anderson] had for us when we came into it.”

The Volunteers’ pitching has been pivotal to their success. Opponents have scored a mere eight runs through 32 innings against Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee hasn’t been scared to share the love on the mound.

One of many

In Tennessee’s 14-inning battle against Clemson on Saturday, the Volunteers shuffled three separate pitchers on the mound. Beam has become one of the top dogs of Tennessee’s stacked pitching lineup this year after winning the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year Award.

This season, Beam has 72 strikeouts and a 4.09 ERA. For many teams, these statistics would soar far above the next-best player on the team. For the Volunteers, these figures don’t stand out from the pack.

Tennessee boasts junior Chase Dollander, considered the country’s top college pitcher and a top prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft. Moreover, Tennessee has right-handed pitcher Chase Burns, who has over 100 strikeouts this season.

Developing his game

With mentors like Dollander and Burns ahead of him, Beam has developed an excellent feel for his game.

“I felt really good in the bullpen. Obviously, I went out in the first inning, mixed in a few cutters in there, a few change-ups and the curveball is probably the one that felt the best today,” Beam said. “Just take it one step at a time.”

Beam will have time to consider his next steps. After going 3-0 in the Clemson Regional, Tennessee will advance to compete in the Super Regionals later this week. No matter who they face, the Volunteers are dangerous with players like Beam by their side.