University of Tennessee Athletics
Vol Baseball Countdown: 4 Days
February 09, 2015 | Baseball
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Baseball Time in Tennessee is just four days away!
UTSports.com is counting down the days leading up to the start of the Vols' 2015 campaign (Feb. 13) with a look back at the many players who donned each jersey No. 30 through No. 1.
After opening last season at home, the Vols will travel to Miami, Fla., this year to face Florida International for a three-game series (Feb. 13-15). The team will return home to take on Tennessee Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 18 and Rutgers for four games (Feb. 20-22) during Tennessee's home opener weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, including a doubleheader against the Scarlet Knights on Saturday, Feb. 21. The Orange & White will later host long-time SEC foe Georgia (March 20-22) for the program's first home conference opponent series in March. Additionally, Missouri (April 9-11), South Carolina (April 24-26), Texas A&M (May 1-3) and Mississippi State (May 15-17) will make trips to Rocky Top this year.
On the season, the Volunteers, led by Head Coach Dave Serrano and his staff, are scheduled to play 27 of their 55 regular season games against nine 2014 NCAA postseason participants, including College World Series squads Vanderbilt, UC Irvine and Ole Miss.
Practice has officially begun on Rocky Top. The Diamond Vols are in action throughout the week. All outdoor practices at Lindsey Nelson Stadium are free and open to the public. For more information, visit UTSports.com.
Just 20 Vols have worn the No. 4 for the Orange and White and Knoxville native Parker Wormsley will wear the jersey again for his senior season in 2015. As a freshman, future first team All-American and Tennessee Baseball All-Century Team member Doug Hecker wore No. 4.
THE PAST...#4 Doug Hecker
1990-92 | 1B | 6-4 | 205 lbs. | Wantagh, N.Y. (MacArthur)
Former Vol Phil Hecker came to the University of Tennessee from Wantagh, N.Y., a town on Long Island. As a freshman in 1990, Hecker wore the No. 4 before sporting No. 20 for the reaminder of his career.
For his career, Hecker hit .323, amassing 37 home runs, 158 RBIs, 199 hits, 39 doubles and 17 stolen bases. His 37 home runs currently stand second all-time in the Vols record books, just behind Todd Helton's 38 dingers. In addition, his RBIs rank fifth all-time. He also hit three grand slams over his career, tying for the current UT record.
Hecker was also a pitcher for the Vols, leading the team in ERA in 1991 (2.67) and 1992 (1.36). Hecker earned third-team All-America status from the ABCA in 1991 and garnered first-team honors from Baseball America and The Sporting News in 1992. He hit .362 and .351 in 1991 and 1992, respectively. He also logged six saves on the mound during those two seasons and owned a career ERA of 1.99. Heck was also a two-time All-SEC performer.
Hecker was invited to try out for Team USA in 1992 as a first baseman, becoming the first Vol to ever try out for the Red, White and Blue. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the 1992 MLB Draft and was in the minor league for six seasons. He was named to Tennessee's All-Century Team in 2009.
NOTES ON HECKER
- Attended MacArthur High School on Long Island
- Won the team's Rick Honeycutt MVP Award in 1991
- Won the Phil Garner Defensive Player Award in 1992
THE PRESENT...#4 Parker Wormsley
2012-Present | INF/OF | 6-0 | 170 lbs. | R/R | Knoxville, Tenn. (Webb School)
Senior infielder/outfielde Parker Wormsley enters his fourth season as a Vol in 2015. A Knoxville native, Wormsley has appeared in 98 games for Tennessee, making 41 starts and maintaining a .984 fielding percentage while playing multiple positions throughout his career. As a freshman, Wormsley played in 40 games and hit .275 with one double and eight RBIs. He was also a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts and posted the third-highest on-base percentage on the team (.470).
A graduate of the Webb School of Knoxville, where he was coached by his father, Wormsley was named to the 2011 Louisville Slugger High School All-American Team, All-PrepXtra Baseball First Team, Division II-A East/ Middle All-Region and All-Region Tournament teams, 2011 All-Region Tournament MVP, 2011 All-KLS Team, 2011 Rawlings All Americans and Southeastl Region All-High School Senior Second Team, a Louisville Slugger All-American Honorable Mention (2009-2010) and a 2010 Perfect Game USA All American Underclass Honorable Mention. He led the Spartans to a 30-9 record and a Division II-A State Championship runner-up finish as a senior in 2011, hitting .467 with 43 RBIs and six home runs. Wormsley also posted a 7-1 record on the mound with a 1.71 ERA. In his junior campaign, the Spartans went 30-6 and were the 2010 Division II-A State Champions as he hit .514 with 26 RBIs and five home runs and was 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA on the mound. A multi-sport athlete, he also lettered in basketball and football. As the Spartan quarterback, he garnered TSWA All-State and All-Region honors after leading the team to a 12-1 record and a 2009 Division II-A State Championship.
NOTES ON WORMSLEY
- Full name is Parker Scott Wormsley
- Credits his brother, Jordan, a former Vanderbilt baseball player and current Webb School head baseball coach, as his biggest sports influence
- Majoring in sociology
