University of Tennessee Athletics
Summer Ball Update: Where They’re At
July 03, 2023 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Eighteen members of the Tennessee baseball program are off and rolling for their respective summer ball clubs around the country.
The first summer ball update of the year can be found below.
USA Collegiate National Team
RHP Drew Beam
Stats: 1 APP, 1 GS, 0-0, 0 SV, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 1.50 WHIP
Made his first start with the Collegiate National Team on Saturday, July 1, in Durham, North Carolina. Turned in four innings and allowed just one run in a 5-1 victory over Chinese Taipei.
INF Christian Moore
Has played in one game since being selected for the Collegiate National Team, entering as a pinch-hitter in the USA's 10-0 victory over Chinese Taipei on Sunday, July 2.
Appalachian League
OF Colby Backus – Johnson City Doughboys
Stats: 21 G, .303 AVG, 23 R, 23 H, 6 2B, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 8 BB, 4 SB, .375 OBP, .658 SLG, 1.033 OPS
Named the Appalachian League June Player of the Month after an electric start to the summer. Backus currently leads the league in home runs (7) and RBIs (25) while ranking second in both slugging and OPS for the year.
INF Austen Jaslove – Elizabethton River Riders
Stats: 5 G, .353 AVG, 1 R, 6 H, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB, .429 OBP, .471 SLG, .900 OPS
Has started strong since joining the River Riders, playing both third and shortstop for Elizabethton.
C/OF Ryan Miller – Kingsport Axmen
Stats: 6 G, .273 AVG, 10 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, .429 OBP, .455 SLG, .884 OPS
Has seen time primarily in left field during his six games thus far with Kingsport and been strong recently, posting a three-hit effort on June 30 against Greeneville.
OF/1B Kavares Tears – Kingsport Axmen
Stats: 3 G, .125 AVG, 1 H, 1 2B, 1 RBI, .125 OBP, .250 SLG, .375 OPS
Doubled for his first hit of the summer against Greeneville on June 29.
Cape Cod League
RHP Bryce Jenkins – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 3 APP, 1-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 0.43 WHIP
Excellent to start the summer for Cotuit, firing three scoreless appearances since making his Cape Cod debut on June 28. In that debut, he posted two scoreless innings, striking out a pair and allowing just one runner to reach base. Jenkins earned the win on June 30 against Wareham, firing 1.1 innings and striking out two.
RHP Zach Joyce – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 2 APP, 0-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.80 WHIP
Opened the summer with 2.2 innings in relief against Bourne on June 25 where he struck out three in 13 batters faced, along with another scoreless outing on July 2 against Yarmouth-Dennis.
LHP Zander Sechrist – Chatham Anglers
Stats: 1 APP, 0-0, 0 SV, 45.00 ERA, 1 IP, 7 R 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 0 K, 8.00 WHIP
Made his debut for Chatham at Falmouth on June 29.
California Collegiate League
LHP Andrew Behnke – Healdsburg Prune Packers
No stats available
OF Reese Chapman – Orange County Riptide
Stats: 3 G, .429 AVG, 4 R, 6 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .429 OBP, 1.000 SLG, 1.429 OPS
Posted two hits in each game since making his debut for Orange County on June 30. Chapman blasted a pair of home runs in the victory at Conejo, tacking on six RBIs, and doubled on June 30 and July 2.
INF Jake Kendro – Santa Barbara
Stats: 2 G, .200 AVG, 2 H, 1 2B, 3 RBI, .200 OBP, .300 SLG, .500 OPS
Collected two hits in his last game against Arroyo Seco, driving in three runners and securing a double on Sunday, July 2.
Coastal Plains League
RHP JJ Garcia – Forest City Owls
Stats: 5 APP, 5 GS, 3-0, 0 SV, 3.03 ERA, 26.2 IP, 14 R, 9 ER, 23 H, 7 BB, 25 K, 1.12 WHIP
Ranks second in the league in innings pitched, behind only his Forest City and UT teammate Austin Hunley, with 26.2 innings. Had a streak of three consecutive quality starts from June 9 to June 25, highlighted by a 6.2 inning, 2 hit performance at Asheboro where he punched out nine Zookeepers and got the win.
RHP Austin Hunley – Forest City Owls
Stats: 5 APP, 5 GS, 2-1, 0 SV, 5.00 ERA, 27.0 IP, 18 R, 15 ER, 33 H, 4 BB, 19 K, 1.37 WHIP
Leads the Coastal Plains League in innings pitched and has gone at least five innings in every appearance since his first on June 1. Hunley has started four of his five games on the road and was impressive last time out, firing six innings and allowing just one earned run at Lexington County on June 30.
Ohio Valley League
RHP Bennett Myers – Full Count Rhythm
Stats: 2 APP, 2 GS, 0-1, 0 SV, 4.50 ERA, 4 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 1 K, 2.00 WHIP
Opened the summer with a strong two-inning start against Bowling Green on June 18 where he allowed just one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings.
New England Collegiate League
INF Tanner Zellum – North Shore Navigators
16 G, .132 AVG, 3 R, 5 H, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 7 BB, 1 SB, .261 OBP, .158 SLG, .419 OPS
Posted his first two-hit game of the summer to open the month of July, going 2-for-4 with a double at Martha's Vineyard.
Rocky Mountain Baseball League
OF Dylan Dreiling – Hays Larks
No stats available
C Payton Ebbing – Hays Larks
No stats available
The first summer ball update of the year can be found below.
USA Collegiate National Team
RHP Drew Beam
Stats: 1 APP, 1 GS, 0-0, 0 SV, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 1.50 WHIP
Made his first start with the Collegiate National Team on Saturday, July 1, in Durham, North Carolina. Turned in four innings and allowed just one run in a 5-1 victory over Chinese Taipei.
INF Christian Moore
Has played in one game since being selected for the Collegiate National Team, entering as a pinch-hitter in the USA's 10-0 victory over Chinese Taipei on Sunday, July 2.
Appalachian League
OF Colby Backus – Johnson City Doughboys
Stats: 21 G, .303 AVG, 23 R, 23 H, 6 2B, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 8 BB, 4 SB, .375 OBP, .658 SLG, 1.033 OPS
Named the Appalachian League June Player of the Month after an electric start to the summer. Backus currently leads the league in home runs (7) and RBIs (25) while ranking second in both slugging and OPS for the year.
INF Austen Jaslove – Elizabethton River Riders
Stats: 5 G, .353 AVG, 1 R, 6 H, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB, .429 OBP, .471 SLG, .900 OPS
Has started strong since joining the River Riders, playing both third and shortstop for Elizabethton.
C/OF Ryan Miller – Kingsport Axmen
Stats: 6 G, .273 AVG, 10 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, .429 OBP, .455 SLG, .884 OPS
Has seen time primarily in left field during his six games thus far with Kingsport and been strong recently, posting a three-hit effort on June 30 against Greeneville.
OF/1B Kavares Tears – Kingsport Axmen
Stats: 3 G, .125 AVG, 1 H, 1 2B, 1 RBI, .125 OBP, .250 SLG, .375 OPS
Doubled for his first hit of the summer against Greeneville on June 29.
Cape Cod League
RHP Bryce Jenkins – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 3 APP, 1-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 0.43 WHIP
Excellent to start the summer for Cotuit, firing three scoreless appearances since making his Cape Cod debut on June 28. In that debut, he posted two scoreless innings, striking out a pair and allowing just one runner to reach base. Jenkins earned the win on June 30 against Wareham, firing 1.1 innings and striking out two.
RHP Zach Joyce – Cotuit Kettleers
Stats: 2 APP, 0-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1.80 WHIP
Opened the summer with 2.2 innings in relief against Bourne on June 25 where he struck out three in 13 batters faced, along with another scoreless outing on July 2 against Yarmouth-Dennis.
LHP Zander Sechrist – Chatham Anglers
Stats: 1 APP, 0-0, 0 SV, 45.00 ERA, 1 IP, 7 R 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 0 K, 8.00 WHIP
Made his debut for Chatham at Falmouth on June 29.
California Collegiate League
LHP Andrew Behnke – Healdsburg Prune Packers
No stats available
OF Reese Chapman – Orange County Riptide
Stats: 3 G, .429 AVG, 4 R, 6 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .429 OBP, 1.000 SLG, 1.429 OPS
Posted two hits in each game since making his debut for Orange County on June 30. Chapman blasted a pair of home runs in the victory at Conejo, tacking on six RBIs, and doubled on June 30 and July 2.
INF Jake Kendro – Santa Barbara
Stats: 2 G, .200 AVG, 2 H, 1 2B, 3 RBI, .200 OBP, .300 SLG, .500 OPS
Collected two hits in his last game against Arroyo Seco, driving in three runners and securing a double on Sunday, July 2.
Coastal Plains League
RHP JJ Garcia – Forest City Owls
Stats: 5 APP, 5 GS, 3-0, 0 SV, 3.03 ERA, 26.2 IP, 14 R, 9 ER, 23 H, 7 BB, 25 K, 1.12 WHIP
Ranks second in the league in innings pitched, behind only his Forest City and UT teammate Austin Hunley, with 26.2 innings. Had a streak of three consecutive quality starts from June 9 to June 25, highlighted by a 6.2 inning, 2 hit performance at Asheboro where he punched out nine Zookeepers and got the win.
RHP Austin Hunley – Forest City Owls
Stats: 5 APP, 5 GS, 2-1, 0 SV, 5.00 ERA, 27.0 IP, 18 R, 15 ER, 33 H, 4 BB, 19 K, 1.37 WHIP
Leads the Coastal Plains League in innings pitched and has gone at least five innings in every appearance since his first on June 1. Hunley has started four of his five games on the road and was impressive last time out, firing six innings and allowing just one earned run at Lexington County on June 30.
Ohio Valley League
RHP Bennett Myers – Full Count Rhythm
Stats: 2 APP, 2 GS, 0-1, 0 SV, 4.50 ERA, 4 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 1 K, 2.00 WHIP
Opened the summer with a strong two-inning start against Bowling Green on June 18 where he allowed just one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings.
New England Collegiate League
INF Tanner Zellum – North Shore Navigators
16 G, .132 AVG, 3 R, 5 H, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 7 BB, 1 SB, .261 OBP, .158 SLG, .419 OPS
Posted his first two-hit game of the summer to open the month of July, going 2-for-4 with a double at Martha's Vineyard.
Rocky Mountain Baseball League
OF Dylan Dreiling – Hays Larks
No stats available
C Payton Ebbing – Hays Larks
No stats available
Players Mentioned
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