Beam tabbed SEC Pitcher & Freshman of the Week after gem at Vandy

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Tennessee freshman Drew Beam was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher and Freshman of the Week on Monday afternoon after his dominant performance in Sunday’s 5-0 win at No. 3 Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Beam continued his incredible debut season by going the distance and throwing the first complete-game shutout by a UT pitcher since Garrett Stallings vs. Ole Miss on May 16, 2019.

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native, allowed just two hits, faced one batter over the minimum and did not allow a single Vandy player to advance past first base for the entire game. Beam retired the last 16 batters he faced in the contest and did not issue a walk while finishing with four strikeouts as the Vols completed their first series sweep over the Commodores since 2009.

Following Sunday’s gem, Beam has pitched at least 7.1 innings in each of his three SEC starts this season and has allowed just six hits and one run combined in those three outings, posting a 0.38 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .078 batting average in those appearances.

This marks the second and third SEC weekly honors this season for Beam, who was named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Week on March 21, as well. He is the first UT player to be named conference pitcher and freshman of the week in the same week in program history.

Tennessee has now had five different players earn eight combined SEC weekly honors this year, both of which are the most in program history since weekly awards started being award by the conference (complete list below).

Beam was also tabbed by Collegiate Baseball as one of the publication’s national players of the week, becoming the third Vol to earn that distinction this season.

SEC WEEKLY HONORS THIS SEASON

SEC Player of the Week

INF Trey Lipscomb – Feb. 28

SEC Pitcher of the Week

RHP Drew Beam – April 4

RHP Chase Dollander – March 28

SEC Freshman of the Week

RHP Drew Beam – March 21 & April 4

RHP Chase Burns – March 28

OF/C Jared Dickey – Feb. 28 & March 14