Kirby Connell provides Vols with comfort, gets out of jam in CWS win
After a lengthy delay, Tennessee baseball starter Drew Beam returned to the mound and didn't look as sharp as he previously did early in his outing.
Due to a lead-off home run and back-to-back singles, Tony Vitello decided it was time to make a change. In came veteran lefty reliever Kirby Connell with the task of getting out of a no-out, two-on jam in one of the biggest games to date in the program's history.
As Connell warmed up for his second appearance of the 2024 College World Series in as many games, there was a calmness in the dugout. No matter the result, he has built a trust amongst the roster and coaching staff that builds a comfort when he pitches.
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"The one thing about throwing him out there is, like today, everybody feels good, whatever happens with him on the mound, so be it," Vitello said. "We'll go back to the hotel. Maybe you're frustrated. Maybe you're happy. But you'll put your head on that pillow and be good with whatever he does because he's one of those guys you go to battle with."
Even Beam was fine with the change. Of course he wants to compete and stay in as long as possible, but seeing the bullpen door fly open and Connell's mustache and long hair trot toward him does provide a sense of security.
Beam has been with Connell for the previous three seasons and Connell has been around even longer than that. Handing the ball off to someone who holds the program record for career appearances and leads active Division I players in the same stat takes some pressure off the situation.
"It's awesome, and it's easing whenever I see Kirby coming out of the bullpen whenever I'm on the mound just because he's been there and done it so many times," Beam said. "I don't know how many appearances he has in his career at Tennessee. I think it's more than anybody else has ever had. He's been there seeing anything and everything. I'm very comfortable handing the ball off to him."
Just seven pitches from the moment Beam handed the ball off to Connell, the Vols were jogging off the field with no additional damage done. He had produced a ground out, picked a player off and struck the final batter out to get out of the sticky situation.
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The goal for him was to throw strikes and that's exactly what happened as he made quick work to keep the Vols' lead intact.
"My mindset was just to throw strikes," Connell said. "Try to get them to groundout and hit into a double play. For me, just do what I can do. Whatever happens, happens."
Connell would return to the mound the following inning to continue his outing. He allowed a hit, but bounced back to leave the damage at that and put up another zero.
Overall, his outing featured a pair of innings tossed with one hit, no runs and two strikeouts before the ball was given to Nate Snead to finish things off.
This appearance encapsulated Connell's new role on the team. Even just a season ago, it was hard to imagine he'd pitch two innings in the CWS as he was primarily used as a matchup guy with a short leash.
Now, he's one of the most reliable arms in the bullpen thanks to a killer off-speed and fastball with an increase in velocity.
"He's been asked to do a lot more, and maybe it's a fitting parallel there because he's done a lot more in the community and in our locker room," Vitello said. "It's been every year just a growing presentation of a guy who was a special, special individual."
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