Sewell floored by ovation in his return to the Vols
Tennessee’s 6-0 blanking of Morehead State this past Saturday afternoon was two outs from the finish line when one of the biggest ovations of the season transpired at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
It was finally time for Camden Sewell.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Sewell said. “Everybody on this team loves this fan base and everything about this place, and, for me, that specific moment was pretty special.
“I regret not taking it in as much as I should have.”
The 6-foot-4, 175-pound former Cleveland High standout is not only the senior citizen of Tennessee’s pitching staff but its roster altogether. Sewell has taken the mound for the Volunteers since 2019, which was just a season after coach Tony Vitello’s arrival.
Sewell announced last August that he would use the NCAA’s extra season that was implemented due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, but his fifth year in orange was delayed by arm soreness.
“That’s a guy who has a lot of history in this program and could have moved on to a lot of different things, including pro ball,” Vitello said, “but he wanted to be a Vol. Like a parent, I don’t think you’re supposed to pick favorites, but you’ve got to like Cam, whether you’re his teammate or coach. Based on the fans and their ovation, they were wanting Cam to get out there for as long as Cam had wanted to get out there.
“Now he’s in the hopper with these guys, and he’s ready to rock and roll.”
Sewell struck out the two batters he faced to close out the blanking for the Vols, who are 14- 3 heading into Tuesday afternoon’s game against visiting Lipscomb. Tennessee will open its Southeastern Conference schedule Friday night at Missouri.
Where and how often
Sewell, who graduated last May in sport management, fits in is anybody’s guess.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do,” he said. “If they want me to throw to one batter, I’ll do it. It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever helps this team is what I’ll do.”
Sewell has done a little bit of everything for the Vols, compiling a 15-3 record in 71 career appearances that contains 138 strikeouts in 150 innings pitched. In consecutive SEC tournaments, Sewell has eliminated Florida, first in the 2021 semifinals and then in last season’s championship, when he threw five scoreless innings.
His career earned run average of 2.52 is quite stout, but Tennessee’s team ERA so far this season is 2.17.
“It’s one of those tough things but good things,” Sewell said. “You want to have a lot of competition, and the more arms you have out there makes everybody better in the end.
“We all love the competition, and at the end of the day, we’re brothers who root for each other.”