BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee senior Sean Hunley has been named the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon.
Hunley shared the honor with Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter after an impressive series against No. 14 LSU last weekend. The veteran right hander played a hand in all thee of the Vols victories over the Tigers.
The Mount Juliet, Tennessee, native picked up his second save of the season in Friday’s series opener after tossing two innings of shutout relief to finish out a 3-1 victory. Hunley then earned back-to-back wins out of the bullpen in Games 2 and 3 to help lead UT to just its second series sweep against the Tigers in program history.
Hunley is the 18th player in program history to earn SEC Pitcher of the Week honors and the first since Garrett Stallings, who did it twice in 2019.
Hunley got the Vols out of a jam in the top of the 11th inning in Game 2, striking out Jordan Thompson to strand the go-ahead run at second base. Drew Gilbert went on to hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the inning to win the game.
In the series finale, Hunley was called on to get the Vols out of some more trouble with the go-ahead run at second base in a 2-2 game. He went on to strike out Brody Drost to stand two runners on base and keep the game tied at two. Hunley ended up finishing the game, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two batters to earn his fourth win of the year.
Hunley is now tied for the team lead in wins this season, sporting a perfect 4-0 record, and has not allowed an earned run in his last five appearances, a span of 10.1 innings pitched.
-UT Athletics
