University of Tennessee Athletics
2017 Vol Baseball Countdown: 27 Days
January 21, 2017 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Baseball Time in Tennessee is just 27 days away! To count down to the start of the 2017 season, UTSports.com will profile a player each day on the Vols' 2017 squad. The countdown began Jan. 18 and will run up until UT's season opener on February 17 against Memphis at FedEx Park.
TENNESSEE BASEBALL'S NO. 27
- 1982-83 | Mike Adler
- 2003 | Jeremy Cabbage
- 1975-78 | Jeff Campbell
- 1979-80 | Mike Campbell
- 2000-01 | Ryan Case
- 1970 | Wendell Clowers (Away)
- 1971 | Bruce Downing (Home)
- 1969 | Mike Duvall (Home)
- 2013 | Matt Esparza
- 1981| Jim Fry
- 1984-85 | Fred Grubbs
- 2004-05 | Chase Headley
- 1996 | Landon Hessler
- 1970-71 | Jim Hutchinson (Home)
- 1993 | Kendrick Jones
- 2015-2016 | Steven Kane
- 2008-10 | D.J. Leffler
- 1997 | Jason Marr
- 1972 | Gary Mashburn (Home)
- 2012 | Kevin O'Leary
- 1986-87 | Pat Palmer
- 1965 | Mac Petty
- 1998-99 | Donnie Ross
- 1966 | Steve Speed
- 2017 | Garrett Stallings
- 1991-92 | Jose Vasquez
- 1973 | Mark Wylie (Home)
- 1974 | Tommy West (Home)
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Need to Know
In February, Tennessee will travel to Memphis to open their 2017 season with a three-game set (Feb. 17-19) against the University of Memphis at FedEx Park, home of the Tigers. The Big Orange then heads west during their second week of the season for a single-game matchup at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, Calif. (Feb. 22) before travelling to San Diego to participate in the Tony Gwynn Classic on Feb. 24-26.
Following the four-game stint in California, the Volunteers will return to Knoxville for their first home series of the season on March 3-5. The series also signifies the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and UT.
The Orange & White open their 2017 Southeastern Conference schedule with the South Carolina Gamecocks in Knoxville on March 17-19, marking the second consecutive year for UT to begin conference play at home. Tennessee later plays host to SEC rivals Georgia (March 31-April 2), Auburn (April 13-15) and Arkansas (May 4-6) before closing out regular season play against Missouri (May 18-20) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
This year, the Volunteers' SEC road schedule includes trips to Mississippi State (March 24-26), Florida (April 7-9), Texas A&M (April 21-23), Vanderbilt (April 28-30) and Kentucky (May 12-14).
On the season, the Volunteers, led by Head Coach Dave Serrano and his staff, are scheduled to play 15 of their 55 regular season games against five 2016 NCAA postseason participants, including 2016 SEC Tournament Champion Texas A&M.
Countdown to Baseball: 27 Days
Freshman right-handed pitcher Garrett Stallings will be the 28th Vol to wear No. 27 in Tennessee history.
The four-year letterman and two-year varsity captain for Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, Va. was rated as the No. 6 right-hander and the No. 9 overall player in the state of Virginia entering the 2016 Major League Draft by Perfect Game. Stallings went 8-2 with a 1.13 ERA with 86 strikeouts and four walks allowed over 66.0 innings pitched during his senior campaign.
His standout performance in 2016 earned him First Team All-State, First Team All-Region 6A South, First Team All-Tidewater, First Team Monitor Merrimac Conference and Monitor Merrimac Conference Player of the Year honors. Stallings was also named a Rawlings-Perfect Game First Team Atlantic Region pitcher with a National Honorable Mention as a righty. During his high school career, he helped Grassfield to two conference championship titles and one district title.
Getting to Know Garrett
2017 | RHP | 6-2 | R/R | Chesapeake, Va.
Fun Fact: My great, great uncle, Joe Boehling, played for the Washington Senators.
'Go-To' Karaoke Song: "A Thousand Miles" – Vanessa Carlton
Favorite Vacation Spot: Lake Gaston (North Carolina)
Pregame Superstitions or Routines: I always put my right sock on before the left.
Fashion Trend You CANNOT Get On Board With: Jean shorts
If you were stranded on an island, what teammate would you want with you and why?: Eric Freeman because he is very witty and tells incredible stories.
Next On the Countdown
Stop by tomorrow as we continue our countdown by getting to know Vol Baseball's junior college transfers: Dom Thornton and Danny Sirven.
