NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jordan Beck was called out after a home ring with a bat that appeared unapproved for use in Tennessee’s baseball game against Vanderbilt on Friday.
The Vols outfielder hit right field to give UT a 1-0 lead. Umpires gathered in the infield and checked the bat before calling out Beck.
Beck’s racquet had a sticker showing it was approved, but the ESPN2 show reported that the sticker was from UT’s game against Western Carolina on Wednesday. It was not released for use on Friday.
“Pre-series bat testing involves placing a sticker with the opposing team’s logo on legal bats,” Herb Vincent, the SEC’s assistant communications officer, said in a statement to the Knoxville News Sentinel. “There was a sticker on the racquet in question, but it wasn’t an appropriate sticker on the racquet. It was a sticker from a midweek game. Therefore, the racket was deemed illegal.
Vols coach Tony Vitello shot out of frustration and argued with the referees in vain. Vitello first tried to take the racket from a referee. The team removed the bat and it was taken off the field.
Vitello said in an on-air interview that the sticker must have fallen off Beck’s racquet during batting practice.
“There was no sticker on the bat,” Vitello said during an on-air interview. “You must have a sticker… We have a couple of bats that kind of conveniently broke off the stickers. I dont know.”
“I don’t even know if Jordan Beck should be at the University of Tennessee,” Vitello continued, his words laced with sarcasm. “He forged his transcript. He’s actually a 35-year-old man named Mike Honcho. He just comes to training every day and he’s a good kid, so we put him in the line-up.”
Vanderbilt catcher Dominic Keegan picked up Beck’s bat as the Vols outfielder rounded bases, starting the process. Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin indicated during an on-air interview in the fourth inning that it wasn’t normal procedure.
The story goes on
“It was part of what was going on throughout the week in relation to the SEC and our conversations about it,” Corbin said. “It was out there. It just made sense to do that.”
Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello argues with umpires after a home run by right fielder Jordan Beck was struck off the scoreboard after his bat was ruled illegal.
Clubs are checked before the start of each game and a tamper evident approval sticker is placed on the club. Bats must meet three criteria to be used: the bat must be on the NCAA Approved Bat List, pass a test that verifies barrel size, and pass a compression test.
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Mike Wilson reports on the University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @By Mike Wilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that gives you access to everything.
This article originally appeared on the Knoxville News Sentinel: A Tennessee baseball player was called after a home ring because of a bat problem