May 23, 2011

By Cameron Harris, Assistant Media Relations Director

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - In addition to serving as the Tennessee ace, junior starting pitcher Steven Gruver has found time to perform a tremendous amount of volunteer work around the Knoxville community during his three years at Rocky Top. He was honored for those efforts on Monday, being named to the 2011 Southeastern Conference Baseball Community Service Team.

A native of Canfield, Ohio, Gruver has visited sick children at the East Tennessee Children's Hospital, helped serve hot meal for homeless at Knox Area Rescue Mission Holiday Dinner and joined the rest of the Big Orange squad to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity

Gruver also helped the baseball team raise over $5,000 this fall in support of research into the treatment and prevention of cancer at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light the Night Walk," participated in the Tennessee Donor Thank-a-thon and has served as the squad's representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

On the field, the 6-1 southpaw was Tennessee's top pitcher this season, putting together a 5-7 record and 3.95 ERA in 14 starts. He threw a team-high 95.2 innings, more than doubling the total for any other pitcher on the roster. During that time, he struck out 84 hitters and walked just 29. Gruver pitched at least six innings in 13 of his starts, averaging a shade under seven frames per appearance.

The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 20 league sponsored sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community in superior service efforts. For the complete SEC Baseball Community Service Team, visit SECSports.com.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee baseball, visit www.UTSports.com/baseball and be sure to follow @Vol_Baseball on Twitter.