OMAHA, Neb. − Kirby Connell did typical Kirby things.

He filled the strike zone, mixed his pitches, and flashed his potential with the Kansas City Scout Team summer team in 2016.

An SEC coach looked on, but not for long. The coach wasn’t interested in what Connell did nor was he interested in Connell, leaving the field with a parting message that was relayed to the high school sophomore.

“There’s not much I need to see from this guy. He is not going to pitch in the SEC,” said the coach, whom Connell did not wish to identify.

Connell, of course, has done so much more than pitch in the SEC. He is Tennessee baseball’s ironman, an anchor of the pitching staff for the past five seasons and the mustachioed obsession of the Vols fan base. But to appreciate how Connell went from being casually dismissed to pitching in pressure-packed moments at the College World Series, don't look at Connell the baseball player.

Start with Connell the person.

Why Kirby Connell is a fitting Tennessee baseball fan favorite

Connell meandered his way down the left-field line at Charles Schwab Field.

He spent time signing autographs and posing for pictures Sunday in the aftermath of Tennessee’s College World Series win against North Carolina. He headed for the dugout as calls of “Kirby” and “Mr. Connell” cascaded from fans clamoring for his attention.

“Everyone always says you are the center of attention, but I don’t try to be,” Connell said. “It might just be the mustache. Maybe it is just how I treat people. Maybe it is about how I was raised.

“Being able to treat people the way you want to be treated.”

The way Connell treats others is a trademark deeper and more defining than the well-crafted mustache waxed to perfection.

It is rooted in a church upbringing as his father, Jeff, pastored churches in Johnson City, Tennessee; Butler, Missouri; and Blacksburg, South Carolina. Connell was raised to respect everybody — no exceptions. He was taught what it means to have a platform. It must be used responsibly and well as it is a gift. It can go away so do things the right way while it is yours to hold carefully.

Love God. Love people well.

This has manifested itself throughout Connell’s career at Lindsey Nelson Stadium and, more importantly, away from it.

“He's been asked to do a lot (on the field), so maybe it's a fitting parallel there because he's done a lot more in the community and in our locker room,” Vols coach Tony Vitello said.

Connell has conducted baseball camps for children and caught first pitches often. He has been a regular visitor to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, where he is known for going above and beyond. The time spent and attention paid to ailing children and weary families are a heartfelt investment for Connell.

His heart melted when a young boy overcame his jitters to throw a strike on a first pitch in 2022. He’s marked by such gentleness and love.

“I was raised to know that everything I do is for God,” Connell said. "He is watching over me. He always has it planned out. He has my story scripted. Being able to know I can trust in Him and know that I have everybody behind my back.”

How Kirby Connell’s pitching success starts with his desire to be a good teammate

Drew Beam waited for Connell to finish his jog in from the bullpen Sunday. The Vols starter handed the ball to Connell willingly and gladly.

“It’s easing whenever I see Kirby coming out of the bullpen,” said Beam, who watched as Connell breezed through a dicey sixth-inning spot.

Connell is a salve as a relief pitcher because his desire to perform is founded on his aim to be a good teammate. Those desires blend together on the mound. He wants to pick up his teammates in any way possible. That is exhibited by stepping in to clean up and reset a situation on the mound.

“You only get to experience baseball for so many years,” Connell said. "You won’t play baseball for 50 years. I know I have these guys’ backs like they have mine.”

That mutual trust leads to Beam’s attitude to hand Connell the ball, Vitello’s complete acceptance of any outcome with Connell on the mound, and Connell’s high success rate. He has a program-record 125 appearances, holding a 10-2 record with a 3.12 ERA.

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His stuff isn’t sexy in modern baseball. He’s a crafty left-hander with his slider and changeup, mixing and matching pitches and locations. He smiles thinking about what opponents’ scouting reports must say about him. He fits pitching coach Frank Anderson, who held up a pen as he recruited Connell and said velocity doesn’t matter “as long as you can hit the point of this pen.”

Connell has the stuff that matters. He recognizes his teammates and Vitello putting faith in him. He wants to repay his teammates by coming through for them — and Vitello for being someone he has looked up for more than five years. He won’t be defined by the result of any single pitch or appearance.

“We could win a national championship and it isn’t going to matter unless everything outside of baseball is alright,” Connell said.

How Kirby Connell wants to be remembered

Connell eased through the Omaha Marriott Downtown lobby on Monday.

A trio of Tennessee fans stopped him to ask for a picture and a brief chat followed. They had a previous experience with Connell that lingered and they wanted to share that with him during this encounter.

“I don’t really know how I became a fan favorite,” Connell said. “I guess I took the role and ran with it and enjoyed it a little bit.”

Connell always dreamed of pitching in the SEC or ACC. He knew he could be a high-level pitcher. That coach’s comment stuck with him and burned inside him to be what that person believed he could not be.

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He found out he would pitch for a “coach Vitello” for Team Missouri in a Prep Baseball Report event in 2017. That coach was Greg Vitello, the father of the Tennessee coach who saw Connell pitch in that event. He committed before Vitello had coached a game at Tennessee, never dreaming that SEC titles and three trips to the College World Series awaited.

Dreaming of being beloved by a frenzied fan base? That never happened either.

Connell earned the nickname “Vollie Fingers” for his signature mustache, which he started styling carefully when former Vols pitcher Redmond Walsh gave him a tin of wax. He plucked "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” by Big & Rich as his entrance song in 2021. The first few beats elicit a fan response that has given Connell chills for four seasons.

“Kirby just being Kirby, he gets the ovations he does for a reason,” Vitello said.

Connell has one week left in his college career as Tennessee’s run in the College World Series rolls on into a matchup against Florida State on Wednesday (3 p.m. ET, ESPN).

He already knows what he will remember — and miss — the most is being around his teammates. How he wants to be remembered ties back to his teammates. He wishes to be thought of someone who could be counted on as a friend.

He plans to send a text to the whole roster whenever it is all over. He hopes they know that the bond doesn’t sever with his long college career concluding.

“I guess I go down in history as the guy who threw in a lot of games for the Vols,” Connell said.

Connell, who pitched in the SEC, deserves to be remembered for so much more.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kirby Connell is a most deserving Tennessee baseball fan favorite