OMAHA, Neb. − Drew Beam knows his glove stands out and that's how he wants it.

The Tennessee baseball pitcher has a purple glove, which contrasts sharply with the orange-and-white for the Vols. But that is the idea: Beam wants to raise awareness for his sister, Carlee, who has spinal muscular atrophy

"It is a muscle disorder," Beam said. "The main color for that disorder is purple. I figured this year, it would raise a lot of attention and commentary around the glove. It gave me a chance to give my story, give her story and let people know about it.”

Beam was the starter for Tennessee against LSU on Tuesday night in an elimination game in the College World Series. He is 9-4 with a 3.78 ERA as a sophomore. He has turned in three straight quality starts, including a six-inning scoreless showing against Southern Miss in the Hattiesburg Super Regional.

Carlee, 15, is a wheelchair user due to spinal muscular atrophy or SMA. It is a genetic disease that affects the central nervous system. It causes muscles to not receive signals and consequently to not develop properly.

There are four classifications of SMA, the latter two of which don’t have a significant impact on lifestyle and quality of life. Those with Type II are unable to walk and can see reduced life expectancy, but are typically expected to live into young adulthood. Type I can be deadly by the age of 2 if left untreated, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Carlee is a constant presence at Tennessee baseball games, especially at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. She typically sits with her family in the concourse behind home plate to watch Beam pitch. She's also a popular person in the family area by the batting cages in right field after the game.

Beam wears a purple rubber wristband that says "Cure SMA" on it. He added the glove this season. Tennessee players are allowed to create a custom glove once a year per UT's contract with Wilson. Beam elected to get a purple glove to raise more awareness.

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: Why does Drew Beam wear a purple glove for Tennessee baseball?