Commitment to Vanderbilt came quickly for Owen

Hunter Owen LHP / South Portland, ME / 2020

SOUTH PORTLAND, Me. - Hunter Owen is headed back near where he spent the early part of his childhood.

The South Portland junior, who lived in Kentucky until the age of seven, has committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt.

“My dad is a youth pastor and he got a job in Maine,” Owen reflected. “We’ve been here coming up on 10 years now. But I still have a little love for the south. Both my grandmas live in Florida.”

Now the 25th-ranked 2020 player in New England will be closer to them after deciding on the Southeastern Conference school in Tennessee.

“It was a pretty quick process,” noted the 6-5 235-pound left-handed pitcher about his recruitment. “I visited a lot of schools before they saw me at a game this summer in Rhode Island. Trey Fletcher (a Maine Lightning teammate who is also a Vanderbilt commit) was in contact with them and (Vanderbilt head) coach (Tim) Corbin flew up to see me pitch. They offered me there.”

Owen went on a visit to Vanderbilt Sept. 13 and a couple days later made it official.

“Throughout the process I kept telling coaches it was a feel thing,” Owen explained. “I liked the feel of the program and it all started with the coaches, the whole coaching staff. I’m a faith-based person and just had a feeling the opportunity was there in academics and baseball. It just felt like a great fit.”