Omaha, Neb. – Tennessee baseball is one game away from a national championship.
No. 1 Tennessee (59-13) faces No. 3 Texas A&M (53-14) in the final game of the College World Series final on Monday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Charles Schwab Field. The Vols lost the opening game 9-5 on Saturday and then won the second game 4-1 on Sunday.
The Vols have never before won 60 games in a season and no SEC team has ever reached the 60-win mark.
Tennessee has hit 182 home runs, the second most in a single season in NCAA history. That trails 1997 LSU, which hit 188 homers.
Aaron Combs faces the Aggies at the top of the order. Combs threw four innings Sunday, throwing 64 pitches.
Gavin Grahovac doubled to lead off the inning. Andrew Behnke and Marcus Phillips are throwing in the Vols bullpen.
Jace Laviolette struck out while chasing a high fastball on a 3-2 pitch. Huge K. One out for the combo.
Cal Stark’s one-out double was canceled out when he was caught in a rundown on a quick throw by Jackson Appel with two outs.
In the 9th inning, and Aaron Combs is pitching. Can the Vols finish it off?
Nate Sneed homered to start the eighth inning with Jackson Appel leading off with a run. Appel advances 90 feet twice on a wild pitch, then scores on an RBI single by Hayden Schott.
Sorrell scores on a one-out RBI double by Caden Sorrell. The Vols now lead 6-3. Kirby Connell is coming into the game for Snead.
After allowing an infield single, Connell goes vigorously off-speed to get two strikeouts to get out of the inning. Walls’ lefty takes advantage of the Aggies’ eager No. 8 and No. 9 batsmen.
Dylan Dreiling, College World Series MVP?
Billy Amick gets a single with two outs, then Dylan Dreiling sends a two-run home run to right field in the Texas A&M bullpen. Volume 5, Aggies 1.
The Tennessee fan contingent in Omaha is feeling it.
Hunter Ensley singled, then scored on an RBI double by Kavarese Tears. A&M’s relay throw was perfect, but Ensley somehow avoided the tag at home and touched home plate. Very good. Vols lead 6-1.
Cayden Kent singled and pinch-hitter Ryan Targack walked with one out. Nate Snead isn’t as sharp today as he was in Game 2, but he will face Gavin Grahovac.
Grahovac flied out, and Kent moved to third. Jace Laviolette with two outs.
Laviolette homered to Blake Burke, but Christian Moore walked to end the inning with a 4–3 putout. What a moment it was for Moore, Burke and Snead to get out of a jam.
This is a big point of the game. After stranding two in the top half, Texas A&M sent Evan Eschenbach to pitch in the game. He’s been very, very good this season and in Omaha, but if the Vols can score a run or two after denying the Aggies, it could be a big swing.
Dean Curley hit a double to left field, but the bottom of the Vols’ lineup couldn’t get it in. Till 7th inning.
After back-to-back singles, Xander Secrist exited the game. Nate Sneed struck out the Vols in the inning after Blake Burke caught a line drive for the final out of A&M’s 6th.
Dylan Dreiling continues to be very productive, hitting a two-out bloop double that spins away from the Texas A&M outfielder. But Hunter Ensley flied out to right field to end the inning. The Vols offense hasn’t taken the game away yet, despite the Xander Sechrist gem in progress.
Xander Secrist led A&M’s team in 5th as they continued their good postseason performance. Nate Snead is likely the next pitcher for the Vols, and that time is coming soon, Tony Vitello told ESPN in between innings. Snead was throwing in the bullpen during that inning.
Walls has been retired against Aggies pitcher Josh Stewart. The Aggies will likely look for at least one more inning for Stewart before turning to Evan Eschenbach unless the Vols are able to pitch a big inning.
Ted Burton walks and steals second base, but is unable to score on it against the Aggies’ Xander Secrist.
Secrist has been very good so far, allowing one run on four hits and three strikeouts in 63 pitches.
Blake Burke doubles to center to lead off the UT 3rd, moves to third base on a flyout and scores on an RBI sacrifice fly by Dylan Dreiling.
Back-to-back singles drove in Aggies starter Justin Lamkin, and Dean Curley drove in Hunter Ensley with an RBI single.
The Aggies’ No. 9 hitter Travis Chesnutt split with two strikes and reaching, advancing to second base after Cal Stark’s throw got past Blake Burke. Chesnutt then stole third base and scored on an RBI single by Gavin Grahovac.
Xander Secrist gets a double play to end the inning. The Vols’ defense has been good at times, especially in the outfield, but it also helped the Aggies score runs in Game 1 and Game 3.
Cal Starks serves a two-out walk, but Christian Moore lands in wrong field to end the inning.
Xander Secrist works around a leadoff single with a few flyouts and a strikeout.
Aggies starter Justin Lamkin gets ahead of Christian Moore in the count, but Moore lines a 1-2 pitch down the left field line and into the bullpen for a solo home run. Vols lead 1-0. Big start for the Tennessee star.
Blake Burke singles and Dylan Dreiling walks, but the Vols are unable to get another run.
Tennessee is the home team tonight. Xander Secrist threw the first pitch at 7:09 pm ET, a strikeout to Gavin Grahovac.
Grahovac flies to right field for the first out. There is wind blowing at some points, so that may affect fly balls tonight.
Secrist works 1-2-3 innings as the Vols look to take an early lead.
Christian Moore is in his usual position and spot in the lineup. Canon Peebles is at DH and will bat 8th, with Hunter Ensley in centerfield. Xander Secrist will start.
Create row:
1: Christian Moore (2B)
2: Blake Burke (1B)
3: Billy Amick (3B)
4: Dylan Dreiling (LF)
5: Hunter Ainsley (CF)
6: Tears of Kavre (RF)
7: Dean Curley (SS)
8: Canon Peebles (DH)
9: Cal Stark (C)
Starting pitcher: Xander Secrist
TV: ESPN(View on fubo)
More:Watch Tennessee Baseball vs. Texas A&M Live with Fubo (Free Trial)
lights:Meet Carly Beam, the brightest light in Tennessee baseball’s Lindsey Nelson Stadium
Check out the Tennessee baseball schedule here
View the Texas A&M baseball schedule
View the Tennessee baseball roster here
View the Texas A&M baseball roster
Saturday, June 22
Sunday, June 23
Monday, June 24
According to BetMGM
View the bracket here.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @by mikewilson, If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will give you access to it all.
We sometimes recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase after clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this does not impact our coverage.
This post was published on 06/24/2024 4:46 pm
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis He has accused United Airlines of a "disgusting…
transparency market analysisThe adoption of regenerative dentistry ideas into preventive care methods revolutionizes the traditional…
The USA Basketball showcase continues this week with its second and final game in Abu…
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) is recently down -0.89%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index…
Emmy season is back, and Tony Hale ("Veep") and Sheryl Lee Ralph ("Abbott Elementary"), along…
Dublin, July 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The file "e-Prescription Systems - Global Strategic Business…