SCORE: Tennessee 6, Texas A&M 5 | FINAL (Tennessee has WON the National Championship)
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Top-ranked Tennessee baseball (59-13, 22-8 SEC) is set to battle No. 3 seed Texas A&M Aggies (53-14, 19-11 SEC) Monday night in Omaha in the College World Series Championship.
First pitch at Charles Schwab Field is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Vols and Aggies are squaring off for all the marbles Monday night. Texas A&M took game one, 9-5, before Tennessee won game two, 4-1, forcing a deciding game three.
Texas A&M led wire-to-wire Saturday night in the CWS Finals opener, and Tennessee used two crucial homers and an elite pitching day to win game two. Read RTI’s recaps of each game below.
RECAP: Tennessee Drops Game One Of College World Series Finals Against Texas A&M
RECAP: Tennessee Baseball Defeats Texas A&M To Even College World Series Finals
A win would give Tennessee baseball its first National Championship in program history. Additionally, it would give UT its first National Championship in any sport since Women’s indoor Track in 2009. The last men’s title was the 2002 indoor Track team.
The last National Championship in any major sport for Tennessee is Pat Summitt’s 2008 Lady Vols team. The last National Championship in any men’s major sport is football in 1998.
CLUTCH: Dylan Dreiling Comes Up Clutch Against Left-Handed Pitching Again For Tennessee Baseball
LEGEND: What John Wilkerson’s Partners Want You To Know About The Voice Of Tennessee Baseball
This is the first time Tennessee is in the College World Series Finals since 1951. The Vols have never won a National Championship and neither have the Aggies.
Tennessee and Texas A&M went 3-0 prior to the final series. While the 3-0 starts allowed each team to reset its pitching for the weekend, neither team is at full strength. Tennessee is obviously without star pitcher AJ Russell who underwent Tommy John surgery last Tuesday, and A&M is without its best position player, Braden Montgomery, and one of its best arms, Shane Sdao.
See where Texas A&M’s pitching stands entering game three of the finals here.
DEMEANOR: Tennessee Baseball’s Zander Sechrist Has The Right Demeanor For The Biggest Moment
HOMER: Tennessee’s Dylan Dreiling Launches Massive Home Run To Give Vols The Lead
The two sides met once before the CWS Finals. Tennessee defeated A&M 7-4 in its second game of the SEC Tournament to eliminate the Aggies. It was the first of four wins for Tennessee that week as the Vols went on to claim an SEC Tournament championship.
With each team winning a game in the final series, Tennessee is 2-1 against Texas A&M this season.
The Vols’ win over the Aggies on Sunday night snapped an eight-game winning streak for A&M that dated back to its loss to the Vols in Hoover.
Tennessee is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. The Vols swept through the Knoxville Regional and won two of three games against Evansville in the Knoxville Super Regional.
Texas A&M is the No. 3 seed after finishing second in the SEC West behind Arkansas. The Aggies have been among the top teams in the nation all year, owning sweeps over Auburn and Vanderbilt and a series win over Arkansas. In the postseason, the Aggies swept their regional and swept Oregon in the College Station Super.
GOOD TO GO: Christian Moore Says ‘He’ll Be Good To Go’ For Season Finale After Exiting Game Two Early
TRANSCRIPT: What Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Took Game Two Against Texas A&M
For all of RTI’s baseball coverage so far in the College World Series, including an INSTANT reaction from Tennessee’s game two win over Texas A&M, click here.
For the latest RTI Press Pass baseball podcast, click here.
More From RTI: How To Watch: Tennessee Baseball vs. Texas A&M In Game Three Of College World Series Finals
VIDEO: Tony Vitello, Dylan Dreiling, Cal Stark, Aaron Combs Talk Game Two Win Over Texas A&M to Even CWS Finals
Injury Note
-Sophomore RHP AJ Russell is shut down for the remainder of the season and thus is inactive for the College World Series. Russell underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday to repair his UCL. However, Russell is with the team in Omaha.
-RS-Jr. centerfielder Hunter Ensley remains the starter in centerfield for the second straight game after not starting defensively for two straight games (Wednesday, Saturday) while nursing an injury he sustained when crashing hard into the wall to make a catch-of-the-year candidate Sunday against UNC. Ensley was the DH in both of last Wednesday and Saturday’s games.
THREAD: Tennessee Baseball vs. Texas A&M Game Two
Lineups, pitching matchup and additional pre-game notes are below, followed by the LIVE at-bat by at-bat game thread.
Starting Lineups
TENNESSEE STARTING NINE:
2B Christian Moore (R)
1B Blake Burke (L)
3B Billy Amick (R)
LF Dylan Dreiling (L)
CF Hunter Ensley (R)
RF Kavares Tears (L)
SS Dean Curley (R)
DH Cannon Peebles (S)
C Cal Stark (R)
Lineup Notes:
- Same lineup for Tennessee as game two.
- Peebles gets the DH nod for the second straight day. He went 0-1 with three walks in Sunday’s game.
- Peebles has been very good at getting on-base as of late, but with him starting at DH, the Vols’ catcher depth takes a hit if they choose to pinch-hit for Cal Stark at some point.
- Ensley stays in centerfield for the second straight game after starting as the DH last Wednesday and Saturday while nursing a lower-body injury he sustained when crashing into the wall Sunday against North Carolina.
TEXAS A&M STARTING NINE:
3B Gavin Grahovac (R)
RF Jace LaViolette (L)
C Jackson Appel (S)
DH Hayden Schott (L)
1B Ted Burton (R)
LF Caden Sorrell (L)
SS Ali Camarillo (R)
2B Kaeden Kent (L)
CF Travis Chestnut (R)
Pitching Matchup:
Vols Sr. LHP Zander Sechrist (5-1, 3.22 ERA, 19 app., 18 starts, 72.2 IP, 70 H, 30 R, 26 ER, 15 BB, 69 K, 17 XBH, .251 opp. batting avg., 1.17 WHIP)
vs.
Aggies So. LHP Justin Lamkin (3-2, 5.00 ERA, 18 app., 15 starts, 63.0 IP, 59 H, 35 R, 35 ER, 20 BB, 86 K, 18 XBH, .245 opp. batting avg., 1.25 WHIP)
Pitching notes:
- Sechrist stays in his game three role. The senior has pitched 6.0 or more innings in four of his last five outings and only given up four earned runs COMBINED in his last five starts.
- Lamkin hasn’t pitched yet in the CWS Finals but is one of A&M’s best pitchers and has been a starter pretty much all season.
- Lamkin has been great so far in Omaha, throwing 112 pitches combined across eight scoreless innings in the two games against Florida. He’s recorded 15 total strikeouts in those outings, as well.
- Lamkin last threw 70 pitches last Wednesday against Florida, allowing three hits and no runs while striking out nine.
- It’ll be interesting to see how much A&M pushes Lamkin. He’s thrown over 90 pitches just once this season and hasn’t thrown over 80 since April.
- But with it being the final game of the season, expect A&M to ride their guy as long as he can go.
Uniforms
Tennessee: Dark Mode
Texas A&M: Grey on grey with maroon hats and accents
*NOTES*
- There is NO Run-Rule in NCAA Tournament play.
- Tennessee is the HOME team today. It was the home team Saturday and away team Sunday.
GAME THREAD
1st Inning:
T1
First pitch is a strike at 7:10 p.m. ET at Charles Schwab Field.
-Gavin Grahovac flies out to RF.
-Jace LaViolette strikes out swinging.
-Jackson Appel grounds out to 2B.
- Moore bobbled the grounder but rebounded to make the play in time.
- First 1-2-3 first inning for Tennessee in the CWS Finals.
END OF TOP HALF
B1
-Christian Moore ropes a leadoff homer to LF.
- 34th HR of the season for Moore. Absolute rocket on a 1-2 pitch.
- 389 feet, 108 mph.
- First run Lamkin has given up in Omaha.
-Blake Burke knocks a single to right field.
-Billy Amick flies out to CF.
-Dylan Dreiling is walked on four pitches. Burke to second.
-Hunter Ensley strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Kavares Tears out at first 1B to P.
- 23-pitch inning for Lamkin. Productive first frame from the Vols’ offense.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Aggies 0
2nd Inning:
T2
-Hayden Schott slaps a single to left field.
-Ted Burton flies out to CF in left-center.
-Caden Sorrell flies out to CF in left-center.
-Ali Camarillo strikes out swinging.
- 25 pitches through 2 innings for Zander.
END OF TOP HALF
B2
-Dean Curley grounds out to P.
-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging.
-Cal Stark works a walk.
-Christian Moore fouls out to 1B.
- 45 pitches so far for Lamkin.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 1, Aggies 0
3rd Inning:
T3
-Kaeden Kent flies out to LF in left-center.
- Great speed by Dreiling to get to the ball in the left-center gap.
-Travis Chestnut reaches on a bunt single to C, advances to second on a throwing error by Cal Stark.
- Stark fielded the bunt and fired an errant throw to Burke. Wasn’t close at all. Chestnut easily reaches second.
Chestnut steals second.
-Gavin Grahovac drills an RBI single to left field.
-Jace LaViolette singles to 1B. Grahovac advances to second.
- Burke fielded the short dribbler and threw to second, but Grahovac beat the throw. Would have been a very tough play to get LaViolette out at first with Burke leaving, so it’s ruled a base-hit instead of a fielder’s choice.
-Jackson Appel grounds into a 4-3 double play.
- Nice play by Christian Moore.
END OF TOP HALF
B3
-Blake Burke rips a double to right-center.
-Billy Amick grounds out to SS. Burke advances to third.
-Dylan Dreiling sends a sac fly to right-center to score Burke.
-Hunter Ensley drives a single to right-center.
-Kavares Tears cracks a single through the right side. Ensley advances to second.
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Josh Stewart (2-2, 4.60 ERA) on to pitch for Lamkin*
-Dean Curley smacks an RBI single to LF to score Ensley. Tears advances to third. Curley out trying to reach second, 7-4.
- Curley brings home a run but is easily thrown out trying to reach second. Bad baserunning ends the inning, but Tennessee gets two crucial runs in the frame.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Aggies 1
4th Inning:
T4
-Hayden Schott grounds out to SS.
-Ted Burton works a walk.
-Caden Sorrell strikes out swinging.
Burton steals second.
-Ali Camarillo grounds out to 2B.
END OF TOP HALF
B4
-Cannon Peebles grounds out 1-6-3.
-Cal Stark flies out to shallow RF.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Aggies 1
5th Inning:
T5
-Kaeden Kent strikes out swinging.
-Travis Chestnut strikes out swinging.
-Gavin Grahovac strikes out looking.
- Great 1-2-3 inning from Sechrist as he strikes out the side.
END OF TOP HALF
B5
-Blake Burke lines out to LF.
-Billy Amick pops up to 2B.
-Dylan Dreiling drops a double into left field.
- Dropped into no man’s land and the third baseman and left fielder had trouble picking it up. But Dreiling was already going to second.
-Hunter Ensley flies out to RF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Aggies 1
6th Inning:
T6
-Jace LaViolette strikes out swinging.
-Jackson Appel singles to RF.
-Hayden Schott slices a single through the left side of the infield. Appel advances to second.
*Pitching change: So. RHP Nate Snead (10-2, 3.05 ERA) on to pitch for Sechrist*
-Ted Burton reaches on a fielder’s choice to SS as Schott is out at second, 6-4. Appel advances to third.
- Should have been a double play. Curley bobbled the ball getting it to Moore at second. Should have been a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
- Looked like Curley smacked the ball mid-air to ensure it got to Moore. Was nearly a disaster.
Tennessee CHALLENGED the ruling of safe on a back-pick attempt to get Burton at first. Call was CONFIRMED. Was close, but not enough to overturn.
-Caden Sorrell lines out to 1B.
- Ball was smoked 105 mph. Right to Burke’s glove. Good reflexes from Blake.
END OF TOP HALF
B6
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Evan Aschenbeck (6-1, 1.49 ERA) on to pitch for Stewart*
-Kavares Tears strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Dean Curley doubles down the RF line.
- Right-fielder dove for the ball but couldn’t catch it. Stand-up double for Dean.
-Cannon Peebles fouls out to RF. Curley advances to third.
-Cal Stark grounds out to 1B unassisted.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 3, Aggies 1
7th Inning:
T7
-Ali Camarillo strikes out swinging.
-Kaeden Kent singles up the middle.
*Ryan Targac pinch-hitting for Travis Chestnut*
-Targac works a walk. Kent to second with top of the order due up.
-Gavin Grahovac flies out to the warning track in RF. Kent advances to third.
-Jace LaViolette grounds out to 2B.
- Burke initially went to charge the grounder but got back in time to cover first and make the tag. Nice play to get back to first. Tennessee gets out of the jam as Snead strands a pair.
END OF TOP HALF
B7
*Targac to 2B*
*Kent to 3B*
*Grahovac to LF*
*Sorrell to RF*
*LaViolette to CF*
-Christian Moore flies out to RF.
-Blake Burke flies out to CF in left-center.
-Billy Amick rips a single to left-center.
-Dylan Dreiling launches a two-run homer to the bullpen in right field.
- What a monster Dreiling has been. Feels like a death knell. Without a doubt the CWS MVP.
- 23rd HR of the season for Dreiling.
- In all three games of the CWS Finals, Dreiling has hit a two-run homer in the 7th inning.
-Hunter Ensley singles through the left side.
-Kavares Tears smokes an RBI double off the wall in right-center to score Ensley.
- Ensley jumped around the tag at home plate to score. Just a phenomenal play by Ensley to score. One that will be played over and over and over again if UT wins.
- Ensley also slammed his helmet down after scoring. As Bill Raftery would say, ‘ONIONS!’
Play was reviewed and CONFIRMED.
- My goodness what a play.
-Dean Curley flies out to CF.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Aggies 1
8th Inning:
T8
-Jackson Appel singles up the middle.
*Pitching change: Fr. LHP Dylan Loy (2-0, 2.25 ERA) on to pitch for Snead*
Appel advances to second on a wild pitch.
Appel advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Hayden Schott knocks an RBI single up the middle.
-Ted Burton strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Caden Sorrell ropes an RBI double to left-center to score Schott from first.
*Pitching change: Sr. LHP Kirby Connell (4-1, 3.72 ERA) on to pitch for Loy*
*Ariel Antigua to SS for Dean Curley*
-Ali Camarillo legs out an infield single to SS.
- Nice play by Antigua, but Camarillo beats it with a great slide. Antigua did all he could.
-Kaeden Kent strikes out swinging.
- Huge K.
-Ryan Targac strikes out swinging.
- Massive stuff from Kirby to get back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
END OF TOP HALF
B8
-Cannon Peebles strikes out swinging on three pitches.
-Cal Stark singles to LF, advances to second on a fielding error by the left fielder.
-Christian Moore strikes out swinging.
Stark caught stealing 2-6-5, picked off.
- Not sure what Cal was doing there. Nonetheless, three more outs for Tennessee.
END OF BOTTOM HALF
Score: Vols 6, Aggies 3
9th Inning:
T9
*Pitching change: Jr. RHP Aaron Combs (3-1, 3.02 ERA) on to pitch for Connell*
-Gavin Grahovac doubles down the LF line.
-Jace LaViolette strikes out swinging.
Grahovac advances to third on a wild pitch.
-Jackson Appel knocks an RBI single to LF.
-Hayden Schott strikes out swinging on three pitches.
Appel steals second.
Appel advances to third on a balk.
Appel scores on a wild pitch.
-Ted Burton strikes out swinging.
END OF TOP HALF
Score: Vols 6, Aggies 5
END OF GAME
FINAL: Tennessee Vols 6, Texas A&M Aggies5
