The College World Series is a familiar site for Tennessee designated hitter Dalton Bargo. The sophomore has been attending the event each year for as long as he can remember. The only difference this go-around, he’ll be taking center stage.
Friday night and the next week will be nothing short of a dream come true for the guy whose childhood home sits just 10 minutes from Charles Schwab Stadium.
“It means everything. Ever since I was a little kid, six years old, I’ve been going to the College World,” Bargo told Volquest. “So, playing in the College World Series and playing in Omaha has just been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. And to see it finally happen and to be in this, be in this spot, it’s everything to me.”
The utility player found the field early in his collegiate career as he was the primary designated hitter for Missouri in 2023. The Tigers made a coaching change and Bargo hit the portal, looking for new opportunities. When Tennessee expressed interest, it was a no brainer and the thought of winning games in his hometown of Omaha at the College World Series became a distinct possibility.
“Yeah, one hundred percent,” the slugger said when asked if he considered the possibility when examining the Vols. “My whole thing is to be a competitor. I want to win and that’s why I made the choice to come to Tennessee. I couldn’t be happier. That’s exactly why I’m here – where we’re at right now.”
Plenty of Bargo’s will be filing into the stands at Charles Schwab over the next week to see the local celebrity. Not just family, but former high school and travel ball teammates, former classmates and childhood friends. The Tennessee sophomore will have quite the cheering section.
“I’m expecting a lot of my friends to be there every game because I know a lot of them go to the College World Series regularly, like I did when I was younger. They still do that,” Bargo explained. “So, it’d be nice to see all of them out at Charles Schwab.”
At the end of the day, however, it’s a business trip for Bargo and the Tennessee Vols. The designated hitter had one of his best games of the season – homering twice – against Evansville in a decisive game three of the Knoxville Super Regional.
It was then biggest game of the year and the part-time role player didn’t bat an eye.
“Going into the game, I obviously knew that it was a big game for us – for us as a team. There’s this really big spot, really big moment,” Bargo said. “I kind of had to set myself aside and tell myself just to slow things down and don’t make that moment bigger than it needs to be. It’s just baseball and it’s the game I’ve loved since I was a little kid.
“I feel like the entire team, we kind of played that way and that’s why we had so much success and why we’ve had so much success this year.”
Tennessee was no doubt impressive in the contest, as it has been all season long. Bargo was one of several heroes in the contest and it was great to see considering he never knows if he’s in the lineup or not.
The designated hitter role has been a bit of musical chairs for Tony Vitello this season as it has never settled on one bat in particular. Bargo has certainly had his chances. As has Reese Chapman and Cannon Peebles. Colby Backus even got a slim look. There’s just never been a ton of consistency.
Despite the constant shuffling and the competitiveness in each player to be the guy to complete arguably the best lineup in all of college baseball, the support for one another is strong between the group competing for at-bats.
“Just showing up to the field. My mindset is always just do what’s asked to me and doing it to the best of my ability and giving them the best effort,” the sophomore concluded. “And no matter what it is that day, if I’m not in the lineup then I’m on the bench and I’m getting behind my teammates that have the opportunity to perform and succeed.
“I want to see that out of them. We’re not just a team. We’re brotherhood. Day in and day out we never know who’s going to get the call, but everybody is behind them and got their backs and no matter what.”
It’s that type of selfless attitude that has made this group fun to watch this year. It’s part of the reason why the Vols are the No. 1 overall seed. Bargo has played as big of a role into that as anybody on the squad. The hometown kid has the hot hand and will have the opportunity to keep it going this week on a stage he’s familiar with as a lifelong spectator.
Tennessee opens play in the College World Series Friday night against Florida State at 7 o’clock eastern time.
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