OMAHA, Neb. – For the first time in three games, Tennessee outfielder Hunter Ensley is back in centerfield for the Vols.
Tennessee takes on Texas A&M Sunday at 2 o’clock eastern time in the second game of the College World Serie Finals. With a win, the Vols force a decisive Monday Game 3. If Tennessee loses, the Aggies claim the national championship in two games.
UT will sport the normal five at the top with Christian Moore (2B), Blake Burke (1B), Billy Amick (3B) and Dylan Dreiling (LF). Ensley is at designated hitter is followed by Kavares Tears (CF) in sixth and Dean Curley in seventh. Cannon Peebles (DH) and Cal Stark (C) round out the starting nine for the Volunteers in the contest.
Ensley was removed from Sunday’s 6-1 win over North Carolina after running full speed into the left-centerfield wall while making an incredible catch. He remained in the game for a few innings before being removed with a three-run lead heading to the fifth inning.
The junior was 1-for-4 as the club’s designated hitter during Tennessee’s 7-2 win over Florida State on Wednesday, driving in a first inning run. He followed that up with a three-hit day on Saturday against the Aggies, driving in wo on a single and home run.
“There’s a chance tomorrow. And it was close. And you kind of weigh your options,” Vitello said after Saturday’s game fo not having Ensley in the outfield. “Again, at the very least, I mean, where I grew up in Missouri I had to watch my dad coach — single elimination is not appropriate for baseball based off sample size and things like that.
“So, given the fact that we potentially have two or three games to play, I wasn’t too comfortable with the idea of him pushing it after a couple of days of nonaction. And, of course, he’s got the fighter mentality.”
The post LOOK: Tennessee posts starting lineup for CWS Game 2 against Texas A&M appeared first on On3.