NATIONAL CHAMPS! Tennessee owns the college baseball world with first-ever title

Tennessee's Kirby Connell. Credit: UT Athletics

OMAHA, Neb. – It took seven trips and 26 games, but Tennessee has finally done it. For the first time in program history, the Vols are national champions following a 6-5 win over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the College World Series Final on Monday night from Charles Schwab Field.

From Christian Moore’s leadoff home run in the first to Aaron Combs’ final out, Tennessee (60-13) had control of the ballgame over the Aggies (53-15) and never gave it away. A three-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run homer from Dylan Dreiling, provided just enough cushion for the Volunteer arms to operate over he final six outs.

After falling 9-5 to the Aggies in Game 1 of the College World Series Finals, Tennessee bounced back to a 4-1 victory in Game 2 – setting up the decisive Game 3 on Monday night for a true national championship game. The Vols never trailed in the Finals dating back to Dreiling’s two-run home run in the seventh inning on Sunday. The sophomore belted a trio of seventh inning, two-run homers over Texas A&M in the three-game series.

Zander Sechrist earned the victory on the mound after tossing 5.1 innings of one-run (unearned) baseball while giving up six hits with seven strikeouts to just one walk over 88 pitches. Aggie starter Justin Lamkin (3-3) is charged with the loss after surrendering three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings on the bump. Aaron Combs picked up the final three outs of the ballgame before the dogpiles ensued.

Tennessee is now victorious to cap its seventh trip to Omaha for the College World Series. The Vols own a CWS record of 14-12 now while avenging the 1951 team who finished national runner-up to Oklahoma. It’s the first baseball national championship in program history, but the 24 team national championship for Tennessee overall and first since 2009.

The celebration will last a long, long while. Here’s how it all went down for the national champion Volunteers on a Monday night at the ‘Chuck’ over Texas A&M.

Scoring Summary

Bot 1: Christian Moore sent a solo home run out to left field. Vols 1-0

Top 3: Gavin Grahovac singled to left to plate Travis Chestnut. Tied 1-1
Bot 3: Dylan Dreiling drove in Blake Burke on a sac fly to centerfield. Vols 2-1
Bot 3: Dean Curley singled in Hunter Ensley on a base hit to left. Vols 3-1
Bot 7: Dylan Dreiling just got enough for a two-run homer to right field. Vols 5-1

Bot 7: Kavares Tears drove in Hunter Ensley with an RBI double off the wall in center. Vols 6-1
Top 8: Hayden Schott drove in a run with a single up the middle. Vols 6-2
Top 8: Caden Sorrell doubled in a run to left. Vols 6-3
Top 9: Jackson Appel singled in a run to left. Vols 6-4

The Final Stats

2024 College World Series Bracket

2024-1-1Download

2024 College World Series Results

Friday, June 14
North Carolina 3, Virginia 2 | Final Stats
Tennessee 12, Florida State 11 | Final Stats

Saturday, June 15
Kentucky 5, NC State 4 (10 inn) | Final Stats
Texas A&M 3, Florida 2 | Final Stats

Sunday, June 16
Florida State 7, Virginia 3 | Final Stats | Elimination Game
Tennessee 6, North Carolina 1| Final Stats

Monday, June 17
Florida 5, NC State 4 | Final Stats | Elimination Game
Texas A&M 5, Kentucky 1 | Final Stats

Tuesday, June 18
Florida State 5, North Carolina 1 | Final Stats | Elimination Game
Florida vs. Kentucky | Postponed (Rain)

Wednesday, June 19
Florida 15, Kentucky 4 | Final Stats | Kentucky Eliminated
Tennessee 7, Florida State 2 | Final Stats | FSU Eliminated
Texas A&M 6, Florida 0 | Final Stats | Florida Eliminated

Saturday, June 22
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5 | Final Stats

Sunday, June 23
Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1 | Final Stats

Monday, June 24
Tennessee 6, Texas A&M 4 | Final Stats

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