No team scored more runs in Division I college baseball than Tennessee did in 2024. But the Volunteers couldn’t break through until the seventh inning against Texas A&M in Game 2 of the College World Series Finals on Sunday.
Left fielder Dylan Dreiling hit a two-run home run off Kaiden Wilson for a 21 lead. Catcher Cal Stark added his own two-run shot in the eighth to increase Tennessee’s lead to 41 that held up as the final score.
GAME FLIPPED! GAME FLIPPED! GAME FLIPPED! @DylanDreiling1 #MCWS x ABC / @Vol_Baseball pic.twitter.com/eqpTBDx6Hv
NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 23, 2024
With the 41 win, the Vols force a decisive Game 3 at Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET. Tennessee will attempt to become the first No. 1 national seed since Miami in 1999 (when the NCAA baseball tournament’s current format was first introduced) to win the College World Series.
Facing elimination in the best-of-three series, the Vols broke out their black jerseys in which they had a 91 record this season. Make that 101 now.
STARK INDUSTRIES BANG! https://t.co/dOromFvTCS (ABC)#GBO // #OTH // #MCWS // #BeatTAMU pic.twitter.com/KhmpL1ZBY3
Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) June 23, 2024
Dreiling, a sophomore, was Tennessee’s third-leading home run hitter coming into Omaha with 19 to go with a .330 batting average and 1.153 OPS. Stark slugged nine homers in his senior season, batting .234 with a .921 OPS. His home run on Sunday was his first hit of the College World Series.
The Aggies threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth with two consecutive singles. But Vols reliever Nate Snead got Ali Camarillo to ground into a fielder’s choice at second base, then retired the next two batters on fly outs to close out the win.
Texas A&M’s Chris Cortez took over in the second inning after opener Zane Badmaev. Despite five walks, the junior right-hander allowed no runs and two hits while striking out seven against the best offense in Division I college baseball.
Vols starter Drew Beam struck out seven batters in his four innings, allowing only one run, three hits and two walks. Surprisingly, the offense couldn’t score for him while he was on the mound. The junior right-hander went 82 with a 4.16 ERA in 16 starts, notching 80 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings.
The Aggies are pursuing the first NCAA baseball championship in school history and opened the scoring with a home run from outfielder Jace LaViolette. The sophomore led A&M with 28 home runs and 75 RBI coming into Sunday, batting .315 with a 1.220 OPS.
AGS STRIKE FIRST #GigEm x @JaceLaViolette2 x #MCWS pic.twitter.com/eaDkHztQJP
Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) June 23, 2024
Down 10, Tennessee twice had bases-loaded opportunities with two outs but couldn’t score a run on either of them.
In the second, a throwing error by Camarillo at shortstop put the bases full but pitcher Chris Cortez ended the threat by getting Vols slugger Christian Moore to ground out to second base. Then in the fourth, two walks by Cortez loaded the bases again and escaped with another grounder to second base by Blake Burke.
BIG 5-4-3 DOUBLE PLAY #MCWS x ABC / @AggieBaseball pic.twitter.com/xWRyp1MbZc
NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 23, 2024
The Vols had another chance to tie the score or take the lead in the sixth when Cortez allowed a single and walk with one out. Lefty Kaiden Wilson came in and got catcher Cal Stark to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Texas A&M and Tennessee play Game 3 for the 2024 Division I NCAA baseball championship on Monday at 7 p.m. ET. The broadcast will be televised on ESPN.