OMAHA, Neb. − Tennessee baseball is starting the final phase of its chase for a national championship with a best-of-three College World Series final against Texas A&M.
The No. 1 Vols (58-12) and No. 3 Aggies (52-13) play Game 1 on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). It is the third time in the past four seasons that two SEC teams will play for the national championship and the matchup means an SEC team will be the champions for a fifth straight time.
Vols coach Tony Vitello was an assistant coach on Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle’s staff at Texas Christian 2011-13.
Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Texas A&M in College World Series finals Game 1
FINAL: Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5
Evan Aschenbeck strikes out Blake Burke looking on a 3-2 pitch that appeared high in the zone, though home plate umpire Mike Morris’ strike zone has fluctuated.
Billy Amick hit a one-out single. Dylan Dreiling also hit a one-out single, his fourth hit of the game. Runners on the corners with one out, and Hunter Ensley will bat.
Ensley struck out swinging on a breaking ball in the dirt. Two out.
Kavares Tears struck out swinging to end the game. Vols lose 9-5 in Game 1 and will need to play better in the field and at the plate on Sunday.
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5, top 9th
Dylan Loy was strong in the last two innings, striking out three and retiring all six batters in order.
To the bottom of the ninth inning and the Vols’ final chance to get back into the game. Blake Burke, Billy Amick and Dylan Dreiling are due up.
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5, bottom 8th: Evan Aschenbeck is good
Evan Aschenbeck has retired five straight Vols and has thrown just 18 pitches. Vols are three outs away from a 0-1 deficit in the best-of-three championship series.
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5, top 8th
Dylan Loy is in to pitch for the Vols. Dalton Bargo, who entered the game in the sixth inning, makes a tremendous diving catch in right field for the first out. A&M challenges, but it’s a clear catch.
Loy retires the Aggies in order in the eighth.
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5, bottom 7th: Vols claw closer with back-to-back HRs
Josh Stewart’s 56th pitch of the game results in a two-run home run by Dylan Dreiling as the Vols get back those two runs from the top of the inning.
Stewart may have tweaked something earlier in the inning, but A&M left him out there. He walked one before giving up the home run to Dreiling.
Brad Rudis is in the game. He hasn’t pitched since June 9 in the super regional against Oregon. He has a 2.29 ERA in 35.1 innings this season.
On the second pitch, Ensley golfs one into the left field bullpen.
Aggies closer Evan Aschenbeck is now coming into the game. He has a 1.54 ERA in 70 innings over 30 appearances. He strikes out Kavares Tears and Dean Curley to end the inning.
Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 2, top 7th: Aggies add two on HR
Kaeden Kent, the son of former MLBer Jeff Kent, clubs a two-run home run into the Aggies’ bullpen in right field. A&M leads 9-2.
The vibes feel different than the FSU game, but the Vols still have nine outs to work with tonight. Will the Aggies avoid their best bullpen guys or will Tennessee force their hand?
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, bottom 6th: Vols bats quiet through six innings
Cal Stark walks with two out, bringing up Christian Moore. But he grounds out to shortstop on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Tennessee will need to make some noise soon.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, top 6th
Andrew Behnke comes in after Marcus Phillips walks a batter, and he works around the walk in a scoreless A&M 6th.
The Vols’ bats are up, and Tennessee could use a long ball.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, bottom 5th
After a Blake Burke double to lead off the UT 5th, the Aggies make a pitching change. Ryan Prager’s day is done.
Josh Stewart is in the game to pitch for A&M. The Vols will get into the non-back-end portion of the Aggies bullpen, though Stewart has a 4.33 ERA.
After a Billy Amick walk, the Vols are retired via a pair of strikeouts and a 4-3 groundout by Kavares Tears.
Home plate umpire Mike Morris’ strike zone is very wide tonight, but it’s been that way since the first inning. The Vols haven’t completely adjusted to it.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, top 5th
With two on and one out, A&M’s Ali Camarillo is caught stealing on a smooth pickoff throw to third base by Kirby Connell.
Still, Travis Chesnut hits a single to right field with two out, with both runners advancing into scoring position after Reese Chapman drops the ball in right. The Vols have three errors tonight.
Marcus Phillips will pitch to Aggies leadoff hitter Gavin Grahovac with two on and two out. Kirby Connell managed two outs around three hits in the fifth.
Phillips strikes out Grahovac with a 98 mph fastball to end the inning. Not bad.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, bottom 4th: Christian Moore off balance against Ryan Prager
After a lengthy two-out at-bat, Christian Moore grounds softly to first base to end the inning. Moore is 0-for-3 with a strikeout today.
Kirby Connell is in to pitch the A&M 5th.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, top 4th: Kavares Tears’ catch in centerfield prevents a run
Hayden Schott hits a double with two out, and Ted Burton hit a long fly ball to left center that is hauled in by a diving Kavares Tears to end the inning.
It’s been a highlight reel for the Vols in center in the CWS.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 2, bottom 3rd: Vols add a run
Hunter Ensley drives in Blake Burke with an RBI single with two out.
Ryan Prager has done well in getting ahead in counts, but not as well finishing off at-bats. He did strike out three Vols in the UT 3rd.
Tennessee has six hits today, all singles.
How much longer will AJ Causey pitch? Kirby Connell was stretching in the bullpen during the Aggies’ 3rd.
Texas A&M 7, Tennessee 1, top 3rd: Aggies small-ball produces 5-run inning
After a leadoff walk and a infield single, Hayden Schott hits an RBI single to center.
On the next AB, Blake Burke makes a good play from first base to cut down a runner at home on a squeeze gone awry for the first out of the inning.
Then a single to right field scores another A&M run, with Reese Chapman in right field throwing to second base instead of home against one of the several hobbled Aggies runners in Schott. Note that if Hunter Ensley was playing the field, Kavares Tears and his arm would likely be in right field.
A&M scores another run on a E5 on a poor throw from Billy Amick that Blake Burke couldn’t pick.
A&M’s Kaeden Kent bloops a two-run single to continue a dreadful third inning for AJ Causey. 7-1 Aggies, and five runs in the inning with still just one out.
The Aggies help Causey out with another bunt, with Amick making the play this time to first base. A 4-3 groundout ends the inning.
Texas A&M 2, Tennessee 1, bottom 2nd: Vols get a run
After leadoff singles by Dylan Dreiling (infield) and Hunter Ensley, Dean Curley drives Dreiling in with a RBI single. That’s all for the Vols in the second inning, though Ryan Prager now at 38 pitches through two innings.
Texas A&M 2, Tennessee 0, top 2nd: AJ Causey settles in
AJ Causey retires the 8-9-1 hitters in order in the Aggies’ second inning. Both lineups are chasing a little more than usual right now against two pitchers with good movement.
Texas A&M 2, Tennessee 0, bottom 1st: Vols retired in order
Tennessee’s top of the lineup made Ryan Prager throw 19 pitches in a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning.
Texas A&M 2, Tennessee 0, top 1st: Aggies lead off Game 1 with HR
Gavin Grahovac hits a hanging high pitch into the right-field seats for a solo home run to lead off Game 1. Well then.
After a double and a E6 (probably should have been ruled an infield single on a bounce off the mound) with one out, here comes Tony Vitello to make the pitching change. Stamos leaves after just one out in the first inning for the second time in the CWS and the third time in the NCAA Tournament. AJ Causey will enter as is customary.
A&M’s Caden Sorrell gets a two-out RBI on a single up the middle, scoring Jackson Appel. 2-0 Aggies.
Causey gets a strikeout to end the inning, stranding two RISP. Vols lineup has some work to do, which hasn’t been a problem in Omaha.
Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M lineups
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M on today?
TV: ESPN (Watch on Fubo)
MORE:Watch Tennessee baseball live vs Texas A&M with Fubo (free trial)
Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M start time
Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M location
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Charles Schwab Field
LIGHT:Meet Carlee Beam, the brightest light at Tennessee baseball’s Lindsey Nelson Stadium
Tennessee baseball schedule
See the Tennessee baseball schedule here
Texas A&M baseball schedule
See the Texas A&M baseball schedule
Tennessee baseball roster
See the Tennessee baseball roster here
Texas A&M baseball roster
See the Texas A&M baseball roster
College World Series championship finals schedule 2024
Saturday, June 22
- Game 1: Texas A&M vs. Tennessee | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Sunday, June 23
- Game 2: Tennessee vs. Texas A&M | 2 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Monday, June 24
- Game 3 (if necessary): Texas A&M vs. Tennessee | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
College World Series odds
According to BetMGM
- Tennessee -200
- Texas A&M +160
2024 College World Series bracket
See the bracket here.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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