Mike Wilson,Nick GrayKnoxville News Sentinel
OMAHA, Neb. − Tennessee baseball has to win the final two games of the season to claim a national title.
No. 1 Tennessee (58-13) faces No. 3 Texas A&M (53-13) on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, ABC) in the second game of the College World Series final at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. The Vols lost 9-5 in the opener Saturday.
UT has to win Sunday and again in Game 3 on Monday to win the program's first national championship. If it loses either game, Texas A&M will win the national title.
The Vols made three errors and struggled on the mound in the opener Saturday.
Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Texas A&M in College World Series finals Game 2
FINAL: Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1
Ted Burton singles through the left side of the infield to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning for Texas A&M. Kirby Connell will come into the game to pitch after a very good outing by Aaron Combs.
A note: Ariel Antigua is in the game at second base for Christian Moore, who was favoring his hamstring after running the bases in the seventh inning.
Caden Sorrell singles over Billy Amick's glove. The tying run comes to the plate in A&M shortstop Ali Camarillo with no out. Nate Snead will come in to pitch to him.
Camarillo grounds into a fielder's choice, with Antigua's tag producing a cut over Sorrell's eye in between first and second base.
Kaeden Kent will bat with one out and runners on the corners. Kent pops out to shallow left field for the second out.
A&M will pinch hit in the No. 9 spot, with Ryan Targac coming to the plate. Camarillo takes second base on defensive indifference on the first pitch. Targac flies out to the warning track in right field to end it. Vols win 4-1 in Game 2 to force a winner-take-all Game 3.
Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1, top 9th
Vols are retired in order in the top of the ninth inning.
Aaron Combs comes out to pitch to Ted Burton to open the bottom of the ninth inning with Kirby Connell and Nate Snead warming up.
Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1, bottom 8th: Aaron Combs gets out of a jam
Aaron Combs allowed a single and a four-pitch walk, but produced a flyout to get out of the inning.
Tennessee is three outs away from forcing Game 3.
Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1, top 8th: Cal Stark hits two-run HR
Cal Stark hits a long two-run home run with two out in the eighth inning for his first hit of the CWS. Stark was exuberant while running the bases.
Those two runs are big insurance for the Vols, who are closing in on forcing Game 3.
Tennessee 2, Texas A&M 1, bottom 7th: Aaron Combs trying to shut the door
Aaron Combs throws a clean seventh inning and looks in control. He has allowed one hit and one walk over three innings and 44 pitches.
Tennessee 2, Texas A&M 1, top 7th: Dylan Dreiling 2-run HR gives Vols the lead
With two out, Dylan Dreiling hits a two-run home run to right field to give Tennessee a 2-1 lead. Tennessee finally gets a hit with a runner on, and it's currently a go-ahead homer for Dreiling.
Can the Vols bullpen get this home?
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 6th
After a one-out walk and single, Aaron Combs gets out of the inning with a pair of flyouts.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, top 6th
After a one-out single and walk, Chris Cortez is done after 99 pitches. Kaiden Wilson, a left-hander, comes into the game to face Cal Stark with two on.
Stark grounds into a double play to end the inning. Stark is 0-for-16 in the College World Series.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 5th
Aaron Combs is in the game to pitch with two on and nobody out, and Combs gets out of the jam with two strikeouts and a Cal Stark pickoff play at first base.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, top 5th
Chris Cortez works a 1-2-3 fifth inning and is up to 84 pitches. It is the CWS final after all, so don't be surprised to see Cortez out for the sixth inning too.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 4th
Drew Beam works around a Jace LaViolette walk in a clean fourth inning.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, top 4th: Vols leave bases loaded again
Tennessee has now left the bases loaded twice after Blake Burke's slow grounder to second base to end the inning.
Chris Cortez is at 66 pitches, so we'll see how much longer he can throw.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 3rd: Drew Beam is dealing
Drew Beam picks off a runner at first and strikes out two other Aggies in the A&M 3rd. Beam has seven strikeouts and has been very good since allowing the home run in the second at-bat of the game.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, top 3rd
Blake Burke leads off the inning with a walk, but the Vols do nothing else in the third inning.
Chris Cortez is up to 41 pitches, so he probably has 1-2 innings left.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 2nd: Drew Beam strikes out the side
Drew Beam is fired up after striking out the side in the Aggies' 2nd.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee, top 2nd
Chris Cortez, the Aggies' top reliever not named Evan Aschenbeck, is in the game after a leadoff walk. He can get up to four innings, so it will be important for the Tennessee offense to force A&M's hand in the bullpen.
After a Cannon Peebles walk with two out, Cal Stark grounds to shortstop, but the pick by Aggies first baseman Ted Burton is unsuccessful.
Christian Moore grounds out to second base to end the inning. Cortez is throwing 101 mph right now, by far the best arm in the CWS.
Vols have stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings.
Texas A&M 1, Tennessee 0, bottom 1st: Jace LaViolette hits solo HR
Jace LaViolette hits a rocket to right field, well past the bullpen for a solo home run off of Drew Beam to open the scoring.
Tennessee 0, Texas A&M 0, top 1st
Christian Moore led off the UT 1st with a single, then steals second base as Billy Amick strikes out on a 3-2 pitch. A&M challenges the safe call at second base to no avail.
Dylan Dreiling strikes out to end the inning.
Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M Game 2 lineups
Aggies will be going with a bullpen game today, with Zane Badmaev making his first start of the season.
What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M on today?
TV: ABC (Watch on Fubo)
MORE: Watch Tennessee baseball live vs Texas A&M with Fubo (free trial)
Tennessee baseball vs. Texas A&M start time
- 2 p.m. ET
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 9, Tennessee 5
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 +115
- Texas A&M -150
2024 College World Series bracket
See thebrackethere.
Mike Wilsoncovers University of Tennessee athletics.Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.comand follow him on Twitter@ByMikeWilson.If you enjoy Mike’s coverage,consider adigital subscriptionthat will allow you access to all of it.
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