How Hunter Ensley set the tone in Tennessee College World Series victory
OMAHA, Neb. — Charles Schwab Field fell silent for a moment. Hunter Ensley livened it back up.
Seconds before, the Tennessee center fielder sprinted towards the warning track with his eyes fixed on a ball that kept drifting back. Ensley never took his eyes off of it, barreling into the wall and crashing to the turf with the ball in his glove.
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Ensley did more than just snatch away a potential hit that would have given North Carolina some early momentum. He set the tone for a defensive performance that placed the 1-seed Vols one game closer to the College World Series final with a 6-1 victory that never really felt in doubt—a stark contrast from the come-from-behind walk-off win to beat Florida State two nights before.
"It started in the first inning all the way to the last inning with Hunter's catch in between," Tennessee pitcher Kirby Connell said. "Just kind of putting his body on the line for us."
"I knew (the ball) was going to carry a little bit and I knew where it was going to go," Ensley added. "I guess was fortunate enough to run into the wall and make the catch, but the wall got me pretty good."
Ensley, who left the game after the fourth inning and did not return, credited right-handed pitcher Drew Beam with setting the tone early.
Beam allowed just four hits and an earned run while striking out seven in 5.0 innings of work, but he felt a mixture of concern, relief and excitement from the mound after seeing Ensley jump up from the turf with the ball in tow.
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"I was very hyped because it saved me from giving up a (hit) and probably would have been a triple or inside-the-parker," Beam said. "(Ensley) hit that wall hard. I was just making sure he was OK. But I was dumbfounded. That was a crazy catch."
It's also in the running for the play of the CWS, which has featured an embarrassment of them so far.
Tennessee made a number of impressive defensive plays, a flip of the script from its opening game against Florida State where the Vols uncharacteristically committed three errors.
The lineup did enough to get the win with Kavares Tears opening the scoring on a three-run home run in the fourth—his second in as many games. Reese Chapman mashed another to lead off the sixth, then Dean Curley drove in another insurance run in the eighth.
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But it was defense that was the headliner for the Vols, who will face the winner of Florida State-North Carolina on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN) with a chance to clinch a CWS finals berth.
"I guess Game 1 jitters are a little bit different," Ensley said. "We don't really have a whole lot of time to practice on this field. We get maybe 30 minutes of defense on this field before the tournament starts. I think just getting used to your environment, the playing surface, for one game really helped us tonight."
Ensley will get a much-needed two days off before Tennessee takes the field again—the benefit of having won its first two games. The rest of the Vols' roster could probably stand some rest, too as they look to become just the second team in program history to reach the CWS final.
If Tennessee gets there, it will be because of the kind of plays—and sacrifices—Ensley made Sunday.
"(Ensley) has pretty much reached the Drew Gilbert stage where in practice we don't want him anywhere near the wall because we know we'll get our money's worth in the game," Vitello said. "It's usually the opposite with an outfielder at high school or college level. They shy way from it. He's not scared. He's a fighter."
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