Tennessee is just two games away from its second College World Series appearance in three years.
Standing in the way is the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, who clinched a Super Regional host over the Vols on Tuesday which forces Tennessee to have to go back on the road after sweeping the Clemson Regional against Clemson and Charlotte twice last weekend.
Here is a closer look at Southern Miss and the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Super Regional that will determine a spot in Omaha this weekend.
GAME INFORMATION
Where: Pete Taylor Park | Hattiesburg, Mississippi
When: Saturday, June 10 | 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, June 11 | TBD
Monday, June 12 | TBD (if necessary)
TV: Game 1 | ESPNU
ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Head coach: Scott Berry (14th season)
2023 Record: 45-18
At home: 26-5
Postseason record: 4-1
RPI: 21st
Team Batting Avg: .288
Team ERA: 4.53
Key players: The Southern Miss' pitching staff led the Sun Belt in team ERA this season and is paced by Tanner Hall. The junior right-hander has a 2.08 ERA and a 12-8 record. Hall has 119 strike outs in 108.0 innings pitched while giving up 78 hits and 33 runs. At the plate, infielder Nick Monistere bats .330 along with 27 RBI and four home runs and outfielder Slade Wilks leads the team in home runs with 20.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Southern Miss won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship to earn a spot in the Auburn Regional against Auburn, Samford and Penn last weekend.
The Golden Eagles had to play from behind to punch their ticket to Super Regionals, falling to Samford, 4-2 in extra innings before running the table and winning four-straight games over a two day span.
Southern Miss trailed Penn in its last two games, facing a 2-1 deficit and scoring 10 runs over the last six innings, including an 8-run 10th to win 11-2 and avoid elimination late Sunday. The Golden Eagles won the regional by outlasting the Quakers, 11-7 on Monday.
Southern Miss combined for 35 runs in the regional.
SERIES OUTLOOK
Despite Tennessee having a higher RPI and beating No. 4 national seed Clemson in its own regional, the NCAA selected Southern Miss to host the Super Regional at Pete Taylor Park where the Golden Eagles are 26-5 this season.
When comparing resumes, Tennessee (41-19) holds the edge. The Vols won 16 of their last 19 regular season games, including series wins over NCAA Tournament teams Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina.
Tennessee struggled on the road, going 5-12 and winning just one SEC series away from Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Vols have seemingly turned a corner there, taking two of three at South Carolina and going 4-0 against the field at the Clemson Regional.
Resumes will mean very little by the time the first pitch is thrown out on Friday though. Tennessee has plenty of momentum after edging out Clemson in 14 innings and cruising past Charlotte. Second baseman Christian Moore won regional MVP after going 7-for-10 hitting with four home runs and eight RBI in four games. Third baseman Zane Denton also mashed two homers.
Tennessee pitching was strong, too. Andrew Lindsey was dominant to open the regional and reliever Chase Burns and Seth Halvorsen were key in beating Clemson. Drew Beam tied a career high in strike outs with 10 in the final game against Charlotte.
Couple Tennessee's momentum with its new found ability to win on the road and the Vols have to feel positive about getting back to the College World Series, but Southern Miss won't be an easy out, especially on its home turf.
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