Tennessee hits its way to win over Evansville, College World Series berth

Tennessee's arrival might have been delayed, but the Vols punched their ticket to the College World Series in emphatic fashion on Sunday.

With its season on the line after losing to Evansville in Game 2 of the Knoxville Super Regional the day prior, No. 1 Tennessee's lineup combined for a postseason single-game program record seven home runs in a 12-1 rout that ended the Purple Aces' season and sends the Vols to the CWS in Omaha, Nebraska for the third time in four years.

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After giving up a four-run lead on Saturday, Tennessee (55-12) left little doubt by the fourth inning, posting four runs each in the second and fourth innings to all but put Evansville (39-26) away by the fifth.

Dalton Bargo, who entered the lineup as a designated hitter, hit a pair of home runs while Christian Moore homered twice. Billy Amick, Cal Stark and Dean Curley each hit home runs.

In his final game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, starting left-handed pitcher Zander Sechrist turned in a memorable outing at the right time, allowing just six hits and one run with six strike outs in a career-high 6 1/3 innings.

Tennessee

1. Christian Moore (R) - 2B

2. Blake Burke (L) - 1B

3. Billy Amick (R) - 3B

4. Dylan Dreiling (L) - LF

5. Hunter Ensley (R) - CF

6. Kavares Tears (L) - RF

7. Dean Curley (R) - SS

8. Dalton Bargo (L) - DH

9. Cal Stake (R) - C

LHP Zander Sechrist

Evansville

1. Simon Scherry (R) - SS

2. Mark Shallenberger (L) - LF

3. Kip Fougerousse (R) - DH

4. Chase Hug (L) - 1B

5. Brent Widder (R) - 3B

6. Cal McGinnis (L) - 2B

7. Brendan Hord (R) - C

8. Harrison Taubert (R) - RF

9. Ty Rumsey (L) - CF

LHP Kevin Reed

Tennessee couldn't get out of its own way in the top of the first inning.

Dean Curley mishandled a throw on a routine ground ball at shortstop to lead off the frame, then Blake Burke was unable to glove a grounder at first to give Evansville two base runners.

Brent Widder paid them off with a single through the right side, scoring Simon Scherry to put the Purple Aces ahead, 1-0.

It didn't take the Vols long to answer in the bottom half. Christian Moore homered to left on a ball that exited left field at 115 mph and 427 feet to even the score at 1-1. Burke followed it up with a single and made his way over to second on a fielding error.

Tennessee wasn't able to add more to its one run in the inning with Blake stranded in scoring position, but the Vols made up for it in the second. Dean Curley homered with one out to the top of the porches in left and Dalton Bargo hit home run to right in the next at-bat to stretch Tennessee's lead to 3-1.

The hit parade continued with Burke. He doubled down the line in left after a couple of walks to score Cal Stark, then Billy Amick drove in Moore on a ground out at second to put the Vols up 5-1.

Evansville threatened to trim its deficit in the fourth with a single and an error at second to get two on with one out before Ty Rumsey singled to load the bases with two down. Sechrist escaped the jam with a ground out and record his third-straight scoreless frame.

Bargo quickly made the Purple Aces regret not getting a run across in the bottom half, leading off with his second homer of the night to extend the Tennessee advantage to 6-1.

Moore mashed his second home run two at-bats later and Burke doubled to center to set up Amick's two-run shot over the batter's eye that swelled the Vols' lead to 9-1.

Stark set the program record for single-game home runs in the post season with Tennessee's seventh to lead 12-1 in the fifth.

The Vols cooled off at the plate after, then leaned on its pitching to close it out, getting strong relief efforts from Nate Snead, Kirby Connell and Marcus Phillips down the stretch.

1. Christian Moore answers with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.

2. Dean Curley's homer gives Tennessee the lead in the second.

3. Dalton Bargo adds to Tennessee's lead with a home run in the second.

Tennessee will face Florida State (47-15) in its first game at the College World Series.

The 8-national seed Seminoles, who swept the Tallahassee Regional before beating UConn in two-straight games to clinch a CWS berth, are led by a familiar name in second-year head coach Link Jarrett.

Jarrett was previously the head coach at Notre Dame when the Fighting Irish upset the Vols as the No. 1 overall seed in the 2022 Knoxville Super Regional.

Tennessee will look to return the favor by sending Florida State into the elimination round on either Friday or Saturday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. Start times and dates have not been announced.

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