Tennessee needed a spark.
Trailing Texas A&M 1-0 in the top of the seventh, just seven outs away from losing the Men’s College World Series, they needed something to go their way offensively. One of the most potent offensive teams in college baseball had been stymied by a trio of Aggies pitchers and was staring elimination in the face.
Enter Dylan Dreiling, who provided that spark with one swing of the bat.
The man who was a hero for the Volunteers in their first game in Omaha came through again, delivering a no-doubter to deep right field. The home run brought Christian Moore home as well, giving Tennessee a 2-1 lead in the seventh.
Dreiling managed to turn on a 94-mph fastball from left-hander Kaiden Wilson, depositing it in the bullpen in right field:
That swing changed the momentum of the game, but it was not the only big blast from the Volunteers. In the top of the eighth catcher Cal Stark — who entered the at-bat on an 0-for-16 streak along with nine strikeouts — hammered a hanging slider to left field for a two-run shot:
The home run came one swing after Stark saw his bat fly out of his hands on a swing against a mid-90s fastball. Volunteers fans are likely pretty happy Stark managed to keep the bat in his hands on his very next swing. Those two runs would be the final score, as Tennessee won 4-1.
The Volunteers shut the Aggies down over their final two at-bats, thanks to relievers Aaron Combs and their bullpen.
Combs was first out of the pen for the Volunteers, doing a masterful job at slowing down the Texas A&M offense after taking the ball from starter Drew Beam. The Tennessee starting pitcher allowed just one run — a solo shot from Jace LaViolette in the first inning — before giving way to Combs in the fifth. Combs came on with a pair of Aggies on base and no outs but wriggled out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts and a pickoff play at first base for the final out of the inning.
The Aggies threatened in the eighth when a two-out single from LaViolette through the shift on the right side brought the tying run to the on-deck circle. Combs then walked Jackson Appel, bringing out Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson to settle Combs.
Whatever Anderson said to Combs worked, as the right-hander got dangerous cleanup hitter Hayden Schott to fly out to end the inning.
In the ninth Combs came out first, but gave up a leadoff single to Ted Burton. Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello then summoned the lefty Connell, but he could not record an out, giving up a single to Caden Sorrell. Vitello then turned to Nate Snead, who was able to close out the game by recording the final three outs of the contest.
That third out was a tough battle against dangerous pinch hitter Ryan Targac, who worked the count even after going down 2-2 and even pulled a long fly ball down the right field line that looked like it might tie the game off the bat. But Targac flew out to right field on the next pitch, ending the threat.
Meaning it will all be decided tomorrow night in Omaha.
