College World Series: Tennessee tops Texas A&M for 1st national title
Christian Moore hits a leadoff homer, Dylan Dreiling goes deep for the third time in three games and the Volunteers prevail, 6-5, to become the first No. 1 national seed to win the title since Miami in 1999
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello, center, hoists the national championship trophy following his team’s 6-5 victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the College World Series finals on Monday night in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee’s Christian Moore, left, celebrates with Dylan Dreiling after Dreiling hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the College World Series finals against Texas A&M on Monday night in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Zander Sechrist of the Tennessee Volunteers pitches in the first inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Texas A&M starting pitcher Justin Lamkin throws against Tennessee in the first inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Christian Moore of the Tennessee Volunteers hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee’s Christian Moore, left, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against Texas A&M in the first inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee fans cheer as their team plays against Texas A&M in the first inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Texas A&M starting pitcher Justin Lamkin, center, wipes his brow as he meets on the mound with catcher Jackson Appel, left, and assistant coach Max Weiner, right, after walking a Tennessee batter in the first inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee fans stand as Billy Amick bats in the first inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee starting pitcher Zander Sechrist throws against Texas A&M in the first inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Former Tennessee and NFL quarterback Payton Manning, center, Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes, left, and musician Morgan Wallen, right, watch the championship game between Tennessee and Texas A&M at the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Gavin Grahovac of the Texas A&M Aggies reacts after driving in a run in the third inning against the Tennessee Volunteers during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Dylan Dreiling of the Tennessee Volunteers drives in a run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Justin Lamkin of the Texas A&M Aggies delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Tennessee Volunteers during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Dean Curley of the Tennessee Volunteers hits an RBI single in the third inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Hunter Ensley of the Tennessee Volunteers scores a run in the third inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Gavin Grahovac of the Texas A&M Aggies rolls across home plate to score a run in the seventh inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Dylan Dreiling of the Tennessee Volunteers hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Texas A&M Aggies during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Texas A&M’s Caden Sorrell makes a leaping attempt to catch a ball hit for a home run by Tennessee’s Dylan Dreiling in the seventh inning during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Texas A&M’s Hayden Schott, left, reacts after striking out swinging for the second out in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee pitcher Aaron Combs reacts after striking out the final batter to beat the Texas A&M Aggies and win the National Championship at the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee’s Cal Stark, left, runs to closing pitcher Aaron Combs in celebration of their 6-5 victory against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee pitcher Aaron Combs, left, celebrates with catcher Cal Stark after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies to win the National Championship at the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee players celebrate their victory against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee players celebrate their victory against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee players celebrate their 6-5 victory against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Texas A&M’s Jace Laviolette, left, and Jack Bell react after losing the national championship game to the Tennessee Volunteers in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello, center, hoists the national championship trophy following his team’s 6-5 victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the College World Series finals on Monday night in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Texas A&M’s Ryan Prager, right, sits with Hayden Schott as they watch Tennessee celebrate their 6-5 victory in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee’s Blake Burke, left, and Christian Moore celebrate with the national championship trophy after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Texas A&M’s Eldridge Armstrong III reacts after his team’s loss to Tennessee in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Jack Diesing, Jr., from left, chairman and president of the College World Series of Omaha presents the most outstanding player award to Tennessee’s Dylan Dreiling alongside NCAA Division I Baseball Committee chairman Matt Hogue following Tennessee’s victory against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello, center, celebrates with his team following their victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Tennessee fans celebrate after their team’s victory over Texas A&M in Game 3 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
The Tennessee baseball team celebrates with the national championship trophy after defeating Texas A&M in Game 3 of the College World Series finals on Monday night in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Tennessee mascot Smokey celebrates the Volunteers’ victory over Texas A&M to win the national championship in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 24, 2024 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
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Tennessee’s Christian Moore, left, celebrates with Dylan Dreiling after Dreiling hit a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the College World Series finals against Texas A&M on Monday night in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
OMAHA, Neb. — Tony Vitello jumped into the stands to share a group hug with the legion of Tennessee fans who invaded Omaha. His players ran a lap around the warning track high-fiving them. Kavares Tears squatted in right field taking in the moment with a towel over his eyes.
Tennessee at long last won its first national championship in baseball.
Christian Moore hit a leadoff homer, Dylan Dreiling went deep for the third time in three games and Tennessee survived anxious moments late to take the title with a 6-5 victory over Texas A&M on Monday night in Game 3 of the College World Series finals.
The Volunteers bounced back from a Game 1 loss to win two straight and become the first No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament to win the title since Miami in 1999.
“Kids are tough these days. They will do what you ask them to do,” said Vitello, the Vols’ seventh-year coach. “I know our fans got us through that tough inning. That was a group effort on the mound. If you’re in the SEC, you’re going to be a superstar player, but you need to be a good teammate, and that’s what these guys were.”
Tennessee (60-13) held an Aggies team averaging 8.5 runs per game for the season to six runs over the last 20 innings of the finals, with Zander Sechrist and Nate Snead doing the heavy lifting on Monday before Texas A&M came back to score four runs and get the tying run at the plate in the ninth.
Aaron Combs struck out Hayden Schott and Ted Burton to end the game and set off a Tennessee celebration behind the pitcher’s mound.
Tennessee had made runs at the title before. The Vols reached the CWS in 2021 and went 0-2. The next year they were the No. 1 national seed and lost at home in a three-game super regional. They were back in Omaha last year and won a game. And they slugged their way back again this year, making it to the finals for the first time since the 1951 team lost to Oklahoma in the championship game.
Minutes after the final pitch, the 45-year-old Vitello shared an embrace with his father, Greg, a longtime state champion high school baseball and soccer coach in St. Louis.
“I felt like I was the dad and he was the kid because he wouldn’t stop crying,” Vitello said. “I had to rub some dirt on him.”
The Vols are the eighth Southeastern Conference school to win a national title in baseball. Those eight have combined for 16 titles. The SEC has won five in a row, all by different schools, and 10 of the last 15.
Texas A&M threatened to cut into a 3-1 deficit in the sixth and seventh innings, but Snead got the Vols out of trouble both times.
Dreiling, the CWS Most Outstanding Player, connected for his 23rd homer of the season and Hunter Ensley evaded Jackson Appel’s tag at the plate as he scored on Tears’ double to make it 6-1 going to the eighth. Since the CWS best-of-three finals began in 2003, Dreiling is the only player to homer in three games.
“I kind of blacked out again in the moment,” Dreiling said. “I know first pitch I overswung on a heater way up. I told myself just see the ball deep and put a good swing on something. He gave me a changeup over the middle. I tried to stay back and put a good swing on it.”
The Vols’ two homers Monday moved them into a tie with the 1998 LSU team for most in an NCAA Tournament (37) and gave them 184 for the season, four behind the 1997 LSU team’s NCAA record of 188.
Texas A&M created some anxiety for the Vols in the eighth, scoring twice and threatening to get more with two runners on base with one out. Kirby Connell got two strikes, pumped his left fist twice coming off the mound, gave a primal scream and skipped over the third-base line on his way back to the dugout.
The Aggies scored twice in the ninth, the second run coming home on a wild pitch, to make it a one-run game before Combs finished it off.
“Tough one to swallow,” Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “You make it this far, you want to win your last game.”
Among the fans on hand in Tennessee orange were football great Peyton Manning, football coach Josh Heupel, men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes and country music artist Morgan Wallen. Temperature at first pitch was a humid 98 degrees.
Moore took Tennessee fans’ minds off the heat, at least for a moment, when he drove Justin Lamkin’s fourth pitch, an elevated fastball, off the back wall of the left-field bullpen for his team-leading 34th homer of the season.
The Aggies overcame late-season injuries, including one to star outfielder Braden Montgomery, to reach their first CWS finals. Their 53 wins were their most since 1993.
“I think Texas A&M is a place that should be competing in the SEC. Should be competing to host regionals. And everybody thinks that Omaha is a right. It’s not,” Schlossnagle said. “You have to earn your way there and have you to play well in the NCAA Tournament.”