Vols power their way past Southern Miss to advance to fourth straight Super Regional
Cal Stark hits two home runs as Tennessee defeats Golden Eagles 12-3
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Tennessee is seeking its seventh regional championship in program history, taking on No. 2 seed Southern Miss in the regional championship round of the Knoxville regional.
The Volunteers will have two opportunities to defeat the Golden Eagles once to advance to a fourth straight Super Regional.
It’s the first time the two programs have met since the 2023 Hattiesburg Super Regional.
Southern Miss battled back from the loser’s bracket, defeating Northern Kentucky 6-0 on Saturday and Indiana 15-3 earlier on Saturday to punch its ticket to the regional finals.
It’s the first time the two teams have met in Knoxville since 1991.
Southern Miss is the home team for today’s game.
Follow along with updates below. Scoring plays are listed in italics.
TOP FIRST INNING
A Blake Burke walk was erased by a Billy Amick double play as the Vols were unable to score in the first inning for the tenth straight game.
BOTTOM FIRST INNING
A leaping grab from Christian Moore helped Zander Sechrist retire Southern Miss in order to close the first.
TOP SECOND INNING
Dylan Dreiling led off the inning with a double down the left field line.
Hunter Ensley drove in Tennessee’s first run of the game with an RBI single | Tennessee 1, Southern Miss
Ensley was thrown out on an attempted steal of second.
BOTTOM SECOND INNING
A second scoreless frame from Sechrist kept the Vols up 1-0 after two innings.
TOP THIRD INNING
Cal Stark drew a leadoff walk but was unable to advance further.
BOTTOM THIRD INNING
Sechrist allowed his first baserunner on a one out walk to Southern Miss’ Lawson Odom.
A bunt single became Southern Miss’ first hit of the day, placing runners at first and second with one out.
A throwing error on Tennessee first baseman Blake Burke on a potential double play ball scored the first run of the game for Southern Miss. Burke’s throw to second hit the Golden Eagle runner and rolled into the outfield, allowing the runner at second to score | Tennessee 1, Southern Miss 1
Sechrist stranded runners at third and first with a strikeout and a popout to end the inning.
TOP FOURTH INNING
One out walks from Hunter Ensley and Kavares Tears put runners at first and second with one out in the fourth for Tennessee.
Both runners were stranded after a foulout and a strikeout to end the top half of the inning.
BOTTOM FOURTH INNING
Southern Miss led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield single, which lined off Zander Sechrist’s leg. After a brief delay, Sechrist was able to remain in the game.
The inning ended on a 6-4-3 double play. The first of the day for Tennessee defensively.
TOP FIFTH INNING
Cal Stark hit his second home run in as many days, a solo shot to left field to give Tennessee its first lead | Tennessee 2, Southern Miss 1
BOTTOM FIFTH INNING
Tennessee’s second error of the game and a walk put runners at first and second.
A two out, two run double off the bat of Ozzie Pratt gave Southern Miss the lead right back | Southern Miss 3, Tennessee 2
Pratt’s double would spell the end of Zander Sechrist’s day.
Sechrist lasted 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits.
Nate Snead came on as Tennessee’s second pitcher of the night.
Snead stranded a pair of Golden Eagles to keep Southern Miss’ lead to one.
TOP SIXTH INNING
After a leadoff walk, Hunter Ensley doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third with no outs.
Kavares Tears launched a three-run home run to give Tennessee its largest lead of the evening | Tennessee 5, Southern Miss 3
The home run led to a Southern Miss pitching change. Chandler Best lasted 1.2 innings, allowing four runs on three hits. He was replaced by Josh Och.
Och immediately hit the first two Tennessee batters he faced. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third.
An RBI groundout by Christian Moore extended the Tennessee lead to three | Tennessee 6, Southern Miss 3
BOTTOM SIXTH INNING
Nate Snead retired Southern Miss in order.
TOP SEVENTH INNING
Dylan Dreiling added to Tennessee’s lead with a solo home run to leadoff the seventh | Tennessee 7, Southern Miss 3
With one out in the seventh, Southern Miss made its fourth pitching change. Ben Riley Flowers relieved Josh Och.
Dean Curley hit his second home run in as many days later in the inning, extending the Tennessee lead to six | Tennessee 9, Southern Miss 3
Between the sixth and seventh innings, Tennessee plated seven runs.
BOTTOM SEVENTH INNING
A two out walk was all Southern Miss could manage in the seventh.
TOP EIGHTH INNING
After a Christian Moore leadoff walk, Blake Burke singled to put runners at first and second with no outs.
The Burke single led to another USM pitching change. Landen Payne became the fifth Golden Eagle pitcher of the night.
The Vols were unable to add any insurance following the pitching change.
BOTTOM EIGHTH INNING
After back-to-back singles to open the inning, Southern Miss was held scoreless for the third straight inning. A 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
TOP NINTH INNING
Drake Meeks entered the game for Southern Miss to begin the ninth. He’s the sixth USM pitcher of the evening.
Cal Stark hit his second home run of the night to all but ice things for Tennessee as the game headed to the bottom of the ninth | Tennessee 12, Southern Miss 3
BOTTOM NINTH INNING
Southern Miss was held scoreless in the ninth.
FINAL | TENNESSEE 12, SOUTHERN MISS 3
The Vols advance to their fourth consecutive Super Regional with their 12th straight regional win.
With Evansville’s Regional win over East Carolina on Monday, they will face Tennessee in the Super Regional in Knoxville. Game times and TV schedule have not been announced.
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