Tennessee Defeats Texas A&M In CWS Final, Win First National Championship

This was Tennessee's first ever national championship and their first appearance in the finals since 1951.
Tennessee's Kirby Connell (35) throws a pitch during game three of the NCAA College World Series finals between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, June 24, 2024.
Tennessee's Kirby Connell (35) throws a pitch during game three of the NCAA College World Series finals between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, June 24, 2024. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

The Texas A&M Aggies fell just one run short of taking their first national title in baseball, losing to Tennessee Volunteers 6-5 in the winner-take-all game three in the College World Series.

The win was Tennessee's first-ever College World Series win, in what was only their second-ever appearance in the CWS. This also marks the fifth consecutive year that an SEC team has hoisted the championship trophy in the end.

The offense (and the weather) were both blazing hot, and Tennessee's Christian Moore wasted no time putting the Vols on the board with a leadoff home run into the left field bullpen.

In the third inning, Gavin Grahovac singled to left to score Travis Chestnut and put the Aggies on the board. The Volunteers would then plate two more runs in the bottom of the third to post a 3-1 lead

In the bottom of the seventh, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Dylan Dreiling sent a two-run home run to right field. Dreiling became the first-ever player in College World Series history to hit a home run in all three games of the series. Another double from Tennessee would make the score 6-1.

But everyone knew the Aggies weren't going down without a fight.

Hayden Schott singled and Caden Sorrell doubled in the top of the eighth inning to each plate a run apiece to cut the Vol lead to three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Jackson Appel scored Gavin Grahovac with a single and then Appel himself would come around to score and put the Aggies within one run, but Ted Burton would go down swinging two pitches later to seal the deal for Texas A&M.

This was A&M's first-ever appearance in the College World Series Final, and they should have every chance to do it all over again next season.


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Aaron Raley

AARON RALEY