In a thrilling conclusion to the Men’s College World Series (MCWS) finals, the Tennessee Volunteers defeated Texas A&M 6-5 in Game 3, securing their first national championship in program history. The Volunteers’ victory marked the culmination of a remarkable season, during which they overcame adversity and proved themselves to be a dominant force in college baseball.
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Tennessee
As the final pitch was thrown, the Tennessee dugout erupted in joy, with players and coaches alike celebrating the historic win. Coach Tony Vitello, overcome with emotion, jumped into the stands to share a group hug with the legion of Tennessee fans who had traveled to Omaha to support their team. The players, meanwhile, ran a lap around the warning track, high-fiving fans and basking in the adoration of the crowd.
The Volunteers’ championship win was a testament to their resilience and determination. After falling short in Game 1, they bounced back to win two straight, becoming the first No. 1 national seed in the NCAA tournament to win the title since Miami in 1999.
Christian Moore got the Volunteers off to a strong start, hitting a leadoff homer in the first inning. Dylan Dreiling, who was named the MCWS Most Outstanding Player, added to the Volunteers’ lead with his third home run of the series. The Volunteers’ offense was complemented by a strong pitching performance, with Zander Sechrist and Nate Snead doing the heavy lifting to hold off the Aggies’ offense.
In the ninth inning, the Aggies threatened to mount a comeback, scoring twice to narrow the deficit to one run. However, Aaron Combs struck out Hayden Schott and Ted Burton to end the game and secure the Volunteers’ championship win.
The Volunteers’ victory marked the eighth national title won by a Southeastern Conference school in baseball. The SEC has now won five championships in a row, with different schools claiming the title each year.
In the aftermath of the game, Coach Vitello was overcome with emotion, sharing a heartfelt embrace with his father, Greg, a longtime successful 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 Volunteers’ championship win was a fitting culmination to a remarkable season, during which they set numerous records and proved themselves to be one of the dominant forces in college baseball. As they celebrated their historic win, the Volunteers knew that they had earned their place among the all-time greats in the sport.
Game Highlights
- Christian Moore hit a leadoff homer in the first inning to give the Volunteers an early lead.
- Dylan Dreiling hit his third home run of the series, becoming the only player to homer in three games of the MCWS finals.
- Zander Sechrist and Nate Snead pitched strong innings to hold off the Aggies’ offense.
- Aaron Combs struck out Hayden Schott and Ted Burton to end the game and secure the Volunteers’ championship win.
Quotes
- “Kids are tough these days. They will do what you ask them to do. 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.” – Coach Tony Vitello
- “I kind of blacked out again in the moment. 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.” – Dylan Dreiling
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