Sure, the pros have Game 7. But in the context of college baseball, Game 3 has the same impact. Tonight, the Men’s College World Series comes down to one final showdown between top-seeded Tennessee and No. 3 Texas A&M, wrapping up the final event of the 2023-24 NCAA college sports calendar.
Hopefully you’ve been following the action in Omaha thus far, but in case you need a quick catch-up, here’s where we stand: The Aggies took the opener Saturday of this best-of-three championship series, riding a big early lead to a 9-5 victory. The Volunteers evened the series with a 4-1 triumph on Sunday thanks to a pair of late two-run homers and a lot of timely pitches.
Whichever squad prevails tonight will claim the program’s first national title. Regardless of the winner, however, it will be another trophy for the SEC with its fifth different national champion in as many CWS tournaments dating back to 2019.
Some of the top people from Knoxville are in attendance to root for Tennessee to win its first baseball national championship. Inside Charles Schwab Field is Volunteers icon Peyton Manning, football coach Josh Heupel and men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes. Also joining them was country music singer Morgan Wallen, who was a notable baseball player in high school before an injury sent him a different direction.
What a start for Tennessee.
After Zander Sechrist had a 1-2-3 inning, the Volunteers got on the board quickly thanks to Christian Moore. The second baseman got perfect contact on the bat and sent the ball over the wall for a leadoff home run to give the Volunteers the early lead. It was Moore’s 34th home run of the year, third-most in Division I.
Texas A&M starter Justin Lamkin allowed two more base runners but worked out of the jam to keep the score 1-0 heading to the second inning.
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M: TV, time, streaming and how to watch
It’ll be a hot one inside Charles Schwab Field, where the temperature is 99 degrees at the time of first pitch between Texas A&M and Tennessee, according to AccuWeather. Temperatures are expected to go down as the game goes on, but it’ll still be warm with temperatures forecasted to be in the low 90s by 9 p.m. local time. Keep an eye on how the pitchers and hitters handle the heat.
- Christian Moore, 2B
- Blake Burke, 1B
- Billy Amick, 3B
- Dylan Dreiling, LF
- Hunter Ensley, CF
- Kavares Tears, RF
- Dean Curley, SS
- Cannon Peebles, DH
- Cal Stark, C
- Gavin Grahovac, 3B
- Jace LaViolette, RF
- Jackson Appel, C
- Hayden Schott, DH
- Ted Burton, 1B
- Caden Sorrell, LF
- Ali Camarillo, SS
- Kaeden Kent, 2B
- Travis Chestnut, CF
The Volunteers will go with Zander Sechrist on the mound to start Game 3. The left-handed senior from Buford, Georgia is 5-1 with a 3.22 ERA and 17 starts this season.
Sechrist is coming off one of his best performances with Tennessee when he was the starter in the national semifinal matchup with Florida State. He tied a career-high 6.1 innings pitched with just two runs allowed on five hits in a 7-2 win over the Seminoles. He’s been on fire in the postseason; in three NCAA Tournament games this year, he has pitched 17.1 innings and has allowed only two earned runs on 15 hits with 12 strikeouts.
Justin Lamkin will get the start for Texas A&M in the championship game. The sophomore is 3-2 season with a 5.00 ERA and 15 starts in 2024.
Although the ERA seems high, Lamkin has been excellent for the Aggies in Omaha. He pitched in both wins over Florida, including the one to send Texas A&M to the championship series, when he struck out nine Gators and gave up no runs. In eight innings in Omaha, Lamkin has 15 strikeouts and given up four hits.
As we look ahead to tonight’s decisive game, there are positive cases to be made for both Tennessee and Texas A&M to emerge victorious. The Aggies, despite missing out on the opportunity to clinch, came out of game two with its pitching staff in relatively good shape. A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle was able to keep bullpen ace Evan Aschenbeck in reserve after he successfully closed out game one, and one definitely likes the Aggies’ chances if they can get the ball to him with the lead in the late innings. That could be easier said than done, however, as A&M’s big bats have been largely silent outside of the big second inning on Saturday.
This brings us to the case for Tennessee, which has already gotten one solid start out of Xander Sechrist in Omaha, and coach Tony Vitello will be counting on him to deliver another. The more urgent issue for the Volunteers has been their inability to take advantage of a slew of baserunners, stranding a hefty 19 over the first two games.
One has to think, however, that if the Aggies continue to give the Vols’ big hitters chances, they’ll eventually deliver. While the concept of momentum in sports is nebulous and often fleeting, right now it’s on Tennessee’s side. It will likely be close, but we’ll take the healthier Volunteers to claim the crown. — Eddie Timanus
- How the Aggies can get the lead will depend on their hitting. Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac topped 20 home runs with Grahovac providing the only run Sunday with a long ball. Kaeden Kent, son of former major leaguer Jeff Kent, is providing the hottest bat. Pressed into action due to a season-ending injury to Braden Montgomery, Kent has hit .450 provided a home run and 7 RBI in Omaha.
- The Aggies will turn to Justin Lampkin to start Game 3 with the sophomore hoping to continue his success after throwing scoreless eight innings across two outings against Florida at the CWS. Waiting to pick up the baton is ace reliever Evan Achenbeck, who leads the nation in ERA. He’ll be rested after two spotless innings Friday and could be summoned well before that if the Aggies have the early lead.
- Zander Sechrist gets the ball for the Volunteers in Game 3. The senior lefty is second on the staff with a 3.22 ERA after two clutch starts in the postseason – a win against Evansville in their decisive super regional game and a strong effort against a powerful Florida State lineup that sent Tennessee to the championship series. Nate Sneed notched his sixth save in Sunday’s win and could be called on again.
- Where the Tennessee offense gets its offense from is anybody’s guess. With a lineup that boasts five players that reached 20 home runs, there’s danger everywhere. Christian Moore and Blake Burke, the two leading hitters, are the tablesetters at the top of the lineup. Dylan Dreiling hit a key home run Sunday and is second on the team in RBI with 72, one behind Moore.
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M betting: Odds, spread for College World Series
The Volunteers are favored take home the title, according to the BetMGM college baseball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering 2024 sports betting promos.
Odds listed as of Monday.
- Spread: Tennessee (-1.5)
- Moneyline: Tennessee (-250); Texas A&M (+185)
- O/U: 10.5
College World Series bracket: Remaining schedule
College World Series championship series rundown
- Game 1: Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5
- Game 2: Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1
- Game 3: Monday, June 24, 7 p.m. ET
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Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
