Top-seeded Tennessee routs Evansville 12-1 to win super regional, spot in CWS
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Christian Moore and Dalton Bargo both hit two of Tennessee’s seven home runs, powering the top-seeded Volunteers to a 12-1 victory over Evansville in the championship game of the Knoxville Super Regional on Sunday night.
Tennessee (55-12) advances to the College World Series for the second straight season and seventh time overall after a rain delay postponed the start for an hour. The Volunteers have never won the event, losing 3-2 to Oklahoma for the title in 1951 — the fifth CWS.
Brent Widder drove in an unearned run with a two-out single in the top of the first inning to give Evansville (39-26) the lead.
Moore hit the fourth pitch he saw off Purple Aces starter Kevin Reed (5-3) over the fence in left field leading off the bottom of the inning to pull the Volunteers even.
Dean Curley and Bargo went back-to-back with one out in the second to put Tennessee on top for good. Reed gave way to Nick Smith after walking the next two batters. Smith surrendered a run-scoring double to Blake Burke and an RBI groundout to Billy Amick and the Volunteers never looked back.
The Vols sent three more pitches over the fence the bottom of the fourth. Bargo homered leading off, Moore followed with a one-out solo shot and Amick hit one out to center after a Burke double for a 9-1 advantage.
The Volunteers were done scoring after catcher Cal Start, the ninth batter in the order, hit a three-run homer in the fifth.
Zander Sechrist (4-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings in a start for Tennessee to get the win. He yielded just six hits, striking out six.
Tennessee had never had two players top 20 home runs in a single season until Moore and Amick did it this season. Moore continues to add to his single-season team record with 32 home runs and counting. Amick hit his 20th in the regional opener.
Tennessee lost back-to-back games just once this season — to Alabama, which was ranked No. 12 at the time.
The Volunteers, who have lost just four games at home, added to their single-season home-run record with their 173rd — 15 more than their previous best.
Evansville’s Kip Fougerousse hit his school-record 22nd home run of the season in the Purple Aces’ 10-8 win on Saturday. Tennesse won the opener 11-6.