OMAHA, Neb. — Tennessee baseball has no room left for error after an error-riddled opener within the School World Collection ultimate.
The Vols made essential errors in an uncharacteristic and dear first few innings Saturday to push their season to the brink, fumbling Sport 1 to Texas A&M with three errors in a 9-5 loss Saturday at Charles Schwab Area.
Tennessee (58-13) and Texas A&M (53-13) play Sport 2 on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, ABC). The Vols try to grow to be the primary No. 1 nationwide seed since 1999 to win a nationwide title. They must win Sunday and Monday to take action.
Oh, these defensive woes for the Vols
Tennessee has been erratic defensively in Omaha and that was an issue once more.
Shortstop Dean Curley booted a grounder up the center within the first inning that bounced off the mound. Third baseman Billy Amick threw wildly amid a horrid third inning. Outfielder Reese Chapman had a single scoot underneath his glove.
Errors made by Curley and Amick led to runs,; Marcus Phillips bought UT out of the fifth after Chapman’s goof.
Tennessee imploded within the third inning in opposition to Texas A&M
Tennessee unraveled within the third inning, turning a 2-1 deficit right into a 7-1 deficit.
It was marked by unhealthy protection and two-strike hits for Texas A&M in opposition to AJ Causey. It began with a stroll and a single that used the mound as a ramp. Amick’s error was a serious problem, as was Chapman’s choice to throw to second as an alternative of dwelling on an RBI single to proper from Caden Sorrell.
Kaeden Kent singled two in to make it a 7-1 sport.
The Vols flirted with a comeback however the deficit was too massive
Dylan Dreiling, who had 4 hits to proceed his tremendous CWS, lifted a two-run homer to proper within the seventh. Hunter Ensley adopted with a solo homer to left, which additionally was his third hit.
The back-to-back homers minimize the Texas A&M result in 9-5.
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The Chris Stamos and Causey pairing did not work for Tennessee for the second time within the CWS.
Stamos recorded just one out once more, which additionally was the case in UT’s opener in opposition to Florida State. He gave up a solo homer to Texas A&M’s Gavin Grahovac main off the sport and was harm by Curley’s error.
Causey was efficient at instances, however A&M made common laborious contact. He allowed 5 runs, 4 of them earned, on six hits in 3⅔ innings. He struck out 5.
Mike Wilson covers College of Tennessee athletics. E mail him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and observe him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. Should you get pleasure from Mike’s protection, take into account a digital subscription that may permit you entry to all of it.