Dan Harralson
June 9, 2024 11:00 am ET
Tennessee and Evansville baseball will play on Sunday for a right to advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The Vols and Purple Aces are tied, 1-1, in a best-of-three series in the NCAA Tournament Knoxville Super Regional.
“You’re in a three-round bout, and you’re going to have to take blows and give blows,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said after game No. 2. “We were fortunate yesterday (Friday), but today they delivered a couple more blows than we did. Thrilling for the fans who were one away from being in a really good position, but it didn’t happen that way, so we’ll roll into Sunday, which is always an important day. It’ll be one to one, and we’ll get after it.”
PHOTOS: Purple Aces tie series in Knoxville Super Regional
Ahead of Sunday’s series finale (6 p.m. EDT, ESPNU), Vols Wire looks are pregame social media buzz and is listed below.
Game day
Trip to Omaha on the line. Need you out in full force tonight #VolNation!
🏟️ Lindsey Nelson Stadium
🕕 6 p.m.
📺 ESPNU
📻 @vol_network #GBO // #OTH // #BeatUE // #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/J1oGDa7CX5— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) June 9, 2024
Game No. 3
Whatever it takes…again!
🆚 #1 Tennessee
📍 Knoxville, TN (Lindsey Nelson Stadium)
⏰ 5 PM CT
📺 https://t.co/SpheTqyeyU (ESPNU)
📻 https://t.co/Z6ld5vWtn8 (WJPS)
📊 https://t.co/qHAVU8BB3r
⚾ #ForTheAces x #GUAC 🥑 pic.twitter.com/rukOAz8mSC— Evansville SuperAces (@UEAthleticsBASE) June 9, 2024
No. 4 seeds are 1-30 against No. 1 national seeds
No. 4 seeds were 0-30 against No. 1 national seeds in NCAA Tournament history entering Saturday per ESPN.
No. 4 seeds are 1-30 against No. 1 national seeds now. https://t.co/9lKnnwbDXK
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) June 8, 2024
See AlsoVols hope leading lefty Chris Stamos will help script a Hollywood endingEverything Tennessee HC Tony Vitello Said After Vols Clinched College World Series Berth | Rocky Top InsiderTennessee baseball just made an NCAA regional look easy. That's a very good sign | EstesVols, Purple Aces in Battle for Game 1 of Super Regionals | 3HL LIVE from GreyStone Golf Club - FOGOLF - FOLLOW GOLF
Stakes are high in Tennessee-Evansville series finale
‘Stakes are high’ in Tennessee-Evansville series finale https://t.co/rKni32mTOb pic.twitter.com/YfLMWGaPcW
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) June 9, 2024
America's team
Hey @dallascowboys, mind if we borrow “America’s Team” for the summer?
⚾️ #ForTheAces x #GUAC 🥑 pic.twitter.com/IitDJxJFAo
— Evansville SuperAces (@UEAthleticsBASE) June 9, 2024
Evansville baseball head coach Wes Carroll
What a day for @UEAthleticsBASE Thank you for all of the support! #GUAC
— Wes Carroll (@wescarroll22) June 9, 2024
Status of Tennessee pitcher Zander Sechrist for series finale
Tony Vitello details status of Zander Sechrist for Evansville series finale https://t.co/CtSrcBJAWP pic.twitter.com/pVErl8cY6f
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) June 9, 2024
Purple Aces force game No. 3
The Purple Aces held on for dear life at the end of this one, but forced a third game against Tennessee. In the words of Marcus Peters, they ain’t done yet. https://t.co/qGwdRlFDGv
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 8, 2024
Christian Moore's role in series finale defined
Christian Moore’s role in series finale defined versus Evansville https://t.co/Hba0qKoWyr pic.twitter.com/eIymeXlIia
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) June 8, 2024
Evansville wins first Super Regional game
THE PURPLE ACES TAKE DOWN THE TOP-RANKED VOLS!
Evansville forces a Game 3 after becoming the first regional 4-seed to ever beat the overall No. 1 😮 pic.twitter.com/euKk6eOpfr
— ESPN (@espn) June 8, 2024
Winner-take-all on Sunday
Yesterday, Tennessee beat Evansville, 11-6.
Today, the Purple Aces beat the Vols, 10-8, to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in Knoxville.
Evansville is one win away from becoming just the 4th EVER No. 4 seed to make the men’s CWS.
College baseball, man. pic.twitter.com/xkNlJiMgCu
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) June 8, 2024
Vols allowed 10 runs and lost a four-run lead
No. 1 Tennessee hadn’t …
⚾️ Given up 10+ runs in a tourney game in 23 years
⚾️ Lost a 4-run lead in 141 straight gamesEVANSVILLE DID THAT! 😱 pic.twitter.com/qPKCDDWywT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 8, 2024
Tennessee is 2-3 when allowing 10 runs in a game
Tennessee’s pitching is key v. Evansville in rubber game of Super Regional tonight. Bullpen was poor (2.1 IP, 5 runs by first 3 relievers) in 10-8 second-game loss to Evansville. UT is 2-3 when allowing 10 runs in a game and only twice has lost when allowing 4 or fewer runs.
— Jimmy Hyams (@JimmyHyams) June 9, 2024
Vols are 5-1 in rubber matches
Tennessee is 5-1 in rubber matches this season with a 76-30 run differential.
Vols have the biggest rubber match of the season vs Evansville on Sunday. https://t.co/nJSRrmmseB
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) June 8, 2024
Evansville reacts to defeating No. 1 Tennessee
“We’re a bunch of old guys.” Evansville reacting to its historic upset win over Tennessee.
The Aces become the first No. 4 seed to get a win over a national No. 1 seed. pic.twitter.com/tquCL0VRpv— Paige Dauer (@PaigeDauerFDP) June 8, 2024
Photos of Purple Aces' win at No. 1 Tennessee
Photos of Purple Aces’ win at No. 1 Tennessee https://t.co/5kv9l5YGWX pic.twitter.com/OAwUjdA2Ii
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) June 8, 2024
Photos of Tennessee's game No. 1 win versus Purple Aces
Photos of Tennessee’s win against Purple Aces in Super Regional https://t.co/an1Mfg79ZM pic.twitter.com/VZ783x3i0O
— Vols Wire (@VolsWire) June 7, 2024
Vols have not lost back-to-back games since March
Tennessee baseball has not lost back-to-back games since March 16-17 at Alabama.
— Dan Harralson (@danharralson) June 9, 2024
Biggest win in program history
Evansville coach Wes Carroll said that was the biggest win in program history.
— Ryan Sylvia (@RyanTSylvia) June 8, 2024
