The Road to Glory
The 2024 College World Series is reaching its climax, and a new college baseball champion is set to be crowned. As the series concludes, all eyes are on the two finalists — Tennessee and Texas A&M. The excitement is palpable as both teams, neither of which has ever won a national championship, battle for glory.
Tennessee managed to stave off a wild comeback attempt by Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon, tying the series 1-1 and setting the stage for a do-or-die game on Monday. The stakes could not be higher.
The Journey So Far
The path to the finals has been nothing short of exhilarating. Texas A&M initially took the lead with a home run by Jace LaViolette, but Tennessee responded with four uncontested runs, securing a 4-1 victory. This lead held firm even as Texas A&M threatened in the ninth inning.
The College World Series began last week with eight teams, but Virginia, NC State, North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida State, and Florida have all been eliminated. Now, the focus is solely on Tennessee and Texas A&M. For Tennessee, this is their first appearance in the College World Series Finals since 1951, whereas for Texas A&M, it marks their first-ever finals appearance.
Key Players and Performances
One of the standout players for Tennessee has been Christian Moore, projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming MLB Draft. Moore has been a critical component of Tennessee's offense all season. He made history by becoming only the second player to hit for the cycle in the series' history during Tennessee's opening win against Florida State.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M has reached the finals despite the absence of their star hitter, Braden Montgomery. A potential top-10 draft pick, Montgomery has been sidelined with a leg injury sustained earlier in the NCAA Tournament. His absence has made Texas A&M's journey to the finals even more impressive.
The Schedule Ahead
The anticipation for the final game is mounting. Here’s the schedule for the College World Series Finals:
Saturday, June 22 - Finals, Game 1: Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 5
Sunday, June 23 - Finals, Game 2: Tennessee 4, Texas A&M 1
Monday, June 24 - Finals, Game 3: Texas A&M vs. Tennessee, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Every game is available for streaming on fubo (try for free).
Highlights from the Series
The series has provided fans with nail-biting finishes and exceptional performances. For instance, on Friday, June 14, North Carolina narrowly edged out Virginia 3-2, while Tennessee eked out a dramatic 12-11 win against Florida State.
The very next day, Kentucky secured a 5-4 victory over NC State in extra innings, and Texas A&M clinched a narrow 3-2 win against Florida. The intensity has only ramped up as teams faced elimination.
On Sunday, June 16, Florida State eliminated Virginia with a decisive 7-3 victory, followed by Tennessee’s 6-1 win against North Carolina. By Wednesday, June 19, several more teams faced elimination. This culminated in Florida State being sent home by Tennessee with a 7-2 win.
The Super Regionals
The road to the College World Series Finals was paved with riveting matches during the Super Regionals. Highlights include Florida State’s dominant 24-4 victory over UConn and Tennessee’s gritty 11-6 win against Evansville.
Other notable matches included North Carolina's 8-6 win over West Virginia and Virginia overcoming Kansas State with a 7-4 score. Texas A&M showed their strength with a 15-9 victory over Oregon.
The Super Regionals were filled with do-or-die moments and comeback stories, such as Georgia’s 11-2 victory over NC State and North Carolina’s thrilling 2-1 win against West Virginia. Florida needed 13 innings to edge out Clemson 11-10, securing their spot in the finals until their eventual elimination.
The Final Showdown
As we head into the final game, each factor — from pitching and batting to maintaining composure under pressure — will be crucial. With neither team having won a national championship before, the stakes are incredibly high.
The anticipation surrounding this final showdown is electric. Both Tennessee and Texas A&M have shown remarkable resilience and tenacity to reach this stage. Come Monday, one will emerge as the new champion of college baseball.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an unforgettable conclusion to the 2024 College World Series.