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Florida State baseball falls vs Tennessee in College World Series

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Florida State baseball is back in the College World Series for the 24th time in program history.

The No. 8 national seed Seminoles (47-15) face the No. 1 seed Tennessee Vols (55-12) on Friday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

FSU has reached the CWS for the first time since 2019 under legendary coach Mike Martin and for the first time under second-year coach Link Jarrett.

Tennessee has reached the CWS three times in the past four seasons under coach Tony Vitello.

UT got to the CWS in 2001 for the first time since 2005. It returned in 2023 and won a CWS game for the first time since 2001.

Florida State swept the Tallahassee Regional and Super Regional and is 5-0 in the postseason. The Seminoles are still searching for their first national title.

They are 9-14 all-time in their CWS openers.

UT went 5-1 through the Knoxville Regional and Super Regional to make it to the College World Series.

Florida State baseball live score updates vs Tennessee in College World Series.

More: FSU baseball vs. Tennessee prediction, odds for NCAA tournament College World Series

FSU’s bullpen falters, No. 1 Tennessee roars back from deficit to stun the Seminoles

The No. 8 Seminoles were one strike away twice from beating No. 1 Tennessee in the College World Series Friday.

However, the Vols scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun FSU, 12-11.

Trailing 11-8, Tennessee scored a solo run on a sac fly to chase reliever Conner Whittaker after 3.1 innings.

After lefty closer Brennen Oxford walked his first hitter, he coaxed a pop out for the second out.

The dangerous Christian Moore, who represented the tying run and had hit for the cycle, ripped a two-strike double into the left-field corner to put runners on second and third.

Oxford worked the count to 3-2 to left-handed hitter Blake Burke, who had two hits. Burke, after a close checked swing on what would have been a third strike, then ripped a two-run single into center field to tie the game at 11-11.

More: Did Blake Burke swing vs. FSU? Controversial no-swing helps Tennessee to College World Series win

Oxford surrendered another single to Billy Amick and then Dylan Dreiling drove in the winning run on the second pitch from Connor Hults, FSU’s third reliever in the inning.

The teams combined for 31 hits (18 for Tennessee, 13 for FSU).

FSU falls into the losers’ bracket, where it will face Virginia at 2 p.m. Sunday.

When asked about the controversial checked swing in the ninth inning on Burke, Jarrett said:

“We did not pitch with two strikes well enough. We had chances to finish some hitters off, and the resulting contact was better than you would hope for in those counts. You guys saw the game. I need to watch every pitch of this game again. There’s factors in this that affect the outcome of the game. And I can’t tell from 90 feet away on the side what was going on with some of the things that occurred.”

Designated hitter Marco Dinges led FSU with three hits, while leadoff hitter Max Williams and shortstop Alex Lodise each had a pair. Jaime Ferrer hit a two-run double in FSU’s third inning and added a two-run home run in the fourth to finish with four RBI.

All nine Seminole starters reached base, with eight scoring a run and eight earning a hit.

FSU baseball leads No. 1 Tennessee entering the ninth inning, 11-8

FSU reliever Conner Whittaker has stepped up (again) and limited the damage in relief for the Seminoles.

The righty entered in the bottom of the sixth for starter Jamie Arnold with a 9-6 lead.

After Whittaker surrendered a home run to Christian Moore, who recorded the second cycle (single, double, triple and home run) in CWS history, he settled in.

Whittaker, who was superb in relief in FSU’s decisive win over UConn in last week’s Super Regional, had four strikeouts over the seventh and eighth innings.

UT pushed across a two-out run in the eighth, but Whittaker didn’t buckle.

He allowed five hits over three relief innings, throwing 61 pitches (39 strikes).

The teams have combined for 19 runs on 26 hits (13 each). UT has committed three errors; FSU a pair.

FSU baseball answers Christian Moore’s cycle, adds insurance runs

Tennessee’s Christian Moore hit for the cycle in the Vols’ College World Series opener against FSU.

The second baseman completed the cycle with a 440-foot solo homer leading off the sixth inning off FSU reliever Conner Whittaker.

The solo home run to dead center pulled the Vols within 9-7 against the Seminoles. Moore is the second player in CWS history to hit for the cycle, joining Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall in the 1956 CWS against Ole Miss.

Like it has done the entire game, however, FSU answered

Marcus Dinges ripped a two-run single into left-center field in the top of the seventh to push the Seminoles’ lead to 11-7.

FSU baseball coach Link Jarrett likes the Seminoles’ “response”; Seminoles lead Vols 9-6 after five innings

FSU found itself trailing 4-1 to Tennessee after two innings.

The Seminoles, however, exploded for six runs in the top of the third.

In a dugout interview with ESPN, Jarrett explained FSU showed a trait that it has relied on this season when he said he liked his team’s “response.”

FSU extended its advantage 9-4 in the fourth on Jaime Ferrer 2-run home run.

The Vols, however, sliced the deficit to 9-6 on Kavares Tears 2-run home run in the bottom of the fifth.

FSU starter Jamie Arnold surrendered eight hits and allowed six runs, four earned, in five innings. He threw 98 pitches, 60 strikes.

He was replaced by Conner Whittaker to start the bottom of the sixth.

FSU-Tennessee CWS opener off to a rousing start; Seminoles lead 7-4

The game’s first three innings featured plenty of action.

The teams combined to score 11 runs on 12 hits. Each team committed two errors.

While UT used three pitchers, FSU starter Jamie Arnold has settled in despite throwing 56 pitches.

Max Williams had two hits to lead FSU.

Florida State baseball vs. Tennessee start time

Florida State baseball vs. Tennessee location

  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Charles Schwab Field

Tennessee baseball schedule

See the Tennessee baseball schedule here

More: Marco Dinges battles through rare illness last year before joining FSU baseball

FSU baseball schedule

See the Florida State baseball schedule

Tennessee baseball roster

See the Tennessee baseball roster here

FSU baseball roster

See the Florida State baseball roster

More: Carol Martin appreciates Link Jarrett’s respect for legendary FSU baseball coach Mike Martin

College World Series schedule

Below is the full 2024 schedule for the 2024 College World Series:

All times Eastern

Friday, June 14

  • Game 1: (4) North Carolina vs. (12) Virginia | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 2: (1) Tennessee vs. (8) Florida State | 7 p.m. | | ESPN (Fubo)

Saturday, June 15

  • Game 3: (2) Kentucky vs. (10) NC State | 2 p.m. | | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 4: (3) Texas A&M vs. Florida | 7 p.m. | | ESPN (Fubo)

Sunday, June 16

  • Game 5: Loser of Game 1 vs. loser of Game 2 | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 6: Winner of Game 1 vs. winner of Game 2 | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Monday, June 17

  • Game 7: Loser of Game 3 vs. loser of Game 4 | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 8: Winner of Game 3 vs. winner of Game 4 | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Tuesday, June 18

  • Game 9: Winner of Game 5 vs. loser of Game 6 | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. loser of Game 8 | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Wednesday, June 19

  • Game 11: Winner of Game 6 vs. winner of Game 9 | 2 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
  • Game 12: Winner of Game 8 vs. winner of Game 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Thursday, June 20

  • Game 13 (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD, 2 p.m. | TBD
  • Game 14 (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD, 7 p.m. | TBD

College World Series championship finals schedule 2024

Saturday, June 22

  • Game 1: TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

Sunday, June 23

  • Game 2: TBD vs. TBD | 2 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)

Monday, June 24

  • Game 3 (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD | 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)

College World Series odds

According to BetMGM

  • Tennessee +250
  • Florida State +850

2024 College World Series bracket

See the bracket here.

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