Vols one win away from College World Series final

OMAHA, Neb. (WATE) – Tennessee is off to a 2-0 start in the College World Series for the first time in program history after taking down North Carolina, 6-1.

Drew Beam started things off strong for the Vols. The junior pitcher struck out the first two batters he faced and forced a groundout to complete a 1-2-3 first inning.

However, North Carolina pitcher Shea Sprague also delivered a three up, three down inning while striking out Blake Burke and Billy Amick.

The Vols forced another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, highlighted by a Hunter Ensley catch on the warning track. Ensley ran full speed into the wall to grab the first out of the frame.

Dylan Dreiling drew a walk to start off the bottom of the second and then advanced to second on a Kavares Tears groundout. However, Dean Curley flew out to right field to end the threat.

Beam recorded his third straight three up, three down inning in the third capped off with striking out Colby Wilkerson. The righty needed just 21 pitches to get through the first three innings, with 19 being strikes.

The Murfreesboro native picked up his fourth strikeout of the game for the second out of the fourth inning, but Parks Harber delivered the Tar Heels’ first hit with a single. But Beam struck out his fifth batter of the night to keep UNC off the board.

The Vols broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. Burke started things off with a single, and Dreiling drew a walk. Kavares Tears brought them both home on a three-run shot into the North Carolina bullpen to give Tennessee a 3-0 lead. It was Tears’ second home run here in Omaha and his 20th on the season.

UT now has four players who have hit 20 or more homers this year.

North Carolina threatened in the top of the fifth. Back-to-back walks put two runners on for the Tar Heels, but back-to-back strikeouts from Beam left the runners stranded and the Vols with a 3-0 lead.

Tennessee tacked on another run in the bottom of the frame. Reese Chapman, who got the start as the designated hitter, made the most of his opportunity and hit a solo shot into the right field stands to extend the Vols lead to 4-0.

The Tar Heels found the scoreboard in the sixth. Vance Honeycutt sent a ball into the left field stands to cut the deficit to three runs. After allowing back-to-back singles, Drew Beam’s day was done. He finished with seven strikeouts and allowed just one run in five innings of work.

Kirby Connell took over on the mound for Beam with two runners on and no outs. Connell forced a groundout for the first out as the Tar Heels put runners on the corners thanks to a fielder’s choice. Connell picked off the runner at first for the second out and struck out Gavin Gallaher to escape the inning without allowing a run.

Tennessee earned back its four run lead in the bottom of the frame. Colby Backus, in his first at-bat after taking over for Hunter Ensley who left the game after running into the walk, worked a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a two-out RBI single from Dean Curley.

Nate Snead replaced Connell in the eighth inning. Snead walked Honeycutt but then forced a double-play ground-out ball and a fly-out to prevent any damage.

Tennessee’s offense got to work in the bottom of the eighth. Billy Amick started things off with a walk and Dreiling followed up with a single through the right side. Tears continued his strong night at the plate with an RBI double to score Amick and extend Tennessee’s lead to 6-1.

The Vols have earned a few well-deserved rest days and will play either North Carolina or Florida State on Wednesday.