Tennessee baseball is inching closer to the first national championship in program history.
Centerfielder Hunter Ensley helped the Vols take another step toward that achievement with some incredible baserunning in the bottom of the seventh inning of tonight’s deciding game of the College World Series against Texas A&M.
With Tennessee leading 5-1 and Ensley on first base with two outs, right fielder Kavares Tears smoked a double to right center. Ensley, sprinting on contact, dashed home, but it looked like he was dead in the water thanks to a terrific relay from A&M.
However, thanks to an amazing slide to avoid the tag from the Aggies’ Jackson Appel, Ensley scored to put the Vols up 6-1.
Look at this slide. Wow! pic.twitter.com/OT8eZS4CY6
— Max Olson (@max_olson) June 25, 2024
A closer look reveals just how amazing this was on Ensley’s part.
WHAT. A. SLIDE.🔥🔥
6-1 Tennessee pic.twitter.com/BqDlImv9sR
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) June 25, 2024
Tennessee has made the College World Series three times in the last four seasons, but this is the closes the Vols have ever been to a title since finishing as the runner-up in Omaha back in 1961.
Texas A&M isn’t going away quietly though. The Aggies pushed two runs across in the top of the eighth, though Kirby Connell struck out two straight hitters to stop the bleeding and end the frame.
You can watch the final outs on ESPN.
Related: Video: Fan Ejected For Despicable Behavior At College World Series