[LIVESTREAM TV—] Tennessee vs Texas A&M LIVE Broadcast ON TV Channel 23,June 2024

The Aggies got off to as quick a start as possible, with third baseman Gavin Grahovac smacking a leadoff home run to kick off the game.

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Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle was likely thinking his squad would get away with a Game 1 in the College World Series without having to turn to Evan Aschenbeck. But the Aggies needed their star closer to slam the door on Tennessee in their 9-5 win.

A two-run homer from Kaeden Kent gave Texas A&M a seven-run lead in the top of the seventh.

But Tennessee went back-to-back with home runs in the bottom of the seventh, each to different pitchers. That’s all it took for Schlossnagle to head out to the mound and signal for the Aggies’ relief ace.

There’s a reason Aschenbeck won the national stopper of the year award. The southpaw struck out the first two batters he faced, then carved up the eighth inning. The Volunteers showed some life in the bottom of the ninth, but Aschenbeck shut down the rally attempt secure the win for the Aggies.

It was clear early in Saturday’s game the Aggies would not be intimidated against No. 1 Tennessee. Gavin Grahovac launched the third pitch of the game to right for a solo homer to lead off the top of the first, and the Aggies tacked on another later in the frame to push the advantage to 2-0.

The Volunteers picked up a run in the bottom of the second, but the Aggies exploded in the top of the third, scoring five runs on four hits, a walk and an error. Kent’s two-run homer in the top of the seventh felt like the finishing touches on a blowout win for the Aggies.

But there’s more than a few reasons Tennessee is the No. 1 team in the country. Dylan Dreiling ripped a two-run homer to right to end the evening of Texas A&M pitcher Josh Stewart, then Hunter Ensley greeted Brad Rudis with a homer on his second pitch, ending his night early.

Enter Aschenbeck, who entered the game with a 1.54 ERA. He immediately struck out Kavares Tears and Dean Curley to get out of the seventh inning, then proceeded to pitch a 1-2-3 eighth.

The Volunteers picked up a pair of hits in the bottom of the ninth to threaten the Aggies, but Aschenbeck struck out Ensley and Tears to strand runners on the corners to end the game. Aschenbeck struck out seven in 2.2 innings.

The Aggies will be the home team in the second game of the College World Series finals, and they need to win just one more game to clinch the first national championship in program history.

The Sporting News tracked live updates from Saturday's contest between the Aggies and Volunteers, the first game of the College World Series final.