Kaeden Kent went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs to lead No. 3 Texas A&M to a 9–5 victory over top-seeded Tennessee in Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series on Saturday night at Omaha, Neb.
Gavin Grahovic also homered and Caden Sorrell had two RBIs for the Aggies (53-13), who can win their first national title by prevailing in Sunday’s Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
Evan Aschenbeck struck out seven in 2 2/3 innings and worked around two singles in the ninth to protect the lead as Texas A&M improved to 9-0 in the postseason.
Dylan Dreiling went 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs and Hunter Ensley was 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs for the Volunteers (58–13), who will need to win twice to become the first No. 1 seed since Miami in 1999 to win the MCWS.
If a third game is necessary, it will be played Monday night.
Texas A&M struck for five runs in the third inning to open up a 7–1 advantage.
Hayden Schott and Sorrell had RBI singles to give the Aggies a three-run lead.
Tennessee third baseman Billy Amick made a throwing error on Ali Camarillo’s bouncer as Texas A&M added another run to make it 5–1.
Kent, the son of 2000 National League MVP Jeff Kent, capped the outburst with a two-run single that scored Sorrell and Camarillo.
Tennessee got a run back in the bottom of the third on Ensley’s RBI single.
The score didn’t change again until the seventh. Camarillo led off with a walk against Tennessee’s Andrew Behnke and Kent followed by drilling a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right to make it 9–2. It was Kent’s fourth homer of the season.
The Volunteers cut into their deficit in the bottom of the frame as Amick drew a one-out walk against Josh Stewart (2–2) and Dreiling followed with a two-run blast to right, his 21st of the season.
Brad Rudis then entered in relief and served up a solo homer to left to Ensley, his 12th.
Texas A&M started fast as Grahovic smacked the third pitch of the game over the fence in right for his 23rd homer of the season.
After four batters and with runners at the corners, Tennessee starter Chris Stamos (3–1) was replaced by AJ Causey. After Ted Burton struck out for the second out, Sorrell delivered a run-scoring single to give the Aggies a 2–0 lead.
Dean Curley stroked an RBI single in the second to get the Volunteers on the board.
Texas A&M starter Ryan Prager allowed two runs and eight hits over four-plus innings. He struck out six and walked none. Stewart gave up two runs in 2 1/3 innings and struck out four and walked three.
Stamos was charged with two runs (one earned) and retired one hitter.
